>> THE SPARKS ARE FLYING AT ABBESS, BECAUSE WHAT IS EVENTUALLY GOING INSIDE THE BOXES WILL BE FLYING AMONG THE STARS.
>> I MAKE BOXES OF NOTHING.
[LAUGHTER] >> JEFF IS FUNNY, AND AS WE SAY AROUND HERE -- >> WICKED SMILE.
SINCE 1987, THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THIS INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURING COMPANY HAS DEVELOPED AND CUSTOM-BUILT OVER 45,000 UNIQUE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS.
>> THIS IS A TOOL TO MEASURE MICROGRAMS.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST PRODUCT HE MADE.
TODAY HE IS ONTO SATELLITES AND SATELLITE DEVELOPMENT.
YOU SEE THOSE BOXES OF NOTHING?
OH, THEY ARE SOMETHING.
>> THAT BLACK SIMULATES THE DARKNESS OF SPACE.
>> THE THERMAL VACUUM TASTING SYSTEMS -- TESTI SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK IN OUTER SPACE, SO THAT THINGS GOING TO THE FINAL FRONTIER CAN SURVIVE THE TRIP.
SO THE GOAL AS A COMPANY IS TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WILL PRODUCE THE WORST CONDITIONS.
>> WRIGHT, AND MAKE SURE THAT MY CUSTOMER CAN FIX THE SATELLITE BEFORE HE LAUNCHES IT.
>> FROM IRON TO SOFTWARE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, HE AND HIS TEAM LOVE THE CHALLENGES SET BY OTHER COMPANIES TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT HAS YET TO BE CONCEIVED.
>> PEOPLE SAY, CAN YOU MAKE IT?
I SAY YEAH.
AND MAKING IT, I HAVE NOT FAILED ON ONE YET.
STORRETT LOOMS LARGE, PHYSICALLY AND HISTORICALLY.
ALL THIS COMPLEX WAS BUILT AT THE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY FROM 1900.
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO, DOUG, IS FIFTH-GENERATION STORRETT TO RUN THE COMPANY, BURYING THE FAMILY NAME.
>> HE WAS A VERY INVENTIVE GAME.
-- GUY.
>> IN 1880, IT WAS A COMBINATION SQUARE THAT STARTED IT ALL.
A REVOLUTIONARY AND INDISPENSABLE MEASURING TOOL STILL BEING MADE AND USED TODAY.
>> MOST OF THE SQUARES WERE FIXED SQUARES BACK IN THE DAY.
AND THE FOUNDER REALIZED THAT THIS COULD BE USED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS.
>> THEIR EVOLUTION INTO PRECISION MEASURING INSTRUMENTS HAS BEEN LEADING THE WAY EVER SINCE.
TODAY, SOME OF THEIR HIGHLY TECHNICAL TOOLS ARE CAPABLE OF MEASURING SOMETHING SMALLER THAN A STRAND OF HUMAN HAIR.
>> THIS ESSENTIALLY IS A HUMAN HAIR.
AND YOU GUYS CAN MEASURE IT -- SOMETHING THAT SIZE.
>> WE HAVE TO HOLD A COUPLE OF THOUSANDTH, DEPENDING ON THE OPERATION.
>> 140 YEA AGO, IT WAS INNOVATION THAT LED THE COMPANY FORWARD.
THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
HOW MANY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS?
>> 5000 ARE MADE HERE AT THIS PLANT.
>> FROM OLD-SCHOOL MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.
>> THIS IS BARREL FINISHING.
>> TO AND ASSEMBLY.
-- HAND ASSEMBLY.
TO THE LATEST AND ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY.
STARROTT CONTINUES TO BUILD ON ITS LEGACY AS THE WORLD’S GREATEST TOOLMAKER.
>> ANYBODY WHO MAKES ANYTHING HAS TO MEASURE IT.
SO WE ARE NOT IN A BAD SPACE.
>> SIGN, SIGN, EVERYWHERE A SIGN.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR BUSINESS IS ABOUT SIGNAGE.
>> THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS OUR TYPICAL BLUEPRINT.
>> TIM FISHER IS THE PRESIDENT OF I.D. SIGN.
>> THIS IS GOLD LEAVING.
AN ART FORM THAT MANY COMMITTEES DO NOT DO ANY LONGER.
>> FROM DESIGN.
>> THIS IS THE SIGN THAT WILL ILLUMINATE.
>> THE FABRICATION.
>> THERE YOU GO.
>> TO INSTALL.
>>’S TEAM OF CREATIVE CRAFTSPEOPLE HAVE HELPED GET THE WORD OUT FOR COMPANIES OF ALL TYPES.
>> BETWEEN THE LASER AND OF ROTARY ENGRAVING MACHINE, WE CAN PRODUCE THESE TYPES OF SIGNAGE.
>> WHETHER IT IS BUSINESSES, BANKS, RESTAURANTS OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN, THEY CAN LEAD THE WAY.
>> 180 SIGNS A MONTH.
A MONTH.
SO SOME OF THOSE ARE MULTIPLE SIGNS AS WELL.
IF WE GO TO HOSPITALS, IT IS NOT JUST ONE SIGN, IT COULD BE 50 SIGNS.
>> THIS WAS MY FIRST ENGRAVING MACHINE.
>>’S FATHER, TOM, STARTED IT ALL.
THAT IS A MUCH YOUNGER TOM ON THE WALL WELCOMING CLIENTS.
>> WHAT IS THIS MATERIAL?
>> THAT IS FOAM.
>> HE BEGAN THE OPERATION MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO.
BACK THEN, HE WAS MAKING NAMEPLATES AT HIS HOME.
TODAY, HIS DETAILED AND DESCRIPTIVE WORKS OF DIRECTION CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER NEW ENGLAND.
>> DID YOU EVER DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND SAY, THERE IS ONE OF MINE?
>> I DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
WE DID THAT ONE.
>> HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
>> EXCELLENT.
>> A THIRD GENERATION HAS ENTERED THE BUSINESS NOW, ONE THAT HAS FIGURED OUT THE KEY TO SIGNAGE SUCCESS.