Thermal-Vac Technology has been at the forefront of Southern California’s brazing and heat-treating industry for decades. The company was recently named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing, privately-held businesses in America. A big part of that success has been the role customer service has played in the company’s growth. Chief Operating Officer Sean Driscol thinks the company’s open-handed approach to other businesses in the industry has played a crucial role as well. Today the company is actively exploring new ways to engage with colleagues in the region to share knowledge and foster new partnerships.
Service as an engine of growth
Thermal-Vac began as a vacuum brazing shop in the 1980s. Brazing has always been a technically challenging process. Since their early work on components of NASA’s space shuttle, Thermal-Vac has had a range of specific technical capabilities that have made them a go-to for manufacturers in demanding industries. Over the years, customers have come to Thermal-Vac with new problems, hoping to find solutions.
Driscol thinks the company’s response to customer requests is at the heart of their growth over the years. “You don’t diagnose yourself when you’re sick, you call a doctor. We’re just like that: if your business has a problem it can’t solve, call us and we’ll bend over backwards to solve it.” In response to customer needs the company has branched out from brazing into other related fields, like heat treating, nickel and copper plating, and other manufacturing processes.
Serving the industry
Thermal-Vac’s commitment to service goes beyond current customers to the whole brazing and heat-treating industry. Driscol says, “We want to help new businesses and people who are interested in the industry to succeed. We want to be a positive force in the business.”
The company’s open-door policy is a big part of their commitment to be an important resource for other businesses. “We want to educate our customers,” Driscol says. “In the same way, we want to share what we’ve learned so other businesses can do better.”
Much of what Thermal-Vac does has a direct impact on health and safety. Whether a component is used in a rocket heading to space or a medical implant, lives can depend on a brazing or plating job being done right. The mission-critical nature of the business is part of what motivates Thermal-Vac’s sharing attitude. As Driscol puts it, “What we do is important. We want everyone to do well, because it makes for a better world.”
In the age of intellectual property, a business that shares its insights with potential competitors may seem out of step. But Driscol thinks that sharing technical know-how is a natural part of the industry. “Ultimately we’re a service business. A lot of businesses offer the basics of what we do, whether that’s brazing, heat treating, or something else. What will always set us apart is our service. We can help another business get better at brazing, but they’ll have to do the work to build the sort of service we provide.”
The company is exploring ways to expand their role as an industry resource. One component of the strategy will be the company’s efforts to take a higher profile at tradeshows like WESTEC 2019. The company is also continuing to expand their efforts to reach out to regional universities and training programs to help up-and-coming professionals get started in the industry.
To learn more about Thermal-Vac call (714) 997-2601 or email sales@thermalvac.com.
About Thermal-Vac Technology
Thermal-Vac Technology is a family-owned brazing, heat treating, and metal finishing company located in Orange, California. Founded in 1985, the company serves manufacturers in Southern California and throughout the west. Customers include some of the biggest names in American manufacturing, including major companies in aerospace, medical devices, consumer products and more.
