Yamatake is a Japanese technology company that produces integrated solutions, heaters, process controls and accessories, sensors, switches and other measurement and control products for industrial automation.

One of the reasons Yamatake turned to global outsourcing is that the company wanted to build its modules and have a presence in the same time zone as the customers to whom they hoped to sell the modules. It was difficult for the Japanese company to be effective in the Pacific Time zone; thus, Op-Test was selected to help with mechanical engineering for the box-shaped modules.

“We essentially take their springs and build them into mousetraps,” was the analogy used by Dan Morrow, president of Op-Test. He said that Op-Test offers Yamatake the added advantage that it can make whole units -- everything from modules to controllers and more.

Yamatake's modules are manufactured in Redding, and its customers work directly with Op-Test. The largest customers for Yamatake's modules include Applied Materials, Santa Clara, Calif., a supplier of manufacturing systems and related services to the global semiconductor industry, and Lam Research, Fremont, Calif., a supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services.