It’s no secret that manufacturers rely on their employees. At Cirtronics Corp., a Milford, NH-based maker of electronic and electromechanical assemblies, delivering the best possible products means giving employees a great place to work. With that in mind, the company turned to its employees when it came time to purchase additional workbenches as company officials made the employees an integral part of decision-making process.

Cirtronics prides itself on being an employee-friendly operation. To that end, the company does a few things quite differently. For example, the privately held company is 20 percent owned by employees through an employee stock ownership program. Other aspects of Cirtronics’ employee-pleasing approach include flexible hours, no forced overtime, and 20 paid hours a year for charity work.

So it was no surprise when the company turned to its employees to make the decision on new workbenches. Cirtronics made the decision to move from batch manufacturing to lean manufacturing, the primary goals were quicker turnarounds, lower inventory exposure, higher quality, and more responsive delivery. Due to the growth and expansion that followed, it was imperative for Cirtronics to replace many of its old, awkwardly large, stationary tables with new individual workstations.Cirtronics and Team Facilitator Irene Lemay, had the employees test out a variety of workstations for six to eight months, before any selection was made. Cirtronics was already using about 40 different workbenches from Lista International throughout their facility, and was satisfied with everything these benches brought to the proverbial table. But, nevertheless, the company felt it was imperative to give the employees a chance to experience all the options and be involved in the final decision-making process.

After this hands-on trial period, the team decided to purchase 35 Align Adjustable Height Workstations from Lista International, to be used in every department including assembly, inspection, machining, and many others.

According to Lemay, “Aesthetics and flexibility were two key traits that swayed the decision toward the Align workstation. Our company founder, Gerardine Ferlins, is very concerned about the aesthetics of the facility — she wants the best possible environment for the staff. Competitive workbenches were not well made, and not pleasing to the eye. The Align bench, painted in Cirtronics light gray, fits our high quality image.

“We also came to realize that the Align is much more customizable than the competitive solutions, an extremely important attribute. We wanted a long term solution, not a quick fix. Lista’s Align bench is a good choice because it can grow with us.”

Ergonomic comfort and ease-of-operation were big factors in the Cirtronics team opting for the Align workstation. The work surface height of the Align bench can be quickly and easily aligned for different tasks or operator preference. The height of the base ranges from 25-1/2 to 41-1/2 in., allowing the ideal ergonomic height for each operator, and thus reducing stress, fatigue, and personal injury. Align features a three-position memory switch in its motorized frame, making height adjustment nearly automatic, and all uprights and components move in relation to the work surface height. In addition, leveling glides adjust the work surface up to 1 in.

“Our old stationary worktables were not ergonomic,” says Cirtronics Director of HR Training Nancy Guidice. “The tables would be covered with bins, which dramatically cut into the available workspace. And to top it off, the overhead lighting was far from the work surface and gave off a lot of glare.”

“The Align benches are customized for each worker,” Guidice continued, “both in terms of worksurface height and options. The lighting is completely adjustable and glare-free. The bins are stored on the Align shelves, which is much more efficient than having bins all over the table. We also now use an automatic re-supply system, meaning if one bin empties, there is another bin right behind it that is full of the same part.”

One of the workers who tried out the Align workstation and appreciated its customizable nature is Prep/Assembler Kristin Betty. “The shelves can be raised to fit the size of the bin,” she says, “and shelf adjustments are extremely easy to make.”

Align is offered with an extensive selection of Nexus System above-the-work surface accessories, including a wide range of shelves, parts bin holders, lights, electrical and air power attachments, tool rails, monitor trays, and document holders. A number of Cirtronics’ workbenches use the Nexus system’s variable angle shelves to feed components toward the operator.

According to Cirtronics, the decision to switch to the Align workstation has proven to be a solid one, in more ways than one. The rugged and durable Align motorized workstation can support up to 1,000 lbs of either static or dynamic load.

“We were particularly impressed with the Align workstation’s structural support, sturdiness, and heavy gauge metal,’ Lemay says.

Of course, the satisfaction of each employee was the primary driver in this decision. The team wanted a bench that would last. But just as important, each employee had to be happy with their bench for a long time to come.

More information is available from Lista International, 106 Lowland St., Holliston, MA 01746, calling 800-722-3020, or by visiting www.listaintl.com.