ASK Power – Answering the Call for Success

Posted by Steve Kase

October 31 2018

As written in the Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond Summer Newsletter 2018

 

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In 1986, Steve Kase acquired a company that had been around since the end of the WWII. That company, now known as ASK Power, had its beginnings in manufacturing lighting components and connectors for military vehicles. With an eye for the future, Kase took the company in new directions and began designing and manufacturing connectors for consumer truck and off-road vehicle market applications.

What are electrical connectors? In layman’s terms, connectors are used to move big power from point A to point B, from the source to the application. Examples include truck batteries to lights and wind-turbine generated power to power conversion equipment.

Connecting. Helping. Growing.

Immediately following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 things really took off for the company. Rebuilding from the disaster created a supply vs. demand situation that in turn created opportunities for ASK Power. Most importantly, it gave ASK Power the opportunity to help people get their daily lives back to normal. It also allowed for opportunities to expand into utility and telecommunication marketplaces.

“After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, ASK Power was able to jump in and hit the ground running. Our existing product line, manufacturing know-how, and committed employees can design
and begin production of an entire product line in as little as 48 hours,” Kase notes.

A Connection for the Future

When inquired about the company name, Kase offers two responses: the first direct and to the point, the second more accurately reflective of the company’s culture and mission.

“ASK is an acronym for my father’s name, my name and our last name. But ASK stands for so much more,” notes Kase. “In our industry, you don’t survive just by saying you’re good. You have to deliver. And that begins by asking the right questions. Asking how can we improve the process, how can we innovate, how can we exceed expectations.”

He has found an effective solution for improving processes, innovating, and exceeding expectations is to look beyond ASK Power’s four walls and to a community of his peers and colleagues.

One such community is mHub, Chicago’s innovation center for physical development and manufacturing. The vision behind mHub is to provide the facility as well as workforce training through special events, workshops, classes, seminars and one-on-one expert consulting.

“Being together in one space may seem simple. But, it’s the unpredictable magic that occurs when a need and capability share a home,” explains Kase. “mHub is that innovation experience. A belief that a community of innovators can deliver exponential entrepreneurial, product and process development, and successful employment results.”

Lasting Connections

When it comes to creating lasting connections ASK Power and KRD know how to get the job done. Since the two began working together over 15 years ago the relationship has flourished, with KRD helping ASK Power in a variety of areas including; navigating an acquisition, leadership turnover and strategic growth to name a few.

“KRD has been on our side through thick and thin,” commented Kase. “As a financial and strategic coach through critical growth junctions, Allen and his team have proved invaluable. Max Kopytko from KRD also stepped in and acted as our de facto CFO when a former CFO left to pursue other opportunities. He even helped us in identifying and training a qualified replacement.”

As a former competitive swimmer, Kase uses a fitting analogy to describe their relationship. “KRD is like a lifeguard, looking out for our well being, ready to jump in when the waters start to get choppy.”

ASK Power believes expanding the skills and roles of the front line manufacturing personnel creates valued workers who can evolve with automation and maintain quality careers.

Topics: ASK Power, Steve Kase, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, mHUB

The Evolution of Illinois Manufacturing with mHUB

Posted by Steve Kase

November 20 2017

Everyone at ASK Power is excited to experience the growth and success mHUB has generated since opening in March. In less than 9 months, mHub has tripled its membership to over 300 members.

mHub connects the many segments of manufacturing, entrepreneurs, engineers, small to medium manufacturers, and large companies in the innovation game. It’s an experiment that is working, working to produce better jobs and a more competitive industry.
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“The manufacturing industry has certainly experienced its share of change, evolving from what many still envision as ‘traditional’ manufacturing… to today's manufacturing that is digital, high tech and driven by ideas and innovation.

When I think of modern manufacturing right here in Illinois -- I think of mHUB (https://mhubchicago.com/), Chicago's innovation center for physical product development and manufacturing. “   

- Greg Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association

Read more of what the Daily Herald Business Ledger wrote in their article, “The Evolution of Illinois Manufacturing with mHUB

As a sponsor of mHUB, ASK Power represents the model for how small and medium sized manufactures in the Chicago area will gain access and expertise to equipment, facilities and workers not readily available before. mHub’s state of the art building provides 63,000 square feet with 10 fabrication centers and over $2,000,000 in product design, rapid proto-typing and 3D printers, metal shops and other low-volume micro-factory machinery.

