| OPTIMAX NEWSLETTER
Q3 2010 |
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For
years Optimax has been a market leader for small volume, high quality,
quick delivery of precision optical components. Now Optimax is maturing
into a
world class organization with a certified ISO program to ensure
standard work, quality and continuous improvement. In addition, we have
workforce development programs that rank Optimax as one of the best
small companies in the USA.
| - Optimax is a Winning Workplace:
Earlier
this year, companies across the nation
submitted applications to the 2010 Top Small Company Workplaces
Competition. Optimax ranks as one of the top 20 small companies in
America.
| | - Victorious in Battle:
In
the fall of 2009, Optimax sent out a local press release stating that
one of our founding fathers, Kevin Bartlett, was diagnosed with
Anaplastic Carcinoma, a rare and life threatening cancer.
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Optimax
has planned updates and enhancements for the web site this year. For
the latest on Optimax, please visit the Optimax
Web Site
regularly.
Cheers,
| Rick
Plympton |
Optimax
Systems, Inc.
| | CEO |
6367
Dean Parkway
| | Optimax
Systems, Inc. |
Ontario,
NY 14519-8939
|
An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Optimax
is on the Path to ISO Certification
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| Optimax
Systems, Inc. has become one of America's largest independent optics
manufacturers. With 150 employees, including over 100 opticians,
Optimax is able to provide a quick turnaround of prototype optics with
diameters up to 300mm. With CNC machine tools, a metrology lab, and
in-house coating capabilities Optimax is capable of producing a wide
variety of optical components. In
order to ensure quality on each project, Optimax has decided to
formalize our standards of control and is now ready to apply for ISO
9001:2008 certification.
Optimax
gets audited by our customers several
times a year and we are grateful for their efforts in getting us
on this path. They have helped prepare us for the infamous audit, which
we've been working toward for a year. In addition, our
internal ISO team has helped guide the workforce by auditing all the
departments and interrogating each process. Optimax took every
opportunity to improve our processes and ensure that every employee had
received the proper training to excel in their role. With our extensive
Document Management System database to store our work instructions
and key documents being accessible by all, every employee is able to
stay up to date and leverage best practices.
| | | | The
week of June 21-25, 2010 was significant for Optimax as we underwent
our first ISO audit by AQA International. Our auditor was impressed
with the dedication,
talent and commitment of the workforce. During
the entire five day
audit the auditor found no non-conformances
and said
that everyone had great answers and knew
their job well.This is
extremely pleasing to
hear after the first audit and is a testimony of the hard work our
employees put into transitioning to a culture of Plan, Do, Check and
Act. |
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Optimax
has been unconditionally
recommended for
registration to be ISO 9001:2008 certified. Our official certification
should arrive in four to six weeks. This will provide more
opportunities to support our mission to enhance our unique capabilities
for providing fast, reliable delivery of precision optics with superior
quality and service, enabling customer success and employee prosperity.
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Optimax
is a Winning Workplace
|
Earlier
this year, about 500 companies across the nation submitted applications
to Inc.
Magazine’s and Winning
Workplaces’ 2010 Top Small Company
Workplaces competition. This competition’s goal is to identify the best
small and mid-sized companies to work for. Only 20 companies were
fortunate enough to be announced as a winner, and Optimax is one of
them.
Winning Workplaces seeks to recognize
companies that are committed to excellent people practices and
exceptional workplace cultures. As announced in the official Inc.
Magazine and Winning Workplaces press release, |
 |
| “Common
characteristics of the winning companies include aligning the workforce
with a clear vision, mission, and values; communicating with openness
and trust; and investing in employees’ continuous learning and
development. These practices were maintained or strengthened as a means
to weather the recession. Further, many winners chose to share the pain
rather than lay off colleagues."
Optimax
qualified as
a winner due to our documenting and tracking of standardized processes
that empower employees to make informed decisions. Optimax has also
implemented many cost cutting measures and reduced rework, supporting
our bottom line. Leadership was praised for investing in the workforce
and a focus on customer satisfaction, which in recent months has
amounted to the highest bookings in the history of the company. |
The
Ontario-Walworth
Rotary Club also honored Optimax by selecting us as
Business of the Year for 2010. This award is determined by the
community, the Chamber of Commerce, and a survey of the
Ontario-Walworth Rotary Club members. It is presented yearly to a
business that has provided opportunity for young people in the
community, supports local outreach and community efforts, promotes
continuing education, and has a good reputation in their industry as
well as the local community. Optimax’s activities in educational
outreach and generous donations to United Way have had a lasting impact.
