“Align personal objectives to company success”

iniTECHis a dynamic solutionspartner that meets client’s individual needs by defying traditional labels and adhering toa lean-centric philosophy. The company made its name in the Flavor & Fragrance and CPG industries through years of providing cost-effective, personalized solutions and fostering long-term partnerships. For decades, their teamhas designed and providedrevolutionary tools and software systems – including premier MES software solutions for manufacturing clients that canhandle receiving, inventory control, compounding, mixing, packaging, quality, shipping and more. The engineering team designs all of their tools andsolutions agnostically, so any one piece can be integrated seamlessly with a client’s existing in-house systems.

“Our adaptability as a company is one of our greatest strengths,” explainsiniTECH COO RaySchleckser. “Trends come and go. So do entire industrial eras. That’s why we lean into change instead of fighting it. We’re always working to improve.”

This approach hasled iniTECH to a diverse stable of partners across various industries – ranging from smaller, specialized facilities to global manufacturers. After experiencing years of growth,the company sought out new opportunities for partnerships with brands of all sizes in CPG, Beauty Care, Alcohol & Beverage and Nutraceuticals. They have successfully implemented hundreds of systems across the globe and are proud to work alongside eight of the top ten companies in the Flavor & Fragrance marketplace, touching overfifty percent of the F&F products made worldwide.

“No job is too big or too small,” Schleckser insisted. “We regularly install individual control valves, but we also site re-designs andexecute end-to-end design-builds.”

Regardless of size and scope, iniTECH follows a consistent engineering design process for all projects, which includes five phases: conceptual design, schematic design, pre-construction design, construction-ready design, and as-built design. This is achieved withtheirnimbleteam of experts with deep experience inlean-engineering, HMI, MES, hazardous compliance, programming, client training, 3D modeling, data analysis, project management and more.The company's tailored solutions for each client's business goals set them apart in the marketplace. This is buoyed further by their reputation for best-in-class, 24-7 customer service.

Ray himself grew up with a penchant for exploration and adaptability. He remembers beingin high school with no clue what he wanted to do after graduation. One semester, he realized his schedule had a hole in it; he was one class short. He chose an electronics course out of curiosity and never looked back afterdiscovering he had a knack for it. His two life-long hobbies – fixing old cars and cooking –tap into the same kind of problem-solvingand creativity that invigorates Ray in his professional work. He believes these interests improve his critical thinking and inventiveness.

“What I love about fixing cars is the reverse engineering aspect. I’ve never used a manual and knew nothing about cars or engines when I bought my first ’68 Chevy Caprice. I just work on it one step at a time until it passes inspection and is road ready. It’s a little different with cooking, which is more about creativity and research. Looking at five recipes, deciding what you want to try to do – then adjusting the next time you make the dish.”

The approach Schleckser takes in developing tools with his team is not dissimilar. They begin by conducting market research to identify emerging trends, unmet customer needs, and potential opportunities.

At the same time, he works to foster a collaborative environment where ideas can be generated freely from cross-functional teams. These ideas are then evaluated based on criteria such as feasibility, alignment with business goals, market demand, and potential for differentiation.

“This work allows us to set ‘SMART’ goals, which carry us through bringing a product to market,” Schlecksernoted. (SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.) “It’s a simple checklist that ensuresthe various goals across our teams remain aligned.”

For decades before the current AI movement caught mainstream attention, iniTECH worked to bring intelligence to the shop floor. The team pressed ahead years with their research and application –and todaySchleckser sees an industry hungry for guidance through a disruptive transitional period.

“We’re working on an entire suite of AI tools, as well as several other exciting products and collaborations. There’s a lot of excitement around these developments and there should be.”

iniTECHrecently partnered with Princeton University to develop next-generation product integration technologies. They were also invited to the first annual New Jersey AI Summit, hosted by the university and Governor Phil Murphy’s administration. This and a number of honors – including Inc. Magazine’s Best in Business award for Engineering –keeps Ray and his team encouraged that their hard work will continue to pay off and service a manufacturing landscape in a state of transformation.

The introduction of cobots has already changed the face of manufacturing operations by improving efficiency, safety, and flexibility. These robots automate repetitive tasks, improve product quality, and allow human workers to focus on more complex tasks. By working alongside humans without barriers, cobots boost productivity and workplace safety.

iniTECH is developing numerous patents that Schleckser believes will further revolutionize the manufacturing space. Again, he emphasizes the importance of research and staying on top of the latest developments.

“There is so much open-ended opportunity here and it’s all being shaped now, by those of us who have been busy on working on this stuff for a while. It’s certainly an exciting time.”