Topics: ASK Power, Chicagoland Manufacturing, mHUB, Illinois Manufacturing Association, Workforce Development

And the Winner is… the City of Chicago

Posted by Steve Kase

March 23 2017

mHub, Chicago’s innovation center for physical development and manufacturing, is now open for business. As a sponsor of mHub, ASK Power represents the model for how small and medium sized manufactures in the Chicago area will gain access and expertise to equipment, facilities and workers not readily available before. mHub’s state of the art building provides 63,000 square feet with 10 fabrication centers and over $2,000,000 in product design, rapid proto-typing and 3D printers, metal shops and other low-volume micro-factory machinery.

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Steve Kase, Managing Director of ASK Power and mHUB Board of Director, was with Mayor Rahm Emanuel at the ribbon cutting ceremony earlier this month. “mHUB merges state-of-the-art innovation with our city’s industrial heritage to build a brighter future for all of Chicago,” Mayor Emanuel said. “I look forward to seeing mHUB’s bold vision further strengthen Chicago’s vibrant entrepreneurial community and manufacturing ecosystem.”

The vision behind mHub is to provide the facility as well as workforce training through special events, workshops, classes, seminars and 1:1 expert consulting. As the mHub website, www.mhubchicago.com, illustrates, “Our vetted mentors bring years of experience in Manufacturing, business, mechanical and electrical engineering, design and legal services to turn new product idea into scalable businesses. 

Being together in one space may seem simple; but, it’s the unpredictable magic that occurs when a need and capability share a home,” explains Mr. Kase. “A funny thing about innovation, the experience is one of great hope and at the same time awareness of the challenge. mHub IS that innovation experience. A belief that a community of innovators can deliver exponential entrepreneurial, product and process development, and employment results.”

Topics: ASK Power, Chicagoland Manufacturing, mHUB, Mayor Rahm Emanuel

ASK Power and IMEC Team Together to Increase Performance and Create Jobs

Posted by Steve Kase

January 14 2017

CASE STUDY

COMPANY

  • ASK Power – Aurora, Illinois
  • www.ASK-Power.com
  • 60 employees
  • Global manufacturer of electrical components for the utility and industrial marketplace

SITUATION

After several years measuring against an internal set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Steve Kase, Managing Director of ASK Power knew how the business tracked to their own performance, but had no perspective for where they fell relative to their competition. The organization reached out to key customers for performance reporting according to quality and customer-specific deliverables, but the ASK team was lacking the targeted feedback needed to develop strategic, actionable improvement objectives. Needing to take their planning to the next level, Steve leveraged his relationship with IMEC to undertake the Promoting Business Excellence (PROBE) global benchmark assessment for the organization. “As our trusted partner, I knew through Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) we would be able to use the international benchmark to realize the level of industry data needed to be more strategic,” said Kase.

IMEC SOLUTION

Interested in the feedback for how they perform on a global level on a variety of functional objectives, the ASK team used the PROBE assessment to align their departmental priorities with the best-of-the-best in the industry; ultimately identifying the largest areas for improvement in human resource and accounting systems, as well new product development and technology. “The benefit of the transformative assessment was that it truly helped us compare our performance to successful competitors,” said Kase. “The sheer visibility of the areas where we are stronger than we need to be and those where we are weaker than ideal has been eye-opening and is unprecedented data for us.” Through a more strategic focus on the workforce, Kase and the ASK team were able to gain a lot of buy-in and feedback throughout the organization for the ideal future state. Instituting training for two and three levels of employees, prioritizing staff development, and optimizing the newly added roles in technical sales and engineering have been fruitful for the organization. Similarly, an investment in new product development secured them a new collaborative partnership with an industry leader yielding improvements in sales and technology growth that was not previously attainable. Kase indicates that following the PROBE assessment the initiative to add new people, target new markets, and bring new products on board has been successfully implemented, but that the upcoming year will truly be the year to harvest those investments for future growth and sustainability.

RESULTS

  • $5,000,000 investment in new products and technology
  • 3 jobs created
  • $100k cost savings
  • $500,000 in new sales

“Our IMEC experience, historically, and this year, has been a major source of continuous process improvement, critical to our success.” Steve Kase, Managing Director – ASK Power

ABOUT IMEC

Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center was established in 1996 to improve the productivity and competitiveness of Illinois' small and mid-sized manufacturing firms. We leverage the Baldrige Excellence Framework as a foundation for driving organizational improvement and then prioritize those improvements through a range of hands-on, goal-oriented solutions in continuous improvement, strategy, workforce, and more. Learn more at www.imec.org

 

Topics: Manufacturing News, ASK Power, Chicagoland Manufacturing, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, Workforce Development, Business Processes, IMEC

Investing in the front line manufacturing employee builds customer benefit and employee skills that are sustainable.

