How the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership has helped local manufacturers succeed

Business Journals

25-04-2025

'Arizona is a manufacturing-friendly state. The tax policies here encourage manufacturing businesses to thrive and expand. It's also been a hub for different types of manufacturing for a long time.'
VB Cosmetics
Original, Arizona-made natural beauty products
VB Cosmetics is a privately owned Arizona manufacturing firm dedicated to building its own global brands of clean, natural, science-based beauty products. Founded by husband-and-wife team Steven Valenty and organic chemist Vivian Valenty, its flagship product is Vivian's brainchild, Dazzle Dry, a quick-dry nail polish system that is unique in the market, and a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory that allows VB Cosmetics personnel to test all raw materials before production.
Steven and Vivian Valenty have built businesses together since the 1970s. VB Cosmetics is their second firm, splitting off from a B2B chemical analysis company. 'Our previous company supported mainly electronics, aerospace, defense, transportation, and industry. Cosmetics was a little bit different, especially for the Phoenix area. But Vivian developed our first viable product, the original UV topcoat for fast-drying manicures,' Steven says.
As of 2007, Dazzle Dry is the latest version of this quick-drying manicure treatment and VB Cosmetics' flagship product, now without the outdated UV component. 'We've invested continually into our business and grown using bank funding,' says Steven, who goes on to stress the importance of using wholesome ingredients in all VB Cosmetics offerings. 'Vivian does not make any UV cured products anymore, because of the UV radiation and toxic ingredients introduced to the skin.'
'Steven and Vivian are absolutely wonderful people and it's been a pleasure to watch their company grow over the years,' says Dave Garafano, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Programs and Executive Director of the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP). 'We've worked with them on 30 or so projects from organizational development, continuous improvement, and lean manufacturing. They're some of the most fun people to work with — just brilliant.'
AZ MEP is the Arizona Commerce Authority's premier program assisting small- to medium-sized manufacturers across the state and plays a key role in strengthening Arizona's manufacturers, including VB Cosmetics. 'AZ MEP has helped us out with HR, building a great community, and creating the structure of our company,' says Valenty. 'The part-time CFO consultant they provided is now our full-time CEO. We've had excellent working relations with AZ MEP since 2017 and they've been incredibly helpful.'
Thanks in part to the business-friendly environment in Arizona and cooperation with the Arizona Commerce Authority, AZ MEP, and the Arizona Tech Council, VB Cosmetics today has 88 employees and keeps growing. 'We'll be close to 100 by the end of the year. We're expanding rapidly and really enjoy being part of the Arizona manufacturing community.'
For Steven and Vivian Valenty and VB Cosmetics, the sky's the limit. 'We're building our leadership team to have the skills to become a $100 million company. That's one of our goals in the not-too-distant future, and I think we can do it. It's important to work with the most skilled individuals, and AZ MEP has helped us build our community without losing sight of our identity or the mutual respect that makes our company great,' Valenty says.
Heitek Automation
Successfully navigating the Arizona manufacturing ecosystem with AZ MEP
When Minnesota native Dan Heiling was looking to start his innovative automation firm, the sunny climate of Arizona was too good to resist, but he chose Arizona not just because of the weather. 'Heitek Automation has been around for 25 years. I saw Arizona as an underserved market when it comes to industrial automation and manufacturing. We work closely with technology partners like Siemens to supply engineered control solutions to manufacturers in a wide range of industries. We also do pneumatics, robotics, and plant automation solutions with partners like Epson and ABB. Our intent is to serve underserved markets and really support our clients by driving higher efficiency on the plant floor,' Heiling says.
Heiling was also impressed with how business-friendly the state is, with initiatives that support manufacturing enterprises like his own. Heiling connected with the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP), the Arizona Commerce Authority's premier program assisting small- to medium-sized manufacturers.
'We really appreciate the support of AZ MEP, and we've leaned on them heavily because they brought some great experience and a fresh perspective when we needed it.' Heiling continues, considering the many ways AZ MEP has helped Heitek thrive. 'They're seasoned, veteran professionals we can draw on, and that means Arizona does consulting right. We're always excited about our involvement with the ACA and AZ MEP because when we face important issues, we can openly and transparently approach them with any challenges and receive solid advice on how to navigate the situation. We've been delighted with the guidance they've provided and how they help us navigate the Arizona manufacturing ecosystem.'
Heiling cites initiatives like AZ MEP — and the general pro-business approach to policy across the west — as strong lures for business owners like himself. 'All across the west, not just in Arizona, we're seeing great enticement for manufacturing businesses to set up shop. Our own headquarters are here in Arizona and new initiatives by local government have really opened the doors for the semiconductor industry, for example. There's just so much support coming from local programs to help growth of different market verticals like semiconductor and aerospace, and our strong defense industry. Great businesses are moving in thanks to the leadership we're seeing on the state level.'
For Dave Garafano, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Programs at the ACA and Executive Director of AZ MEP, Heitek is a perfect example of the kind of business his program was created to assist. 'The owners of Heitek are fantastic, super-smart people who have built an excellent business. We've done a significant number of projects with them. They have a great distribution business and an automation business where they help companies automate complex manufacturing processes, improving safety, quality, and efficiency while reducing overall costs. They've been experiencing rapid growth as we've worked with them for a number of years. Helping companies like Heitek and being a small part of their success is what makes the job so rewarding for the entire AZ MEP team.'
