What's New at Valmark
Press Release
February 5, 2009
Valmark Industries Inc.
7900 National Drive
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 960-9900
For Immediate Release
Valmark Industries Announces Joint-Venture To Manufacture In China
Livermore, CA: Valmark Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Kinetek, Deerfield, IL) is pleased to announce that it has established a new joint-venture with a firm in China to provide exclusive manufacturing for resistive touch screens in North America and Europe.
“It has taken a long time for Valmark to identify the right set of location, cost, technical skills and state-of-the-art equipment to establish an exclusive JV manufacturing site in China to serve our growing demand in North American and Europe for resistive touch screens” says Brando Balarezo, Valmark’s VP of Engineering and Sales.
Resistive analog touch screens are “transparent switches” used over displays with graphic user interfaces (GUI) in lieu of traditional fixed keys. In some cases, touch screens take the place of the entire key panel and/or membrane switch for operator use; in other cases, the touch screen is embedded into a larger, more complex, key panel assembly and is only part of the total human machine interface (HMI) control system. Valmark can provide low cost, superior quality 4-wire, 5-wire and 8-wire resistive touch screens for custom display and GUI applications.
Valmark Industries, Inc. is an industry leader in the engineering design, manufacturing and testing of membrane switches, key panel assemblies, resistive touch screens, graphic overlays, EL lamps, EMI & RFI shielding and printed compliance labeling. Valmark’s core human machine interface (HMI) products are found in key markets like: medical equipment, telecom, specialty instrumentation and industrial/commercial control applications.
Kinetek is a global leader in the design of AC and DC electric motors and linear actuators for a variety of industrial and commercial applications. Kinetek operates 25 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more about Valmark and Kinetek by visiting:
Press Release
January 9, 2009
Valmark Industries Inc.
7900 National Drive
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 960-9900
For Immediate Release
Valmark Opens New Manufacturing Facility In Mexico
Livermore, CA: Valmark Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Kinetek, Deerfield, IL) is pleased to announce that it has begun production operations of its new facility in Monterrey, Mexico.
“Our new facility in Mexico has provided Valmark several competitive advantages that none of our competitors can match: low cost manufacturing, NAFTA jurisdiction and tax advantages, North American speed and responsiveness to customer demands and superb quality – not to mention added capacity over our 73,000 square foot plant in Livermore,” says Bob Sullivan, president of Valmark Industries, Inc.
The brand new 44,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility is called Kinetek De Mexico (KDM) and is located in the industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico. The KDM division is a shared resource with another Kinetek company Motion Control Engineering (MCE). Although they have the same address, the Valmark and MCE manufacturing areas are segregated into their own unique floor plans with custom equipment and processes tailored to their firms’ particular products.
Valmark Industries, Inc. is an industry leader in the engineering design, manufacturing and testing of membrane switches, key panel assemblies, resistive touch screens, graphic overlays, EL lamps, EMI & RFI shielding and printed compliance labeling. Valmark’s core human machine interface (HMI) products are found in key markets like: medical equipment, telecom, specialty instrumentation and industrial/commercial control applications.
Kinetek is a global leader in the design of AC and DC electric motors and linear actuators for a variety of industrial and commercial applications. Kinetek operates 25 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more about Valmark and Kinetek by visiting:
Press Release
December 8, 2008
Valmark Industries Inc.
7900 National Drive
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 960-9900
For Immediate Release
Valmark Industries Signs Rathsburg & Assoc. As Exclusive Sales Representative In Midwest
Livermore, CA: Valmark Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Kinetek, Deerfield, IL) is pleased to announce that it has signed an exclusive manufacturer’s sales representation agreement with Rathsburg Associates. The new manufacturer’s representation agreement was effective November 15, 2008.
“It is an extremely rare opportunity to partner with such a large and professional sales organization. It shows a strong and serious commitment from Valmark to continue to expand our presence throughout North America--and the mid-West in particular,” says Brando Balarezo, Valmark’s VP of Engineering and Sales.
The addition of Rathsburg & Associates to the Valmark national sales group demonstrates Valmark’s continued plans for growth in the Midwest. Rathsburg has been in business for over 54 years and has sales offices and sales engineers in fifteen states.
Valmark Industries, Inc. is an industry leader in the engineering design, manufacturing and testing of membrane switches, key panel assemblies, resistive touch screens, graphic overlays, EL lamps, EMI & RFI shielding and printed compliance labeling. Valmark’s core human machine interface (HMI) products are found in key markets like: medical equipment, telecom, specialty instrumentation and industrial/commercial control applications.
Kinetek is a global leader in the design of AC and DC electric motors and linear actuators for a variety of industrial and commercial applications. Kinetek operates 25 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. Learn more about Valmark and Kinetek by visiting:
Kinetek acquires Membrane Switch Leader, Valmark Industries
Deerfield, IL, June 29, 2007
Kinetek, a global leader in the design and manufacture of motors and controls for a variety of industrial and commercial applications, has announced the acquisition of Valmark Industries, Inc., a Livermore, California based producer of sophisticated custom membrane switch assemblies, graphic panel overlays and shielding products. Valmark serves customers in medical, telecommunications, aviation, material handling, golf and other niche markets.
The acquisition of Valmark is a strategic addition to Kinetek's portfolio of companies, according to Randy Bays, Kinetek president and chief operating officer. "Kinetek has achieved success in the past by focusing on motors, components, and control systems. Moving forward, we intend to create even greater value for our customers through a systems approach to product development. Integrating Valmark human machine interface (HMI) applications like keypads, touch screens and graphic overlays with Kinetek control systems are a great example of this value added product strategy."
