Tegra Medical Receives Manufacturing Award

Tegra Medical is at the forefront of next generation manufacturing. The Franklin, Mass.-based company recently was awarded the Next Generation Manufacturing Award for its performance practices as well as its ability to succeed in a competitive market.

Tegra was one of eight finalists chosen by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts Manufacturing Institute, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) and McGladrey, a national professional services firm that offers accounting, tax and business consulting services to manufacturing and distribution companies as well as wholesalers. The three organizations established the Next Generation Manufacturing Award to recognize a Massachusetts-based manufacturer for its performance practices and its successful business strategy.

The award is based in part on an in-depth survey of more than 2,500 manufacturing firms that identified six key performance measures that enable companies to compete in the global marketplace. Those measures include:

• Customer-focus innovation, or the capacity to deliver new and better customer solutions faster than competitors;
• Advanced talent management, or the use of systems and technology to recruit, hire, develop and retain talent;
• Systemic continuous improvement, or the ability to realize annual productivity and quality gains through a companywide commitment to continuous improvement;
• Extended enterprise management, or the implementation of a flexible network of supply chains and partnerships to achieve a competitive advantage in speed to market, cost of goods and quality of output;
• Sustainable product and process development, or the design and incorporation of waste and energy use reduction measures that produce tangible cost performance advantages while increasing customer value; and
• Global engagement, or the capacity to integrate people, partnerships and systems capable of engaging global markets, talents and resources.

Tegra scored points for its daily and weekly operational reviews, its supplier summits and reviews (to communicate expectations and track progress), its various recycling programs, the steps it has taken to retain employees and recruit new talent, opening an offshore site to meet customer demands, and establishing an 18,000 square-foot tech center to support new product launches.

“The practices carried out by the people at Tegra Medical and the seven other award finalists highlight what manufacturers must do every day to meet the challenges of a growing and competitive world marketplace,” said Jack Healy, director of operations at MassMEP. “The adoption of these best practices can help other manufacturers identify strategic goals to ensure they will be able to grow and prosper in the future.”

The eight finalists were subjected to an onsite evaluation. Organizers of the award determined that the companies contribute more than $673.2 million to the Bay State’s economy.

Other finalists for the award included:

• Barry Controls, a Hopkinton-based firm that produces motion control and anti-vibration products and systems used by the aviation/aerospace, defense and transportation industries;
• Checkerboard Ltd., a family-owned business in West Boylston that designs and prints invitations;
• FIBA Technologies, a Millbury-based supplier of gas containment equipment and services;
• Incom Inc., a privately-held company headquartered in Charlton that makes commercial rigid, fused fiberoptic faceplates, tapers and microwell arrays;
• MTD Micro Molding, a Charlton-based manufacturer of microscopic molded components. The firm was established in 1972 as Miniature Tool and Die;
• John Matouk Company Inc., a Fall River-based manufacturer of linens; and
• Savage Arms Inc., a Westfield-based designer and manufacturer of centerfire rifles, rimfire rifles, shotgus, muzzleloaders and shooting sports equipment.