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Navigating Growth Challenges in Electronics Manufacturing: Insights from Triad Electronic Technologies
Transcript
Hi Everyone and welcome to another episode of Growth Challenges for Manufacturers and How to Overcome Them. I’m your host, Catherine Seymour. This episode is brought to you by MacRAE’S, trusted by North American businesses for over 100 years. As a leader in B2B digital marketing, we help industrial and manufacturing companies struggling with stagnant growth and lead generation. By leveraging advanced AI integration and automation tools in our SEO and lead generation programs,
we help you appear more prominently on search and AI results like chat GPT. This drives significantly more traffic to the website resulting in stronger lead flow, increased revenue and crucial in today’s competitive digital landscape. Learn more at macraes.com today. Today I’m joined by Dan Jeffries, President and CEO of Triad Electronic Technologies.
A company that has been designing and manufacturing advanced electronic systems that support critical defense, aerospace, and industrial applications. With a strong focus on reliable, innovative, and meeting the high demands of the industry, Triad has built a reputation for delivering solutions that perform for the most demanding environments. Dan, it’s so great to have you on the show. Welcome.
Thanks for having me, Katherine. I appreciate it.
Thanks. So Dan, let’s get started with your journey. What led you into the world of electronics and ultimately becoming president and CEO of Triad?
Well, that’s a good question. ⁓ I’d like to say it was some grand idea that I had to start a company and kind of grow it from the ground up. But it really came more out of a ⁓ practical decision, right? So we were, my wife and I were living in downtown Chicago. We were both in the corporate world and had been for years. We had
Bye.
two young kids and another one on the way and her entire family was from Arizona. you know, ⁓ her father was in component manufacturing here in Arizona his entire life and had sold that company and was retired and bored. And so we kind of took the opportunity to bring all of our skill sets together and ⁓ look for an opportunity in Arizona that
would complement our skill sets and so in 2005 we found Triad Electronic Technologies and we bought it in April of 2011.
Fantastic. As a leader in a specialized industry, what do you find most rewarding about the work that you do and the team that you lead?
Really the most rewarding part is twofold, think. It’s number one, seeing the impact that we can have with the products that we produce. ⁓ There’s a lot of very interesting projects. Sometimes we know what they go into, sometimes we don’t know what they go into, but ⁓ oftentimes we do and it’s really exciting to be able to see how our work translates to
bettering our customers, supporting their mission, ⁓ and doing that in ways that continues their growth along with ours. From a leadership perspective, it’s growing a team. And we have a culture here that’s very family oriented. ⁓ it’s that, again, coming from the corporate world, it’s a very different environment. So.
having that family atmosphere, that family culture, and really caring about the people that support the mission as well is extremely rewarding.
Amazing. For those who might not be familiar, can you kind of describe what the company does and what are the areas and industries you primarily serve?
Yeah, I mean, we really have three core competencies and those are ⁓ so we’re what’s called an electronics contract manufacturer. ⁓ So also known as an EMS company, Electronics Manufacturing Services, because, you know, in this industry, we love acronyms. ⁓ So as a contract manufacturer of electronics, we bring other people’s designs to life, right? So they design the product.
we build the product for them. So whether that’s a circuit board assembly, whether that’s a system integration, otherwise known as box build, or cable assemblies, that’s really our mission. So our focus is on those three core competencies because we built circuit boards. Eventually they want us to put it in the enclosure because they figure why not have us do that and then we have to tie it all together with the wires and cables and such.
all of those offerings complement one another. So, and obviously there’s a host of other competencies that support those. So whether that’s supply chain risk management, ⁓ IPC training and awareness and other kind of complementary ⁓ competencies.
The electronics and defense technology landscape is rapidly evolving. What are some of the biggest challenges that you’re seeing in the industry today?
Well, from a challenge perspective, mean, I don’t think the challenges are necessarily unique. They’re certainly not unique to us. anybody who does this work faces the same challenges, whether that be product lifecycle, component lifecycle, supply chain shortages, et cetera. So there’s a lot of challenges of pricing pressures.
Hmm.
obviously ⁓ also a big part of that, right? So ⁓ those are kind of the common themes that we’ll run into from a challenge perspective, but there are things environmentally or in the world events that certainly bring some to the surface more at a certain time than others, for instance. So ⁓ an example would be tariffs. mean, everybody’s dealing with tariffs right now and it’s
Right, right.