Arizona Western Fixture & Display
40-year veteran manufacturer continues to innovate and grow
In the spring of 2021, Mike Jimmerson, AZ MEP Senior Client Advisor, reached out to Pamela Narcy, Controller at Arizona Western Fixture & Display, to assist with COVID-19 pandemic business recovery. The Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP) is the Arizona Commerce Authority's premier program assisting small- to medium-sized manufacturers across the state and plays a key role in strengthening Arizona's manufacturers. 'Because of COVID, we were eligible for financial assistance through a special AZ MEP program funded by the CARES Act,' Narcy says. 'Mike Jimmerson and Kyle Randels, who is the Senior Client Advisor for Continuous Improvement at AZ MEP, introduced us to lean manufacturing and other continuous improvement methodologies, which have resulted in significant improvements to our operations.'
Founded by Bernard Narcy in his garage in 1984, Arizona Western Fixture & Display performs mill work for schools, retailers, banks, credit unions, and many other customers. 'We build cases and display counters, and for schools we make desks, changing tables, cubbies, and more. We pride ourselves on value engineering, and our engineers work to save our clients money without sacrificing quality. That's how we've secured repeat customers over 40 years in business,' Pamela Narcy says.
Arizona Western Fixture & Display takes pride in being an Arizona company. 'We make everything in Arizona, buying our raw materials here whenever possible, because we believe in using the resources of this state,' says Narcy.
Arizona has more than earned this community spirit by providing the company with significant aid through AZ MEP, first and foremost in addressing safety best practices. According to Narcy, 'AZ MEP changed how we looked at safety. We partnered with AZ MEP contractor, Horizon Safety, for quarterly training for all of our forklift operators, and to get our employees CPR certified. We do mock safety audits to prepare for OSHA and now we are OSHA 30 and OSHA 10 certified, and our average EMOD is around .86, saving us thousands on insurance premiums every year.'
Working with AZ MEP has given Arizona Western Fixture & Display employees access to career advancement. 'Thanks to AZ MEP and their focus on continuous improvement, one of our employees received his Six Sigma black belt and now he applies what he learned to analyze and improve our manufacturing processes,' says Narcy.
AZ MEP empowers team members to take on more roles on their own initiative. 'We've sent employees to build leadership skills through AZ MEP's Leadership Development Program,' Narcy says. 'We participate in the classes and workshops AZ MEP provides. They keep us informed of new workshop opportunities, like the R&D Tax Credit for research that manufacturers may be performing without realizing it.'
'I see this partnership with AZ MEP and ACA continuing as long as we're in business. My only regret is we didn't know about them years ago. It's amazing the difference these programs have made for our company,' Narcy says.
Nautilus Systems
Working with AZ MEP to grow with perfect precision
Founded in 1999, Nautilus Systems makes adhesive applicators that place components with the high precision and reliability that the industries they serve require. 'Eighty percent of our machines end up in medical device manufacturers, where any adhesive needs to be in the right spot every time,' says Nautilus Systems President Steve Gunnerson. 'Our machines are used in the automotive industry, consumer electronics, medical devices, defense products, and more.'
As Arizona residents, the Nautilus founders knew they were in the right state to build their business. 'Arizona is a manufacturing-friendly state,' Gunnerson says. 'The tax policies here encourage manufacturing businesses to thrive and expand. It's also been a hub for different types of manufacturing for a long time.'
Arizona also offers manufacturers access to top talent and world markets. According to Gunnerson, 'We've got great universities, and it's easy to fly into Phoenix from anywhere, and to get our products anywhere, not just in the U.S. but all over the world. Overall, we're very happy with Arizona as a home for manufacturing and proud we founded our company here.'
Much of this satisfaction comes from an ongoing relationship with the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP) — the Arizona Commerce Authority's premier program for assisting small- to medium-sized manufacturers across the state. AZ MEP provides comprehensive services to support manufacturers like Nautilus.
According to Matthew Rich, Director of Operations at Nautilus, 'AZ MEP has been able to help us grow smartly and expand our business sophistication. When you grow to 49 people, you need to make sure folks are following consistent processes. We worked closely with AZ MEP to develop a comprehensive safety program, and their consultants helped us get ISO 9000 certified.'
'AZ MEP has been instrumental in building more sophisticated job descriptions as we expand our staff,' Rich continues. 'AZ MEP's resources help us develop our employees' skills and provide training. AZ MEP also helped us get a training grant from the City of Phoenix and when we needed to expand to a new building, AZ MEP and the ACA helped us with the Arizona Qualified Facilities Tax Credit.'
'We've been working with Nautilus since 2021, and helped the company experience substantial growth. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with Nautilus and to collaborate on so many projects,' says Dave Garafano, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Programs and Executive Director of AZ MEP. 'I'm confident that they will continue to grow well into the future. Nautilus is a fantastic company run by some of the smartest and most professional leaders I know.'
Gunnerson and Rich appreciate the benefits Nautilus has received for its Arizona location, and the assistance of AZ MEP Senior Client Advisor Mike Jimmerson and the entire AZ MEP team. 'We've had an amazing five years and are continuing to invest in new product development and ongoing sales. The sky's the limit for our technology, and we're going to keep improving and innovating,' Gunnerson says. 'That's what we're all about.'