Valmark membrane switches hold distinct advantages over other keypad technologies including low inertia, sealability, ultra low profile, and long life reliability in a variety of end-use applications and environments. Valmark's superior technical and manufacturing resources allow for the design, test, and manufacture of high quality products, in both prototype and production quantities, in industry leading turn around time. In addition to its core membrane switch, graphic panel overlay and shielding product lines, Valmark also designs and manufactures custom industrial and commercial labeling products.
Bob Sullivan, President of Valmark, noted several benefits of joining the Kinetek family of companies. "Valmark will have improved access to new markets for our products, the ability to tap into world class engineering and management resources, and be positioned to take advantage of Kinetek's cost effective, world wide manufacturing network. I see this as a tremendous opportunity to leverage Kinetek resources and enhance the technical breadth of our product offerings."
Valmark, an ISO 9001/2000 certified company, will be part of Kinetek's Electronic Systems Group, according to Bud Hittie, president and chief operating officer of the electronics group. "Under Bob's leadership, Valmark has emerged as a significant player in the membrane switch assembly arena. We look forward to integrating Valmark products into our Kinetek product lines in our common markets, and gaining access to unique Valmark markets." Hittie added that Sullivan will continue in his role as president of Valmark, reporting directly to Hittie.
Kinetek provides its global customer base with customized solutions for their motor and motion control system needs. Kinetek's comprehensive range of product lines includes AC, DC and brushless DC electric motors (sub-fractional, fractional and integral), electronic controls, motion control products, gearboxes, gears, transaxles and related systems solutions.
About Kinetek
Kinetek companies operate 25 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia and hold market leading positions in the elevator/escalator, commercial floor care, material handling, golf and utility vehicle and appliance/vending market segments. Kinetek companies include Imperial Electric, Scott DC Power Products, Euclid Universal, Advanced Motors and Drives, Kinetek De Sheng/KDS, FIR Group, Kinetek Controls, Valmark Industries, Merkle-Korff Industries, and Motion Control Engineering. Learn more about Kinetek by visiting www.kinetekinc.com.
Introducing Valmark's Digital Production Cell
Press Release
January 10, 2006
For Immediate Release
Valmark Industries Launches Digital Production Cell
Livermore, CA: Valmark Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Jordan Industries, Deerfield, IL) is pleased to announce that it has successfully installed an HP Indigo™ S2000 6 Color Digital Printing Press. Additionally, the Company has purchased a high speed FlexPro™ Laser Cutter from Preco Industries, Inc.
Forming the core of Valmark’s Digital Production Cell, the HP Indigo™ press and the FlexoPro™ laser processing system provide the capability to print and process low cost, exceptionally high quality membrane switch graphics in industry-leading turn around time. Additionally, the visual quality of digitally printed graphics gives our customers design options that were previously unavailable with any other conventional print technology.
Digital printing using the HP Indigo™ press is incredibly streamlined when compared to conventional screen printing – eliminating the need for films, plates, screens and multiple pre-press steps. Screen printing requires the set-up and print processing of each individual color of a particular overlay – thus, an 8-color overlay requires eight separate printing cycles. Digital processing reduces each of these to only one step – all colors are applied in one single pass. Valmark can then quickly process the graphics directly with the digital cell’s high-speed laser cutter.
As a result of this synergy in digital fabrication, the time required between order and delivery for many graphics and membrane switches can be reduced in comparison to standard print and cut technologies. This provides Valmark industry leadership in speed and accuracy for new and repeat orders, whether they are rapid prototype or production quantities.
The style and imagery of the graphics that can be produced using digital technology are far superior to those available through conventional screen printing. The HP Indigo™ allows our staff to recreate graphics on polyester and polycarbonate with exceptional resolution, giving our customers the option of adding dazzling, bright colors and gradients that will deliver visual appeal and clarity to any graphic overlay.
Wade Wilson, Valmark Industries’ VP of Operations and Strategy, states: “The introduction of these technologies are revolutionizing our industry by bringing the customer significantly closer to the finished product. With the advent of digital print and high speed laser cutting we can realize almost any idea or concept that a product designer can create without being limited by the laws of physics inherent in traditional screen-print and die-cut technologies.”
Valmark Industries, Inc. is an ISO 9001/2000 certified industry leader in the engineering design, manufacturing and testing of graphic overlays, membrane switches, key panel assemblies, EL lamps, EMI & RFI shielding and printed compliance labeling.
Valmark Industries Achieves ISO:9001-2000 Certification
Press Release
October 15, 2005
Valmark Industries Inc.
7900 National Drive
Livermore, CA 94550
(925) 960-9900
Livermore, CA: Valmark Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Jordan Industries, Deerfield, IL) is pleased to announce that it has obtained ISO: 9001/2000 certification at the companyÕs Livermore headquarters. The certification audit was performed by British Standards Institute (BSI) Americas of Reston, VA.
"Quite simply, ISO certification confirms for us that we have in place the efficient and repeatable business processes and controls that our customers demand. An ISO certified environment provides a structural framework that allows us to better and more profitably manage our company and to then pass on the improved quality and cost benefits to our customers", says Bob Sullivan, President of Valmark Industries Inc.
The ISO certification demonstrates Valmark's continued commitment to understanding, meeting and exceeding customer requirements through documented, concise and demonstrable processes.
Valmark Industries, Inc. is an industry leader in the engineering design, manufacturing and testing of graphic overlays, membrane switches, key panel assemblies, EL lamps, EMI & RFI shielding and printed compliance labeling.
IOS (International Organization of Standardization) is the source of the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 families of quality and environmental management standards and more than 40,000 International Standards for business, government and society. In partnering with BSI Valmark has chosen a premiere ISO registrar. BSI has offices in over 84 countries worldwide and is recognized as the worlds leading ISO registrar. Through its process of continuing assessments BSI will work with Valmark to make best practice, standard practice.