Yeah.
You know, it’s not so much the tariffs, that’s way above my pay grade, right? But it’s, you know, the ability to predict and accurately quote and, you know, customers want price stability as much as possible. And so we have to react to that as we do to any changing economic situation. We have to react to that and work in our customers best interest through transparency and
Right.
technology to make sure that we have access to the best information possible to be able to do that. ⁓ So it’s really, you know, the challenges change, some escalate, some de-escalate, they will change, but the approach is the same. Look, we’re problem solvers in the end. Things are going to happen. So we’re here to be expert problem solvers and ⁓ guide and navigate our customers through those challenges in a way that is
you know, transparent and making sure that there’s no surprises to them as much as possible.
For sure, for sure. Supply chain reliability continues to be a pressing issue across manufacturing. How are you addressing this challenge or is it affecting your company in any specific way?
Supply chain challenges, you know, well, supply chain management and risk management is critical and that’s become more critical. I mean, we’ve all lived through the pandemic. ⁓ That was, you know, a real eye opener for a lot of people relative to the fragility of the supply chains. So there’s been, again, above my pay grade, a lot of changes going on in that space. But from our perspective, you know, navigating that
Yeah.
for sure.
any supply chain issue has to do with people who know what they’re doing, a well-trained staff of experts and also technology. mean, we’re very big in technology. We’re in a world where real-time information is critical. So we have to have access to the information and we have to take that data and we have to make actionable information out of that data. So we invest heavily in technology that allows us to do that.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
that allows us to not only at quote time be able to navigate those supply chains and have visibility that we need, but also on an ongoing basis. you know, we want to stay two steps ahead of our customers. Oftentimes it’s us pushing to them that you normally order, you know, ⁓ on an X periodic basis and the lead time on
this particular assembly has increased or what have you. So really pushing that forward and helping customers be prepared for any supply chain challenges. And then again, having that technology and that visibility to be able to solve those many times before it even needs to go to a customer.
Makes sense for sure. Cybersecurity and technology resistance has been more important than ever. How does your company kind of work around these areas in your solutions?
Interesting question. So cyber security. I mean, there’s a lot of focus on NISTC You know CMMC one two, three four levels, etc. Right? So really ⁓ taking care of customer data. We do work for ⁓ ITAR customers. So they are restricted restricted projects ⁓ So we’re vigilant about maintaining secure transfer of information ⁓ secure FTP ways of doing that
Bye.
and protecting our customers’ data and then just from ⁓ an internal perspective, making sure that we have robust security systems and firewalls that protect our customers’ information as well as our proprietary information. So that’s going to continue to be a talking point, I think, in the industry for some time to come. We see it all over the place. It’s all over the news daily, right? So maintaining a focus on
on that security is critical.
Hi, thank you. You have a wide range of specialized products and solutions. Can you walk us through how you help your customers select or develop the right technology based on their needs? I know you mentioned that they sometimes come to you with a product and you kind of help them create that. How do you walk them through that process?
Well, I’d back that up even a little bit to the early stages of the design. So one of our complimentary ⁓ competencies and offerings is design for manufacturability, right? So oftentimes we’re working with engineers or engineering teams that ⁓ don’t have a lot of exposure to the manufacturing side of the equation, especially when that comes.
Okay.
Hmm.
Right.
comes
to circuit board assembly, et cetera. So really it’s having the heart of a teacher in those situations and just ⁓ helping with input at the early stages of that design that can save them money ⁓ on the manufacturing, whether that be labor or whether that be ⁓ part selection, right? So guiding them through cost saving measures or something that’s gonna improve the reliability from a manufacturing standpoint.
Right.
⁓ is really where we want to be involved in that.
For sure, for sure. How do you balance serving government or defense contracts with serving commercial and industrial opportunities as well?
Well, mean, from our perspective, you know, we’re building products, right? So whether they’re, you know, what their end use intention is, it doesn’t really change our focus. We’re oftentimes working as a subcontractor to a subcontractor when it comes to government related security related projects. ⁓ And from an industrial perspective, we have
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
We have a large customer base in the industrial sector, OEMs, engineering firms, ⁓ you know, so even other contract manufacturers where we complement their skill sets or what have you. So ⁓ we don’t really focus differently on those. ⁓ We focus more on those core competencies and who needs those core competencies.
