Northfield Automation Systems

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NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Mark Wegner, president and co-founder of Northfield Automation Systems (NAS), knows well the difficulties, the pressures and the stresses faced by process engineers and others wrestling with precision automation challenges.Why? Because, he points out with a smile, he has lived on that side of the fence. As a former Process Engineering Manager and R&D Engineer for Sheldahl, Wegner was a key part of a roll-to-roll flexible electronics manufacturing culture. He worked to identify and implement the new technology that would help his team meet the tighter tolerances required by the industry. Today, at Northfield Automation Systems, Wegner directs a highly qualified team of engineers – engineers who have significant expertise in manufacturing – as they create high quality, precision process automation solutions. NAS designs, engineers and fabricates automation machinery for OEMs and high-volume, custom manufacturers. The company’s engineers provide consultative support for streamlined manufacturing processes with turnkey, integrated equipment. “Without a doubt, my time spent as Process Engineering Manager helped me to better understand our customers’ goals,” says Wegner. “We seek to identify and understand their end goals, so that we can help them to be successful in the long haul, not just the short-term. It’s about more than just designing and engineering equipment… it’s about being a side-by-side partner and an enabler to our clients.” The we’re-in-this-together approach has allowed the company to continue to expand its business during a challenging economy. “We’re having a solid year,” says Wegner, “but since we started the company 10 years ago our goal has always been to achieve long-term, sustained growth. And the work we’re doing now – and, more importantly, the work we did in the past two years – has put us in a position to achieve that type of growth.” Part of the reason Wegner is optimistic about the company’s future is the fact that he and his team have identified and are successfully reaching into new and emerging technology fields. Flexible solar cells, batteries and displays, along with smart sensors, are all areas where NAS is achieving significant market penetration. Wegner continued, “It’s clear to us that these emerging markets will continue to see growth. Our approach, our expertise and our experience make us a perfect fit for companies looking to realize efficiencies in these areas.” Wegner goes on, “The team we’ve built excels at helping customers to identify the ‘sweet spot’ for automation. NAS takes great pride in our customer support and looks to be an extension of our clients’ engineering teams. We bring to bear our extensive process knowledge – understanding thermal limitations on materials, etc. – so that we can provide a complete, turnkey solution.” Despite the move into the new emerging markets, Wegner is quick to point out that these new areas of focus are not intended to fully replace previous lines of business. “We talk about the need for strategic growth,” he says.

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