New York Electronics Manufacturing
1989 | A great start and first decade
Looking for New York electronics manufacturing ? Z-AXIS started in 1989 as a manufacturer of rugged industrial CRT-based displays. For ten years we were highly successful in this niche market. Our displays were used in medical instruments, military systems, manufacturing equipment, and other products where reliability and high performance were essential. In 1995 we were acquired by Video Display Corp., the company that provided the cathode ray tubes for our displays.
The first decade – the original Z-AXIS facility in Phelps, NY
1999 | A need for change: Identifying the opportunities
In 1999 we finished building our current facility a few miles down the road from our original site, and moved in. At the same time, demand for CRTs began to shrink as the market gave way to cheaper, commodity LCD technology. Michael Allen, then the Director of Engineering, was convinced that Z-AXIS would need to either adapt or fade away along with the CRT market.
Michael took the initiative to identify and develop two areas where Z-AXIS had unique strengths. These two areas could be re-targeted to serve new and growing markets:
- High-tech electronics manufacturing (including SMT and mixed-technology printed circuit boards, cable assemblies, and custom magnetic components).
- The design and production of high-reliability custom power supplies.
He began cultivating customers for contract design and manufacturing projects. At the same time he began designing and patented a line of rugged power supplies intended for use in medical, industrial and commercial products. He launched the company’s BEAR Power Supplies line in 2004.
2006 | All-in on a new direction powers a turn-around
In 2006, after six years of downward sales and financial losses due to dwindling CRT orders, the company’s founder retired and Michael took over as President. He immediately shifted the bulk of the company’s resources to the two new business areas.
Z-AXIS reversed its downward trends and returned to growth and profitability. By 2008, contract manufacturing and power supplies made up more than half of the company’s business. Employment grew from a low of 25 employees in 2006, to 65 by 2013.
2014 | New owners keep Z-AXIS a New York manufacturer
In 2014, Michael and his wife Robin bought Z-AXIS from Video Display Corp., out-bidding competitors who would have moved the business out of state or closed it down.
In 2017, Z-AXIS shipped its last CRT monitor.
2019 | Celebrating 30 years; continuing to grow and change
Today we employ more than 90 people. Our first contract manufacturing services customer has now been with us for 15 years, giving us the honor of producing the first, second and third generation of their highly successful flagship product.
To meet the changing need of all of our customers, we have steadily developed new capabilities and now maintain a level of sophistication puts us in the top of the class of Rochester-area contract manufacturers.
Since 2006 we have constantly invested in new equipment and facility upgrades. Just a few of these are:
- A second pick-and-place line in 2011, doubling our SMT printed circuit board production capacity and allowing us to work with components as small as 0201
- New reflow ovens, board cleaners and stencil printers
- UV and CO2 lasers for tasks such as depaneling very small PCB assemblies, cutting shields, etc.
- Robotic systems for conformal coating, selective soldering, dispensing, IC programming and more
- Automated optical inspection (AOI) and thermal imaging systems
- Systems for injection molding, 3D printing and ultrasonic welding
- Facility updates such as humidity control systems, LED lighting, heating and air conditioning
- Process upgrades including ISO9001 certification in 2010, adoption of lean manufacturing principles, and computerized systems for data tracking and process control throughout manufacturing
Check out the Z-AXIS YouTube Channel for videos.
The Z-AXIS team on our 30th Anniversary. Watch the one-minute video.
The Z-AXIS team on our 33rd Anniversary (October 2022)