Right.
Great.
Make sense for sure. If you can instantly improve one aspect of the electronic supply chain or customer experience, what would it be and why?
So the magic bullet type thing.
Magic bullet, yeah. For sure.
Unlimited resources what what what anybody could do with unlimited resources, right? ⁓ Yeah, no, I think you know, we’re we’re entering into interesting times ⁓ both from a technological standpoint Meaning the software side of it and also, you know ⁓ kind of the the labor talent standpoint, so ⁓
For sure, for sure.
Hmm.
Right.
The things that I would like to unlock ⁓ that would help everybody ⁓ is a reinvestment and a re-interest in manufacturing as a career. ⁓ I think we may be seeing some hints of a shift in that mentality in the culture, and that’s going to be good. There’s a lot of good job opportunities.
Yeah.
Hmm.
We have educational institutions focusing a little bit more on that these days. And in particular in Arizona, which is really a hot spot for electronics ⁓ and technology overall, incubators, et cetera. ⁓ There’s a real close tie in with the universities and such. So I think that’s part of what’s helping. And then on the software side of it, again, Data is critical. Information is key.
Yes.
And AI, you we can’t have a conversation without using the acronym AI, right? So AI is going to make a big difference. And I think lastly, I’d say additive manufacturing relative to electronics, especially with regard to circuit boards, the bare boards themselves, being able to do even more rapid development using additive technologies for, you know, circuit board substrates and such.
Mm-hmm.
for sharing.
Mm-hmm.
Because, you know, in reality with the changes in the overall world landscape and reshoring, nearshoring, etc. the U.S. is still, you know, far behind in their capacity to be able to produce bare circuit boards that we need for electronics. So anything that helps with regard to that, whether that be additive
manufacturing or other opportunities relative to just speeding the development cycle.
for sure. Looking ahead, what technological advancements or trends ⁓ are you most excited about or you think will have the most impact for your clients?
I think I stole your thunder in my last response with that answer. So I do think it is ⁓ really more on that software side and technology side relative to AI and gaining more efficiencies and ⁓ really helping with the supply chain risk management. We’ve been doing it for years. Others have been doing it for years. ⁓
Yeah.
Yeah!
Mm-hmm.
using AI, whether it was called AI at the time or not, but using technology to make processes more efficient and be able to make timely decisions. And then again on that, on the manufacturing side itself, it’s really the technologies are emerging for additive manufacturing and other opportunities for efficiencies and improved capabilities on those sides.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Amazing. Can you share a recent success story, perhaps a project or a partner that really demonstrates what your values and innovation is all about?
Yeah, I mean think there’s a couple of them. Recent, ⁓ you know, we’re seeing a lot of activity from new customers in the space of, you know, ⁓ UAV or drone technology. So, you know, we’ve got some really interesting projects going relative to that with, you know, and I’m not, these aren’t small quad copters. These are very large, you know, yeah. So think.
Yeah.
Massive ones,
think things like in the realm of the Amazon drone delivery and those type of things, right? So we see a lot of activity from that and we’ve got some exciting projects that we’ve done just this year for ⁓ prototyping those. We’ve got another one in the same type of space that we’ve been doing work for for probably about seven or eight years in that same space. But probably the…
Mm-hmm.
The project that stands out the most to me is, it goes back a ways, ⁓ but it’s still a great story. It has to do with, you know, a ⁓ rapid development for the military. ⁓ And these were robotic devices to be able to remotely explore and inspect improvised explosive devices.
Now the time to market was key on this. It had to be done very quickly. We were working with a design engineering firm that was a direct contractor for the US government. They were literally designing the product in our facility as we were building the product. So our ability to staff up and actually
Wow! Wow!
⁓ be able to work side by side really emphasizes, you know, pillars of being, you know, flexible, responsive and reliable, right? So in U.S. flexible, responsive and reliable is what differentiates and that’s what we’re really trying to do. And being able to have that flexibility by, you know, ⁓ being a small company and being
Yeah, absolutely.
you know, having all the decision makers where we need them, when we need them, allow us to do that sort of work alongside a customer. So yeah, it was an interesting time. I’d be sitting in my office and I kind of get that sense that somebody was looking at me and I would look to my office door and there would be this ⁓ robotic machine, you know, they were doing range testing, et cetera, obviously. So it was a very cool project.