It
is rewarding to receive such recognition after a couple years of
difficult
decisions in a tough economy. Optimax is proud of our employees who
have worked so hard to implement our best practices for making
precision optics for programs that benefit mankind.
For
more information about either of these awards, please contact
sales@optimaxsi.com.
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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Optics
for Soft X-Ray (EUV)
|
When Brookhaven National
Laboratory (BNL)
needed a synchrotron mirror and discovered no optics manufacturer in
the
US could make them, they presented their dilemma to Optimax. A team of
engineers from Optimax visited the Brookhaven facility to gain
understanding of the technical requirements and review every
detail of the specifications. The engineering review indicated that
Optimax would be able to develop the processes required to fabricate
these high precision optics and accepted the project.
The
project consisted of manufacturing a toroidal mirror for focusing the
x-ray beam of an XPS microscope. Optimax faced the challenge of
determining whether such precise specifications could be met
with
existing processes and measured with existing metrology while still
being cost effective. Because the uniquely shaped mirror surface had to
be held to an extremely tight tolerance, the final acceptance test was
to be performed at BNL on an instrument designed and built for
measuring these mirrors.
Optimax was able
to manufacture
these optics because of our innovative manufacturing processes and
highly skilled opticians. Using a combination of CNC controlled
machines, software and metrology, Optimax was able to achieve the
convergence of surface quality, figure and form. Contact profilometry
and CMM data was used to monitor material shape and removal, and a
combination of interferometric techniques allowed us to take full
advantage of the manufacturing process and produce fractional wave
toroids. Optimax
was greatly
satisfied when BNL found the mirror to meet requirements
and Optimax's metrology solutions correlated with BNL's better
than
anticipated.
Achieving
this milestone is inspiring to all. Our opticians and engineers are
continuously improving our processes to advance our capabilities to
meet emerging market requirements for optics. |
| BNL team installs toroid manufactured
by Optimax* |
 |
For
more information
on this exciting development, read the articles published by the
Rochester
Business Journal (RBJ) and BNL.
*Picture
taken by BNL |
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
|
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Victorious
in Battle
|
In
the fall of 2009, Optimax sent out a local press release stating that
one of our founding fathers, Kevin Bartlett, was diagnosed with
Anaplastic Carcinoma, a rare and life threatening cancer. The threat to
his life came as a shock to everyone. The Optimax employees made a
grassroots effort to throw a benefit on Kevin's behalf to help raise
money for the expensive medical treatment he would need. Thanks to
family and many of our friends in the industry, $30,000 was raised to
help Kevin fight his cancer.
Kevin shared the
difficulties of
going through the physical and mental trauma of such aggressive
treatment and his desire to not let it defeat his spirit. Friends and
co-workers helped transport Kevin to his radiation and chemotherapy
appointments. With the money raised at the benefit, he was able to fly
to Texas to receive a second opinion. The doctors there reinforced the
treatment plan Kevin was on, and even though less than 1% survive this
cancer, they reaffirmed that he was receiving the best known treatment.
|
From
the very beginning Kevin had a winning attitude. His mantra became "Run
to the Battle", lyrics by musician Steve Camp. It is Kevin's nature to
leverage his sphere of influence to touch the lives of his coworkers
and reveal to them something bigger than himself. When asked how he was
able to
stay strong through such tough times, Kevin attributed it to faith and
prayer.
Now, in
the summer of 2010, Optimax is celebrating that Kevin has won victory
over the |  | battle. The nearly
impossible has proved possible as Kevin was tested and found to be
cancer free. Periodic testing over the next 18 months will confirm
absolute victory. On April 19, we welcomed Kevin back to his role at
Optimax supporting process development for a variety of programs. To
signify the special occasion, the whole workforce wore "Run to the
Battle" t-shirts that were made for Kevin's benefit. As Kevin walked
in, he was greeted by his Optimax family, all rejoicing at his return.
| It
is a time of new beginnings, because for Kevin and those who know him,
life will never be the same. Life teaches you that it's not just what
you do; it's how you do it. The way Kevin dealt with his cancer is a
testimony to his leadership and commitment to model the way. May he
inspire everyone to do their best even in the face of adversity.
Kevin
is very grateful to everybody that reached out to provide financial and
emotional support. |
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An
innovative manufacturer of precision optics.
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