Posted by Steve Kase

November 29 2016

World trade and political discussion emphasize how automation threatens the traditional manufacturing employee. How to support the evolution of these employees in the face of global competitive challenges is the question. Steve Kase, ASK Power’s Founder and Managing Director, the Illinois Manufacturing Association, and Chicago’s mHub have an answer: expand the skills and roles of the front line manufacturing person to create a valued worker who can evolve with automation and maintain a quality career.

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This idea is being put into practice through Chicago’s new manufacturing innovation center, mHUB. Workforce Development and Manufacturing Innovation are the concepts that have made ASK Power the success it is today. “Training our employees to be full service process managers of Efficiency, Quality Control, Tooling Setup and Machine Maintenance,” explains Mr. Kase. “This investment in people has dramatically improved the delivery times and quality performance for our customers.”

The mHUB facility was designed to attract and support STEM trained personnel. These engineers and entrepreneurs in turn will provide innovative application solutions for small and medium-sized manufactures. “When we solve customer product development needs, we require new sets of talent and resources. mHUB is being set-up to help companies like ours,” says Mr. Kase.

Read more about mHUB in this month’s addition of The Illinois Manufacturer

Naumovich, Dan. "mHub is Chicago’s first manufacturing innovation center - opening in January"The Illinois Manufacturer Fall 2016: p23-24. (PDF version)

Topics: Manufacturing News, ASK Power, Chicagoland Manufacturing, Steve Kase, mHUB, Illinois Manufacturing Association, Workforce Development, STEM trained

ASK Power hosts Senator Durbin for Plant Tour

Posted by ASK Power

May 18 2016

(Aurora, IL)- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin last week toured the manufacturing plant of ASK Power and met with key staff.

ASK Power is an Aurora-based manufacturer of electrical connectors for the truck, automotive, telecom, utility, and military marketplaces and has been in business for almost 30 years.

 

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U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, second from left, tours ASK Power in Aurora.
Courtesy of Scott McPherson

As printed in the Daily Herald on May 13, 2016. Written by Scott McPherson

ASK Power, a longtime member of the Technology & Manufacturing Association, is a subsidiary of Sicame Group, a global manufacturer of electrical components for the utility and industrial marketplace. "It was great to visit a local, homegrown business that really is making an impact in national and international markets," stated Sen. Durbin. "I was honored to meet several of their key employees, many of whom are first- and second-generation Americans."

ASK Power was founded by Steve Kase and currently employs about 60 people. In 2012, Kase was chairman of the board of the TMA, Illinois' largest full service manufacturing association. He currently serves on the Steering Committee of World Business Chicago's 1000 Jobs Initiative for Chicagoland Manufacturing. "It was a great pleasure to have Senator Durbin stop by our shop last week," Kase related. "I applaud his commitment to manufacturing as well as his leadership on the key issues we face as a society as we work to grow jobs and strengthen the economy."

About TMA: 8 small manufacturing companies who thought they could better themselves by associating with one another founded TMA in 1925. Through the years, members established programs and services to help their businesses grow and prosper, train their employees, and provide medical and retirement benefits. TMA has grown into an almost 1,000 member nonprofit organization representing more than 30,000 employees of precision manufacturing and supplier companies throughout Illinois.

Topics: ASK Power, Sicame Group, Chicagoland Manufacturing, Steve Kase, Technology & Manufacturing Association, World Business Chicago's 1000 Jobs Initiative, Senator Durbin

Steve Kase Honored as World Business Chicago's Manufacturer of the Year

Posted by ASK Power

October 14 2015

At the Alliance for Industry and Manufacturing’s (AIM) annual Making Manufacturing Matter Awards dinner Steve Kase was recognized for his contributions to the World Business Chicago’s 1,000 Jobs Initiative and to many other organizations represented that evening including the TMA (Technology and  Manufacturing Assoc.) and IMA (Illinois Manufacturers Assoc.).

ASK Power - M3 Award

 

The 2015 manufacturing honorees were selected from the Chicago Cook and collar counties. The winners were selected based on their reputation for manufacturing leadership, innovation, employment and training, and industry and community involvement.

“These are people and companies with demonstrated commitments to ‘pay it forward’,” said Ms. McDonough, President of AIM and the evening’s event chairman.

According to World Business Chicago, Steve is an essential connector at all levels of the industry, with current leadership roles with the Alliance for Industry and Manufacturing, the Technology and Manufacturing Association, the Illinois Manufacturing  Excellence Center, and World Business Chicago. Acting as the nexus among these organizations, Steve consistently drives common understanding and collaboation to achieve industry growth objectives.

Rauner @ M3 award dinner

 

Governer Rauner kicked off the evening with a strong message that he is working to making it easier to be a manufacturer in Illinois.  He later tweeted that it is “critical to bring manufacturing jobs back to Illinois”.