Yeah.
Amazing
Yeah.
Yeah, very
cool. Very cool. Finally, what advice would you give to businesses evaluating electronic technologies for mission critical applications?
So customers, potential customers or others in the space.
Yeah,
potential customers, others in the space, you have any insights that you might want to share that you see that. Yeah.
Sure, I would say the focus should be on communication. From our perspective as a service provider, it’s being honest and transparent. The more open dialogue that we can have, the more communication we can have regarding a project, the more successful it’s going to be. ⁓ And I would say just as far as advice is concerned, these things that I’ve talked about, whether it’s, you know,
Right.
I mean you have to have a quality product, right? That’s a ticket to the dance. know, everybody’s gonna expect a quality product or guess what? We’re only gonna be working. They’re only gonna come to us once, right? We have to deliver on time, right? So we have to say what we do and do what we say, right? Now that doesn’t mean exceptions don’t occur, but that’s where that communication comes in. So I would emphasize that
Right.
That’s true. Yeah. Yeah.
Hmm.
that those are the two entry criteria. You’ve got to have those. But the service is what makes the difference. It’s what differentiates. It’s the experts that we have, the technology that we have to be able to do that. And the reality is that there’s a lot of companies out there trying to do this well. customers have options.
And a lot of new customers that we see, new prospects that we see, come to us from a space of being disappointed in what they have received. And that may be quality, that may be on-time delivery. I would say that communication probably led to, lack of communication probably led to those challenges. So I would say, customers openness and willingness to believe that there are
.
others out there who do this well ⁓ and give them the opportunity to do that.
Very cool. Dan, thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your insights of your innovation and electronics in this most demanding industry. ⁓ Thank you for your insights. Really great conversation. And I know all our listeners will appreciate it as well. Thanks again for being here. And to everybody who’s listening, we’ll see you on the next episode of Growth Challenges for Manufacturers.
Thank you so much.
The electronics manufacturing industry faces unprecedented challenges in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. From supply chain disruptions to cybersecurity concerns, companies must continuously adapt to remain competitive. In a recent episode of MacRAE’S podcast “Growth Challenges for Manufacturers and How to Overcome Them,” Dan Jeffries, President and CEO of Triad Electronic Technologies, shared valuable insights into how his company navigates these complexities while maintaining a commitment to quality and innovation.
Triad Electronic Technologies didn’t start with a grand entrepreneurial vision. Instead, it emerged from a practical family decision. After years in the corporate world in downtown Chicago, Jeffries and his wife, with a growing family and her father’s background in component manufacturing, saw an opportunity in Arizona. In 2005, they discovered Triad Electronic Technologies, ultimately acquiring the company in April 2011.
As an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company, Triad specializes in bringing other people’s designs to life. The company focuses on three core competencies:
- Circuit board assembly – Manufacturing electronic circuit boards to customer specifications
- System integration (box build) – Assembling complete electronic systems within enclosures
- Cable assemblies – Creating the wire and cable connections that tie systems together
These complementary services allow Triad to provide comprehensive solutions, supported by additional capabilities in supply chain risk management and IPC training.
What makes the work particularly rewarding, according to Jeffries, is twofold. First, there’s the tangible impact of the products Triad manufactures. Whether it’s supporting defense applications, aerospace systems, or industrial solutions, seeing how their work translates into real-world applications that better their customers’ missions provides significant satisfaction.
Second is the people aspect. Coming from the corporate world, Jeffries has built a family-oriented culture at Triad that stands in stark contrast to typical corporate environments. This emphasis on caring for the team that supports the mission creates an atmosphere that goes beyond mere employment.
The challenges facing electronics manufacturers aren’t unique to any single company, but how they’re addressed makes all the difference. Jeffries identifies several key challenges:
The pandemic served as a wake-up call regarding supply chain fragility. Navigating these challenges requires two critical elements: expertise and technology. Triad invests heavily in technology that provides real-time information, transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.
This proactive approach means staying two steps ahead of customers, alerting them to potential issues before they become problems. When a component’s lead time increases or availability changes, Triad pushes this information forward, helping customers prepare rather than react.
