Burnaby-based electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Dorigo Systems Ltd. has enjoyed sustained positive growth through much of its 26 years of operation. This is no small achievement in a market that continues to push OEMs to be highly cost-effective and cost-sensitive.
Dorigo is one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading contract manufacturers of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA), and touts its stability, loyalty and longevity as the pillars to its success.
Specializing in low to mid volume orders combined with mid to high complexity, Dorigo serves some of the most respected OEM’s in the industry. That privilege didn’t come easily, but was achieved through quality workmanship, responsiveness and superior customer service, according to company founder and president Mark Pillon, P.Eng.
“Our attention to detail shows in all that we do,” says Pillon. “Our customers have a real feeling of being taken care of, which ultimately leads to satisfaction.”
With the support and efforts of its 90+ employees, privately-held Dorigo will exceed $26-million in sales this year. The firm handles 300 open production orders in process at two operating plants for more than 30 active customers at any given time. The firm operates 45,000-square-feet of high profile manufacturing space in Burnaby, which includes a relatively new facility on Dawson Street.
“We have an excellent reputation for high quality manufacturing combined with strong ties within the electronic component supply chain,” says Pillon. Dorigo’s ability to be responsive to demanding customer production schedules has distinguished the company from other local EMS providers, with one customer going so far as to name Dorigo as a critical ‘safety net’ in their overall manufacturing process.
Dorigo is often involved in the early stages of product development with its innovative customers, which are primarily in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. Dorigo has seen increased order activity with new customers throughout the rest of Canada due to their reputation for high quality assembly. Together, they go through the process of Design for Manufacturability, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. This collaborative effort ensures that boards are built correctly, while delivered on-time and within budget, Pillon states.
“Dorigo was built on the philosophy of maintaining close attention to detail in all steps of the manufacturing process,” says Paul Vasvary, business development manager. Dorigo prides itself on identifying potential problems before board assembly and we are experts on how to build boards cost-effectively.
“From a prototyping standpoint, we work with customers during the design phase to suggest design alternatives which will improve the manufacturability of the product,” says Vasvary. “We are set up to do re-work but that is the last thing we want to do. Instead, let’s work together to get it right the first time.”
“We’re constantly striving to respond to growing customer requirements by expanding our operations, streamlining our production process and providing the timely delivery and superior quality our customers expect,” says Pillon. “We are committed to manufacturing the highest quality electronic assemblies to assist our customers in taking their product from prototype to production. This is the key principle responsible for the company’s growth over the past 26 years.”
Corporate rebranding, coupled with a new website, will permit Dorigo to reach out in different ways and directions it had not before. Pillon expects these moves to serve as a catalyst in moving forward and how the firm attracts new business.
“We are speaking more to our strengths now and cultivating more recognition and a little more awareness,” Pillon adds.
The organization is poised for expansion and continued growth, encouraging companies who are seeking EMS providers to discover Dorigo‘s capabilities and resources to handle the entire production process; from sourcing components and building boards to final assembly (box build), configuration management, testing and shipping of finished products.
“With our current facilities, I feel that we can easily move into the $30-million range – after that we will have to begin taking steps towards expansion – via either another satellite facility or a consolidated commercial building. Acquisitions are not on our radar, we are more interested in organic growth,” Pillon says.
