Intel Chooses Qualcon

Flowery Branch, Georgia

August 26, 2004

Intel® Corporation announced today that Quality Contract Manufacturing, LLC ("Qualcon") has been selected to become a general member of the Intel Communications Alliance.

The Intel Communications Alliance is a solution-centered ecosystem program offering wide-ranging benefits that help drive revenue growth and market segment share for communications and embedded solutions. By participating in the Alliance, Qualcon gains access to expansive matchmaking opportunities across different geographies and lines of business, plus increased and regular access to several levels of Intel business management through the executive alignment process and worldwide members-only events. 

"Qualcon’s value proposition has yet again been honored by one of the world’s top companies. We are very pleased to be on the Intel Communications Alliance team," commented Jeff Griffin, Qualcon’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Based in the Atlanta suburb of Flowery Branch, GA, Qualcon provides continuous flow electronics manufacturing services, including turnkey material procurement and assembly, box-build and deployment services, labor-only assembly of customer-consigned components, functional and in-circuit testing and life-cycle management services to Original Equipment Manufacturers in the electronics industry. Qualcon also provides design engineering services to their customers and U.S. repair and warranty depot services for foreign manufacturers.

Qualcon receives international recognition for their pioneering practice of CONTINUOUS FLOW MANUFACTURING in the electronics manufacturing service provider industry.

Qualcon is ISO-9001:2000, ANSI/ESD-S20.20-1999, BABT, UL, ETL registered and Telcordia (Bellcore), FDA GMP and QS-9000 compliant.

Qualcon is the recipient of the 2000 and 2001 Pacesetter Award as one of "Atlanta's Fastest Growing Private Companies."

Qualcon’s Vision is 20/20

Anaheim, California and Flowery Branch, Georgia

February 25, 2004

It takes vision to anticipate how technology will change and how products and services must correspondingly evolve to stay current. The best companies respond to the challenge with creativity and innovation. Each year SMT Magazine recognizes outstanding companies whose products or services in electronics manufacturing serve as the benchmarks of excellence.

According to SMT Magazine Editor-in-Chief Gail Flower, "The SMT VISION Award is the most sought-after distinction in the electronics manufacturing industry."

During a gala reception and ceremony held yesterday evening at the Anaheim Hilton, Qualcon received the 2003 VISION Award for their pioneering concept and implementation of continuous flow manufacturing. Present to receive the Award were Qualcon’s president Bob Bilbrough, Vice President of Operations Doug Philbrick and Vice President of Sales & Marketing Jeff Griffin.

"The VISION Award is Qualcon’s first international award, and by far the most significant honor we’ve ever received," stated Qualcon’s Bilbrough.

The VISION Award spotlights the finest examples of creative advancement in technology. A distinguished panel of industry experts evaluates each nomination based on its:

Ability to meet a significant industry challenge

Creative application of a new or existing technology

Overall quality and consistency of performance

Economic merit

Throughput characteristics

Hunter Marketing in Schaumburg, IL, an independent market research firm not affiliated with PennWell (publisher of SMT Magazine), managed the judging process.

The SMT VISION Awards recognize the people and products within the surface mount industry that serve as benchmarks of excellence.

Based in the Atlanta suburb of Flowery Branch, GA, Qualcon provides continuous flow electronics manufacturing services, including turnkey material procurement and assembly, box-build and deployment services, labor-only assembly of customer-consigned components, functional and in-circuit testing and life-cycle management services to Original Equipment Manufacturers in the electronics industry.

Qualcon receives international recognition for their pioneering practice of CONTINUOUS FLOW MANUFACTURING in the electronics manufacturing service provider industry.

Qualcon is ISO-9001:2000, ANSI/ESD-S20.20-1999, BABT, UL, ETL registered and Telcordia (Bellcore), FDA GMP and QS-9000 compliant.

Qualcon is the recipient of the 2000 and 2001 Pacesetter Award as one of "Atlanta's Fastest Growing Private Companies."

 

Qualcon Receives International Acclaim for Service Excellence:

January 19, 2004

Circuits Assembly Magazine, the most widely circulated trade publication in the worldwide electronics manufacturing industry, has announced the results of the 2003 Service Excellence Awards. Qualcon is very pleased to announce our 5^th place finish in the world of electronics manufacturing service providers with revenue under $100 million. Qualcon’s customers awarded an overall service rating of 4.62 out of 5.00 in categories including Dependability/Timely Delivery, Manufacturing Quality, Responsiveness to Requests/Changes, Technology and Value for the Price. The rating was determined by an independent survey of Qualcon’s customers by Circuits Assembly Magazine.

Commenting on the announcement, Qualcon Vice President of Sales & Marketing Jeff Griffin stated, "This is a tremendous accomplishment for Qualcon. Qualcon is especially proud of our 2^nd place finish in ‘Value for the Price’ among competitors from around the world".

Southeast's Preeminent Electronics Manufacturing Services Provider Achieves ISO 9001:2000 Registration

August 19, 2003

Qualcon is proud to announce its registration by QMI to the world-class standard of ISO 9001: 2000.

The ISO 9001:2000 registration represents an upgrade to Qualcon's long-standing ISO 9002: 1994 registration. Qualcon set a record with its registrar in 1998, achieving the ISO registration less than 10 months after initiating manufacturing operations.

Qualcon Performance Measurement Manager Mark Whitaker stated, "Our transition to the new ISO revision was accomplished with relative ease since most of our older systems were customer focused and included measures and objectives. We simply aligned all of our documentation with the new ISO numbering format so our Associates can readily find all documents related to a particular ISO element. This upgrade helped us better realize our processes and their interactions, which will help us move to the next level of continual improvement."

Qualcon founder and CEO Bob Bilbrough noted, "Qualcon is pleased to once again demonstrate that our world-class processes meet the world-class standard."

The soon-to-be obsolete ISO -1994 standard is scheduled to be abandoned by the International Organization for Standardization on December 13, 2003. Currently, less than 50% of ISO -1994 registration holders worldwide have been registered to the new ISO -2000 standard. On July 2, 2002, Qualcon became the first electronics manufacturing services provider in the Southeast to achieve the prestigious ANSI/ESD S20.20 registration, which certifies their world-class control of electrostatic discharge within their factory.

Qualcon Appoints Teresita T. Grefal to Implement IPC Certification Training Program

May 1, 2002

Atlanta/Flowery Branch, GA USA

Qualcon announces the appointment of Teresita T. Grefal as IPC Trainer. Ms. Grefal brings 12 successful years of teaching experience to Qualcon, including two years at Solectron, where she served in capacities including Line Leader/Solder Trainer, Solderer and Assembly Operator. Ms. Grefal holds the B.A. from Montclair State University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and the A.S. in Elementary Education from St. Mary’s College, Philippines. Ms. Grefal is an IPC-A-610 Certified Class A Instructor and also holds certification from IPC as a Registered Instructor for J-STD-001.

Ms. Grefal will be responsible for training and certifying all Qualcon associates to standards such as IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001. An extensive monitoring and coaching program has been implemented to assure the training was received, understood and implemented on our production floor. "Consistency to relevant industry standards will improve Qualcon’s already high levels of quality and our overall customer satisfaction. Teresita is a powerful teacher and her desire to create consistency is evident during her classes. Her key phrase ‘Go to the Book’ will assure we are completely consistent and committed to delighting our customers", commented Mark Whitaker, Qualcon’s Performance Measurement Manager. As part of our continued efforts to strengthen our partnerships and customer satisfaction, Qualcon will also open our IPC certification program to the employees of our valued customers. Ms. Grefal resides in Lawrenceville, GA.