US MOTION Frequently Asked Questions

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CUSTOMER-RELATED FAQ

When do you typically become involved in product development for a customer? (Top)

The success of our business is a direct function of the value we deliver to our customers. With our extensive background in the cross-disciplinary engineering of intelligent, precise, electro-mechanical devices and systems, one of our greatest areas of value for our customers is, in fact, product development. From conceptual design to prototypes to initial production to the troubleshooting of existing products, we can and do become involved at any stage in the development process, based on the particular need. Many of our customers tend to turn over their most tricky, fussy and problematic products over to us for engineering and manufacturing, especially when they are facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles on an existing product development effort.

How is a customer project generally structured? (Top)

Our initial focus is to understand customer needs, product requirements, desired timeframes, design constraints and project objectives. Once this information is understood, we will create a short proposal and define the scope of work. The project team is formed, typically with a single point of customer contact and the design work commences. With our focus on concurrent engineering, the prototypes are developed in parallel with tooling, fixtures and production documentation. This approach enables us to transition smoothly into production. Based on the magnitude of the work involved, the development costs are shared between the customer and US MOTION.

What is your business model? (Top)

We provide world-class engineering AND high-mix, low-volume manufacturing of precision electro-mechanical devices and systems to our customers, who are typically larger, well-known manufacturers of technically-advanced offerings. We work diligently to nurture a long-term relationship with each customer and strive to have each view us as their most valued technical partner. We are willing to customize our products for the customer's specific OEM application. To meet customer needs, our engineering, machining and manufacturing capabilities are all tightly integrated and collectively comprise a unique, flexible and focused resource, the likeness of which is rarely found in other companies, even those many times our size.

PRODUCT-RELATED FAQ

What are some distinguishing characteristics of your products? (Top)

US MOTION products are smart, highly-accurate electro-mechanical devices and systems. The complexity inherent in these products typically requires significant cross-disciplinary engineering (mechanical, electrical, software, etc.) to achieve a successful design. Our customers tend to turn over their most tricky, fussy and problematic products over to us for engineering and manufacturing. These products are generally produced in smaller volumes, numbering in the hundreds or thousands. Our products tend to be high-end, tightly-packaged, aesthetically-balanced devices encompassing numerous innovations and which represent a significant increase in value relative to competitive offerings.

How do you price your products? (Top)

Our pricing strategy is straightforward. We seek to recover all costs, both direct and indirect, and to achieve a modest profit of 15%. Our principal interest is in developing successful, long-term, mutually-beneficial relationships with our customers rather than achieving short-term profits.

What are your standard lead times? (Top)

As our products are all made to order, actual lead times are a function of the schedules and capacity experienced by the company at the time the order is placed. Keeping this situation in mind, the lead time for most products falls in the range of four to eight weeks. Lead times are much shorter for quick-turns and small production runs. For new or revised products, the lead time can be significantly impacted by design requirements.

Who owns the product design? (Top)

In most instances, the design of the new product or system leverages existing US MOTION technologies and innovations and is owned by US MOTION. In select instances, the initial design is developed by the customer and brought to us for modifications, in which case the design would be owned by the customer.

BUSINESS-RELATED FAQ

What are your core competencies? (Top)

(1) World-Class Engineering

(2) Agility & Flexibility

(3) Systems Approach

How large is US MOTION? (Top)

US MOTION is a privately-held company with strict policies prohibiting the disclosure of financial or customer information. We are therefore unfortunately unable to share information on revenues or profits outside of the company. However, with respect to other facts about company size, we can say that we have a headcount of approximately 30 FTE's and a facility of roughly 19,000 sq ft.

How important is your company culture? (Top)

One of our principal objectives in founding US MOTION was to create the company for which we had always wanted to work. For this reason, we consider our company culture to be absolutely critical. Important aspects of our culture include customer service, quality, integrity, teamwork, cooperation and communication. It also includes how we handle conflict, how we address mistakes, how we share rewards and how we help, encourage and mentor one another to achieve our high expectations. For those of us who work here, US MOTION is more than a company, it is a family.

Can I arrange a tour of US MOTION? (Top)

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