C-Vision: Early Adopters

NOTE: The following feature story was originally published in Open to the World, fall 2006 issue. It was written by M.E. Walker. The story is being used for the Nova Scotia "Come to life" initiative. "Come to life" is a public-private sector initiative that markets Nova Scotia as an excellent place in which to live, work, invest, play, and visit.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but sometimes that is because it is well taken care of. For Amherst-based C-Vision Ltd., that means sustaining an environmentally friendly business. The company's green attitude has been the secret behind its success, but it hasn't been easy to get to the top.

In 2002, company founder and president Chuck Cartmill purchased a 55,000-square-foot facility with a goal, and only one employee to achieve it -- himself. From the empty factory, he started his own electronics-manufacturing company, C-Vision Ltd., which provides a wide range of services, including electronics assembly, cable assemblies, design services, prototyping, and complete system integration.

System integration can take many forms. For example, C-Vision has developed a comprehensive global supply chain that provides customers access to world-class companies in various disciplines, such as plastics, displays, electro-mechanical components, metalwork, etc. In its role as the system integrator, the company acts as a prime contractor, and integrates these elements, along with electronic assemblies manufactured at the C-Vision facility, into a finished, tested product.

Four years and more than 100 employees later, the company is surpassing its competitors and making its mark as a leader in electronics manufacturing. In 2005, C-Vision became one of the first electronics manufacturers in North America to design and implement a lead-free manufacturing program that meets the international regulations introduced by the European Union in 2002. The new regulations, called Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) in electrical and electronic equipment and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), force companies to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous material in their products, including the lead found in solder, a product used in electronics manufacturing.

With the waste equipment directive in place in 2005, and restriction of hazardous substances in 2006, C-Vision has stayed ahead of its competition by embracing these new regulations early. Cartmill says companies that haven't begun to consider the implications of the new regulations will be faced with many obstacles down the road.

"There are many Canadian and U.S. companies that are dragging their heels," he says. "How do you expect to not only survive, but also maintain a profit, when your competition, which is EU compliant, is growing by the day?"

It took one year for C-Vision to offer lead-free circuit-board assemblies, which was possible through the hard work of almost all of its employees. In fact, it was supplying hazardous restriction-compliant products several months before the effective date. With the lead-free trials completed in January 2005, the manufacturing-readiness program required the company to retrace and re-evaluate every part of its operation, purchase new equipment, and introduce a lead-free assembly line.

Companies that refuse to comply with these directives, can't sell their products abroad and compete at a heavy disadvantage. With countries such as Japan and South Korea implementing hazardous-restriction-compliant practices, many Canadian and American exporters are only beginning to recognize the impact these directives will have on business.

The investments C-Vision has made in equipment and training are paying dividends with increased access to markets, such as Europe, and increased sales. The company is exporting products to European countries, and in the U.S., C-Vision has seen a steady increase in activity in the Western European market that can, in large part, be attributed to its hazardous-restriction capabilities.

C-Vision's environmental initiatives have also increased its presence in the domestic market as many of its clients' end products are exported to Europe, and other areas where hazardous-restriction programs are in place.

"If we wanted to keep our existing customers while creating opportunities to grow our export sales, we needed to recognize new regulations and adopt them as quickly as possible to remain a leader in our industry," says Cartmill. "The EU legislation isn't a short-term prescription, and quite a few North American companies realized this fact too late."

While some companies are fighting a tough battle in the demand for lead-free products, C-Vision plans to continue building its customer base. The company recently announced a pre-qualifying opportunity with two new customers, depending on the size of their production requirements. C-Vision is confident that this offer will attract customers that are dealing with tight deadlines and production shortfalls.

The company's progressive attitude has been recognized by the industry, current and future clients, and organizations such as Dalhousie University's Eco Efficiency Centre. Recently, Cartmill received the Ernst & Young Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 award and was also named as the recipient in the manufacturing, Atlantic category. Cartmill was named as a finalist for the national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. The company also received the New Exporter Award at the 2006 Nova Scotia Export Achievement Awards.

"Our adaptability has been our strongest asset, and I also attribute a lot of our success to our employees who have dedicated themselves to meeting these new regulations," says Cartmill. "By meeting the directives set out by the EU, C-Vision is opening many doors of opportunity internationally, and is eager to explore these new possibilities in the near future."

For more Nova Scotia success stories visit www.novascotialife.com .