Massachusetts MEP: Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2007

For more information please contact:
Jack Healy
MassMEP
Tel: 508-831-7020

Global Leader Incom, Inc. Gets World Class Training from MassMEP
Fiberoptics Technology Company Partners with MassMEP for Lean Training

CHARLTON, MA - Everyone knows that to be on top - and stay on top - you need to continuously improve. That’s why Incom, Inc., already the world’s leading provider of commercial fused fiberoptics, has partnered with the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) to take advantage of their Lean Manufacturing training program.

“We were happy to work with Incom on Lean Manufacturing techniques,” said John O’Brien, project manager at MassMEP. “Every manufacturing enterprise in Massachusetts can take advantage of our resources and services. Incom, an established leader in their field, is setting a great example by constantly looking to improve their operations.”

The Lean program offered by the MassMEP provides a customizable and measurable framework aimed to transform a company into a “Lean Enterprise.” Lean Manufacturing is the foundation of a high-performance enterprise, and its goals are to eliminate waste and provide manufacturers with the biggest opportunity for immediate bottom-line improvement.

“At Incom, we’re extremely proud of our leadership in the fiberoptics industry,” said Cliff Kites, Director of Lean Manufacturing. “We’ve remained at the top of our field because we strive for efficiency and excellence. That’s why we’re working with the MassMEP. They are leaders in the manufacturing world, training companies, like ours, to be even better.”

With its headquarters in the small, western Massachusetts town of Charlton, Incom’s contributions to the world have been anything but small. Their fiberoptics technologies have been providing advances and breakthroughs for over 35 years across variety of fields, including dental, medical, genetics, military, homeland security and many others.

“We worked with employees at Incom from the ground level up to management” explains O’Brien. “We were able to help them, specifically, with their lead time and inventory cost. I was impressed with the involvement of the staff and their commitment to following through with the new techniques they learned.”

“We only wish we had done this sooner,” adds Kites. “We plan on continuing our training with the Mass MEP.”

Incom, Inc. was founded in 1971 in Southbridge, MA. Incom is the world’s leading provider of commercial fused fiberoptics, and has been providing bright ideas in fused fiberoptics for over thirty-five years. For more information on Incom, Inc. visit www.incomusa.com.

The MassMEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The national MEP system is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2,000 manufacturing and business “coaches” whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits and enhanced global competitiveness. For more information, please visit www.massmep.org, or phone 1-800-MEP-4MFG.

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