ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 12, 1997 TAG: 9704140024
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JENNIFER HUANG THE ROANOKE TIMES
A Roanoke maker of circuitry for electronic sensors and other gadgets is now certified for the international market.
With the help of KelTech Inc., hotels may find those "Please Do Not Disturb" signs are obsolete.
The Roanoke manufacturer is making components for an infrared sensor device that measures body heat. It allows hotel maids to aim a scanner at each guestroom door and determine whether someone's inside. The device also saves energy by automatically turning off lights and heat when the room is vacant.
The gizmo already is used by some hotels, including several in the Roanoke Valley. And KelTech's certification last month by an international organization likely means what it makes here will show around the world.
The 52-employee company received an ISO 9000 certification from the National Standards Authority of Ireland. It came after two years of refining its manufacturing processes.
Specifically, KelTech received the ISO 9002 certificate, acknowledging its processes meet the quality requirements that are increasingly a part of doing global business.
"It's instant credibility," said Michael Tesoro, KelTech's vice president of operations.
KelTech, a $2.5 million privately owned company located off Plantation Road, designs and assembles circuit boards. The boards are then used in telecommunication testers, automatic toilet flushers and computers. The company's design method allows its products to be used with less power in small spaces. The device used by hotels goes into a battery-powered, 3-by-3-inch infrared sensor.
To meet the international standards, 19 of the company's manufacturing requirements were checked. As inspectors went through its facility, KelTech employers used the opportunity to review, document and revise their processes. KelTech will be rechecked every six months to make sure its processes still meet ISO standards.
"It was the ideal situation for us to review and look at each process," said William Sinclair, the plant's general manager. "It fosters continuous improvement."
In fact, because of the revision and improvement of its processes, KelTech has reduced defects in its products, Tesoro said.
"We have seen a tremendous improvement in their products since they have been certified," said Jeff Copeland, quality director at Tele-Path Instruments of Salem, one of KelTech's customers. "Their attention to details and errors have improved significantly; in fact, they catch our errors now."
Tele-Path, which had sales last year over $25 million, makes testing equipment for telecommunication companies such as BellSouth and Bell Atlantic Corp.
KelTech is one of several regional companies to receive ISO certificates. A competitor, EDM in Lynchburg, is seeking certification in the international market. The 30-employee electronics manufacturing company is documenting its processes and plans to finish applying in September.
"Some of our customers want quality programs compatible to their existing ISO programs," said Robert Roberts, president of EDM.
KelTech saw results of the certification immediately. One week after the approval, KelTech met with a prospective customer who had previously refused to do business with the company.
"It really opens doors for you," Sinclair said. "Some companies won't entertain the thought of you as a potential supplier unless you are certified."
Also, KelTech applied for certification in anticipation of the needs of its customers. While the company has no plans to expand from a regional to an international company just yet, many of its customers plan on going global. As a supplier, KelTech's certification makes it that much easier for its customers to expand.
"It's not an absolute requirement," said Copeland of Tele-Path. "But it makes the whole system flow better." Tele-Path Instruments has customers in Canada and England.
Roanoke-based Lodging Technologies Corp., maker of the hotel sensor device, already has installed infrared sensors in hotels in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Local hotels with the sensor include Best Western at Valley View , Comfort Suites in Salem, and Sleep Inn in Roanoke County.
"I can say to our customers that KelTech is now certified," said Bill Fizer, Lodging Technologies' president. "It's a marketing device for us."
KelTech is considering enlarging work space; employees and equipment are being "pushed to the walls." Since certification, they have seen an increase in callers asking about prices, Tesoro said.
"The certification has helped to make us a better company," Tesoro said. "We have seen overall quality improvement which helps us attract and keep customers."
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CARY BEST THE ROANOKE TIMES. 1. Through an industrialby CNBmagnifying lamp, KelTech employee Debra Ramey assembles a
microprocessor Thursday. 2. A microchip (below) assembled by the
company is being used in hotels to monitor room temperature and
occupancy. color. 3. KelTech employee Darron Sink operates the
``Quad 4,'' which he uses to place microprocessors on computer
boards Thursday. color.