External factors like tariffs create unpredictability that affects everyone in the industry. While policy decisions remain beyond any single company’s control, the response strategy remains consistent: transparency and communication. Customers want price stability, and providing access to the best available information helps navigate changing economic conditions without unwelcome surprises.
With increasing focus on standards like NIST and CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification), protecting customer data has never been more critical. For a company working with ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) customers on restricted projects, maintaining secure information transfer protocols and robust internal security systems isn’t optional—it’s essential.
One of Triad’s most valuable offerings comes even before manufacturing begins. Through Design for Manufacturability (DFM) services, the company works with engineering teams who may lack extensive exposure to the manufacturing side of electronics production.
This requires what Jeffries calls “the heart of a teacher”—providing input during early design stages that can save significant costs in manufacturing. Whether it’s labor reduction, part selection guidance, or reliability improvements, this collaborative approach creates better outcomes for everyone involved.
Triad serves both government/defense contracts and commercial/industrial clients, but the approach remains fundamentally similar. Whether as a subcontractor on defense projects or working directly with industrial OEMs and engineering firms, the focus stays on core competencies rather than end-use applications.
The company doesn’t differentiate its processes based on client type. Instead, it concentrates on who needs its specific skill sets and how to deliver excellence consistently.
When asked what single aspect of the electronics supply chain could be instantly improved, Jeffries points to three key areas:
There are encouraging signs of cultural shift toward recognizing manufacturing as a viable and rewarding career path. Educational institutions are increasing their focus, and in Arizona—a hotspot for electronics and technology—close ties with universities and incubators are helping fuel this change.
Data is critical, and artificial intelligence offers tremendous potential for improving efficiency and supply chain risk management. While the industry has been using similar technologies for years, the evolution of AI capabilities promises to enhance decision-making and process optimization significantly.
Particularly for circuit board substrates, additive manufacturing technologies could revolutionize rapid development cycles. With the United States still lagging in bare circuit board production capacity—despite reshoring and nearshoring initiatives—any advancement in this area would benefit the entire industry.
One project particularly exemplifies Triad’s core values of flexibility, responsiveness, and reliability. Working with a design engineering firm serving as a direct contractor for the U.S. government, Triad helped develop robotic devices for remotely exploring and inspecting improvised explosive devices.
The challenge was extreme: designers were literally creating the product inside Triad’s facility while the manufacturing team simultaneously built it. This required rapid staffing, seamless collaboration, and the agility that comes from being a smaller company with decision-makers readily available.
The project succeeded because of Triad’s ability to adapt quickly and work side-by-side with customers under time-critical conditions—exactly the kind of flexible, responsive, and reliable service that differentiates the company.
More recently, Triad has seen significant activity in UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and drone technology—not small consumer quadcopters, but large-scale systems comparable to commercial drone delivery platforms. These exciting projects, from initial prototypes to ongoing production for long-term clients, represent the cutting edge of electronics manufacturing.
For businesses evaluating partners for mission-critical electronic applications, Jeffries emphasizes several fundamental principles:
Quality is the Entry Point – A quality product is non-negotiable. It’s the basic ticket to doing business. Without it, customers won’t return.
On-Time Delivery Matters – Companies must say what they’ll do and do what they say. While exceptions occur, consistent performance builds trust.
Service Makes the Difference – In an industry with many capable manufacturers, superior service differentiates the winners. This means having expert staff, advanced technology, and genuine commitment to customer success.
Communication Drives Success – Honest, transparent dialogue creates better outcomes. Many prospects come to Triad after disappointing experiences elsewhere—problems often rooted in poor communication. The more open the dialogue about a project, the more successful it will be.
Stay Open to Better Partnerships – For companies struggling with their current manufacturing partners, it’s worth believing that better options exist and giving them the opportunity to prove it.
The electronics manufacturing landscape continues to evolve rapidly, driven by technological advancement, geopolitical shifts, and changing market demands. Success in this environment requires more than technical capability—it demands adaptability, transparent communication, and a genuine commitment to solving customer problems.
For Triad Electronic Technologies, the formula combines expertise, technology, and a culture that values both people and mission. It’s an approach built on the understanding that in manufacturing, as in all business, relationships matter as much as capabilities.
As the industry continues to transform, companies that embrace innovation while maintaining focus on core values—quality, reliability, and authentic partnership—will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly complex world.
