Silicon Mountain, a family-owned and operated electronics manufacturing company, has been making significant strides in the efficiency of its operations. Strategically located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, the company takes pride in its team of dedicated employees who are committed to delivering the highest quality products to a diverse range of clients, from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
What sets Silicon Mountain apart as a manufacturing partner is its ability to tailor processes and use its manufacturing equipment to meet each customer’s specific needs. With more than 50 years of combined engineering and manufacturing experience, the company is uniquely positioned to collaborate with customers on all stages of production, from product development and design to full-scale manufacturing. This customer-centric approach ensures that the company can quickly adapt to market demands and provide efficient solutions that save both time and money.Efficiency and increased throughput at Silicon Mountain has taken a significant leap forward under the guidance of its Operations Manager Eddie Garcia. With extensive knowledge in product development and contract manufacturing across various industries since 1993, Garcia’s experience has allowed him to implement diverse approaches to manufacturing processes. His vision has been instrumental in addressing the challenges that arise as organizations grow into what he calls “semi-corporate” entities.
Garcia has been a part of Silicon Mountain since early 2022. Asthe Operations Manager, he is responsible for production, the engineering department, and the quality department. His experience is hard earned and comprehensive. Putting himselfthough college while working full time helped to hone his time management and efficiency skills. Being exposed to manufacturing processes and being successful at different companies for three decades allowed him to come into Silicon Mountain with a fresh set of eyes to curb inefficiencies and drive ownership with data and metrics. Most importantly, he said that he has been able to bring the team together, allowing them to work with each other as opposed to at each other. As a team – with Eddie at the helm – they have driven success at Silicon Mountain.
As the company evolves and adopts ISO controls and procedures for accountability, the company remains cautious about avoiding the pitfalls of excessive corporate red tape. Garcia recognizes that too many rigid procedures can hinder flexibility, which, in turn, leads to inefficiencies. He illustrates this with a straightforward example of manufacturing orders where inflexible procedures result in unnecessary downtime between production runs, leading to wasted time and resources:
“Let’s say you have two manufacturing orders of product “A” to run back-to-back of 3000 units. After the first order is complete, should you empty your production line and start the second order or should you wait for the first article to be completed before continuing production of the second order? Your procedures state to completely finish the order before moving the second, and you have to wait for the first article to be completed before moving forward,” Garcia continued. “This is a huge waste of time, in which nothing has changed on the production line. Programs haven’t been changed, fixtures haven’t been changed, machine profiles haven’t been changed,and production staff hasn’t been changed. There is a loss of one full hour, or more, due to lack of flexibility in procedures. This is one of many pitfalls manufacturers fall into when growing into semi-corporate status.”
particular was sourcing from two contract manufacturers, but ultimately single sourced with Silicon Mountain Contract Services, LP because its competitor was not flexible. Customer satisfaction remains at the core of Silicon Mountain’s business model. As an electronics contract manufacturer, the company understands the importance of providing exceptional service to support its clients, allowing them to focus on their core business while Silicon Mountain manages the manufacturing processes efficiently. Garcia said, “We will continue to drive efficiency initiatives without sacrificing quality.”
In line with its commitment to continuous improvement, Silicon Mountain Contract Services, LP aims to expand its capabilities into ITAR, Medical, and Aerospace industries in the coming year. This strategic move aligns with the company’s vision of diversifying its offerings while maintaining its high standards of quality and customer service.
With its dedication to flexibility, customer focus, and continuous improvement, Silicon Mountain continues to establish itself as a reliable and innovative manufacturing partner in the ever-evolving electronics industry.
To learn more about Silicon Mountain and its efficient manufacturing services, visit www.siliconmtn.net.
