MiMfg Magazine
INDUSTRY
22
October 2019
Member
Spotlight
Tim Werkema
Clean Rooms International
Member since May 2010 • Employs 30 Michigan workers • Learn more at http://cleanroomsint.com
The things Michigan makes are amazing.
Everyday products like the phone you use and the
medicine you take in the morning, plus the
intricate network of satellites connecting us to a
global community, all require incredibly precise
processes to even be made possible. Even the
smallest unintended particle of dust or bacteria
introduced into the manufacturing process could
crash critical systems and cost lives.
Whether it’s meeting tolerance concerns or
abiding by hyper-strict regulations — as can be
found in the creation of food, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals — a company failing to take
every precaution can quickly go out of business
or be found liable when things go awry.
To prevent this, businesses around the world
rely on isolated environments during multiple
parts of the manufacturing process.
These “clean rooms” make pioneering companies
possible and their influence on our world grows as
modern manufacturing becomes more innovative
and tech-driven. In a normal office environment,
standard circulation systems will move and remove
the air in a normal office space five to seven times
per hour. The highest-level clean rooms can exceed
500 air changes per hour while being sensitive to
the manufacturing processes happening in the room.
“High-level innovation goes into creating these
environments,” said Tim Werkema, president &
CEO for Clean Rooms International (CRI), a
leading manufacturer of clean room technology.
“Clean rooms require that control systems fully
function while meticulously regulating and
monitoring pressure levels, airflow rates, filter
efficiency, temperature/humidity levels and
energy usage — all with little room for error.”
“
Be open and flexible — you need to
be able to change with the times
and they are changing faster than
ever. Also, stop assuming there’s
only one way to do something. If
you can react quickly, intelligently
and stay up with the customer’s
needs, you’ll find that success.
”
Even as a cutting-edge company like CRI
is on pace for record growth in 2019, they face
daily challenges. A clean room at an aerospace
manufacturer could be unrecognizable next to
what a manufacturer of medical equipment like
hip replacements requires, so Werkema and his
team require talent with a special set of skills.
“We look for ‘jack of all trades’ talent — the
people who can jump from project to project
and adapt quickly; collaborate when needed and
problem solve. Our customer base is very diverse
so our talent pool needs to be equally adept at
what they do,” explained Werkema.
The memories of the last recession
and uncertainty about the future has
led more manufacturers to diversify
their business. What lessons can CRI’s
experiences at the forefront of
innovation offer?
“Be open and flexible — you need
to be able to change with the times
and they are changing faster than ever.
Also, stop assuming there’s only one
way to do something. If you can react
quickly, intelligently and stay up with
the customer’s needs, you’ll find that
success,” Werkema offered. “We’re able
to sit down with a customer and create
something completely new for them and
there’s no better feeling than that.”
Clean rooms have potential for any manufacturing facility
6
and the team at CRI can design yours to exact specifications.