 

 

 Steve Kase ASK Power for AIM

 Manufacturing Matters: ASK Power from Skill Scout on Vimeo.

Speaking through short videos, each recipient presented their feelings about their award. Mr. Kase said he would like to thank WBC and AIM and to celebrate their collaboration. He has been actively involved in a number of industrial associations and although there is a perception that they compete each organization has their individual unique talents and their collaboration has brought much more power to bear on problems like the skills gap, innovation, training, connecting employee and employer and ability to get a lot more accomplished than in the past.

AIM has created a regional manufacturing "movement" tapping into the national designation as the Chicago Metro Metals Consortium; Chicago's selection as the site for the national Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute; the regional economic development initiatives lead by Cook County Toni Preckwinkle, the County Board Chairs and the economic development organizations for Cook and Collar Counties; Metro Chicago Exports, the Alliance's regional workforce developments and World Business Chicago's 1,000 Jobs Initiative. This dinner offered the vehicle to collectively recognize those efforts and honor key manufacturers in a Regional celebration.

 

 

Topics: ASK Products, ASK Power, AIM

ASK Power awarded Kane County Sparkler Award for Business Leadership

Posted by ASK Power

May 12 2015

Steve Kase, CEO and Owner of ASK Power received Kane County Sparkler Award for Business at the Kane County Leadership Summit on May 8 for support in workforce development and export. 

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The Kane County Sparkler Awards recognizes the contributions and leadership made by companies in Business, Partnership, and Innovation.  

The award was present by Chris Lauzen the Kane County Board Chairman and former Illinois State Senator

ASK Power is an Aurora, IL based manufacturer of electrical connectors for the Truck, Automotive, Telecom, Utility, and Military marketplaces and has been in Kane County for almost 30 years.  In 2012, Kase was Chairman of the Board of the TMA, Illinois’ Largest Full Service Manufacturing Association and currently serves on the Steering Committee of World Business Chicago's 1,000 Jobs Initiative for Chicagland Manufacturing

The Kane County Sparkler Awards recognize outstanding and sometimes-unheralded achievement in three categories: business, partnership and innovation. The awards will showcase the work of each of the nominees, and an award winner will be named in each category. The 2015 nominees are as follows:

Business CategorySpakler_Award_v2

  •   Joe and Luke Slawek, FONA, International
  •   Jerry and Keith Rich, Rich Harvest Farms
  •   Steven Kase, ASK Power

Partnership Category

  •   CASA Kane County
  •   Workforce Investment Board – Serving Kane, Kendall and DeKalb Counties
  •   Longmeadow Parkway Corridor
  •   Fox River Ecosystem Partnership

Innovation Category

  •   Kane County Community Health Assessment – Participating Partners
  •   Elgin Land Use/Transportation Task Force
  •   Kane County Planning Cooperative

 

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Topics: ASK Power

ASK Power President, Steve Kase, invited to White House roundtable on exports

Posted by ASK Power

October 04 2014

Steve Kase, President of ASK Power was invited by Congressman Bill Foster to participate in a roundtable discussion on exports at the White House.  The roundtable, in the Roosevelt Room of the West Wing, was hosted by United States Trade Representative Mike Froman and Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council Jeff Zients. The event focused on exports for small businesses. 

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“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, so I am pleased that the White House is working to support small and medium business exports,” said Foster. “Small and medium businesses have great potential to play a bigger role in exports, but we need to do more to support them and navigate an extremely complex process.  Additionally, we need to provide stability by passing a long-term extension of the Export-Import Bank, an essential service for export businesses of all sizes.”

“Job creation disproportionately comes from small to medium manufacturing entities; but, they are disproportionally under-represented in export activities,” said Kase. “I was particularly encouraged by the Trade and Economic wings of our executive branch's intention to coordinate best practices across exporting states. Their leadership and employer organization’s cooperation can support SME’s efforts to navigate the complexity and risk of export toward more profitable sales and job creation.”

At the meeting the group discussed efforts to get more small and medium businesses involved in exports. In 2013, Illinois exported $66.1 billion in merchandise, supporting 339,421 Illinois jobs.

ASK Power is an Aurora, IL based manufacturer of electrical connectors for the Truck, Automotive, Telecom, Utility, and Military marketplaces. In 2012, Kase was Chairman of the Board of the TMA, Illinois’ Largest Full Service Manufacturing Association.

Foster is a scientist and businessman who worked at Fermi National Laboratory for over 20 years.  Foster’s business career began at age 19 when he and his brother co-founded Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc., a company that now manufactures over half of the theater lighting equipment in the United States.

This meeting is part of the continuing effort by President Obama's National Export Initiative that was announced in the January, 2010 to increase US exports.

Topics: ASK Power