Last updated July 20, 2003

Making the parts that help make the product (from the Lincoln Journal Star, December 19, 2002)

Andy Leatherman builds successful business. Sue and Andy Leatherman Most of the work done by Creative Technologies Inc. of Lincoln is seen by just a few people. However, the work done by the components the company makes is found on millions of parts. CTI makes parts for industrial machines that turn out everything from washing machines to communications headsets. Two words to remember when it comes to CTI are "smooth" and "close." The company often must grind or machine its components to within a few millionths of an inch of customer specifications. The CTI plant near Havelock isn't large, just 8,300 square feet, but President Andy J. Leatherman said there are about 50 machines and 35 processes used there. While the machines are as different as jug grinders and punch presses, there's one important commonality. The machines are mostly automated, requiring very little attention from the operator. "It's a lot of waste if a guy has to stand there and watch the machine run," Leatherman said. One process the company has made use of is what Leatherman calls "reverse engineering." The company can replicate a part with out blueprints. Just measuring its dimensions can be enough to allow CTI to design a new part. Leatherman says building from models will become the standard in the industry over the next five to 10 years. In addition to machining, Creative Technologies also does contract measuring for clients. The measuring room, called the "metrology lab," has a coordinate-measuring machine - standard equipment in many machine shops. But CTI also boasts a 600-power microscope, which the company uses to examine clients' broken parts and try to discover why the part broke and offer suggestions for making future parts. The temperature in the metrology lab is always with in a degree of 68 Fahrenheit, and the part to be tested is left in the room for 24 hours to acclimate. The plant is a series of environments, which each work area out fitted with equipment to produce the optimal atmosphere for the work that goes on there. The grinding room boasts a vacuum-filtration system to remove microscopic particles. The room in which electric discharge machining is done has air conditioning, because of the heat the machines generate. Leatherman said the availability of skilled workers from Southeast Community College and other technical schools is a benefit of locating the plant here. Another is the central U>S> location, important for a firm that ships to both coasts. Leatherman said Nebraska has its drawbacks, as well. He said the state is less embracing of technology than neighbors Iowa and Minnesota. CTI's next move will be into manufacturing of finished goods. The last year has been a struggle for many companies, and Leatherman said CTI is no different. The economy remained sluggish, the company cash reserves were dwindling, and Leatherman eventually had to lay off some workers. "We came as close to (going out of business) as possible, living each day by faith," he said. "Thanks be to God, customers, employees and vendors for us surviving this last year." He said employees were dedicated to getting the company back on track. "They do what they do with a lot of heart," Leatherman said. "Some of them gave 200 percent to make this company go. We wouldn't be in busine4ss if not for them." Tool room manager Kirby Taylor said Leatherman's practice off treating employees like family gets maximum effort from workers. Machine operator Mike Brown likes his job because of the variety involved. "A lot of days, I don't even know what I'm going to be doing until I get here," he said. Leatherman said the company tried to offer opportunities for employees to learn multiple skills, or to master a few. "Some are happy with what they're doing and want to do it for 20 more years," he said. "Some want a new challenge every six months." But all must fit into the company's mission of getting the job down for customers such as NSK Bearing Corp., a ball-bearing manufacture based in Clarinda, Iowa, for which CTI does some tooling and makes machine parts. NSK technical specialist John Sharr said his company began doing business with CTI because Leatherman was known to NSK. He said the relationship continues because CTI can meet NSK's high standards. "When we have something that needs extra special care, a lot of the time we'll send it his way," Sharr said.