Sales at kSpace Associates were nothing to write home about in 2013. But the Dexter-based tech firm is already off to a fast start this year with new sales and job openings.
"Our sales backlog for the first quarter of 2014 looks like it's going to be a great year," says Darryl Barlett, CEO of
kSpace Associates. "2014 looks like it’s going to be a great year."
The 22-year-old firm develops and manufacturers diagnostic tools for the semi-conductor industry. Its sales last year were flat but they have spiked so far this year, with rising orders from solar projects and Chinese firms. The foreign sales are largely centered around kSpace Associates' Ultrascan System, which measures the curvature and bow of semi-conductor wafer.
"We have a large amount of sales going to China," Barlett says. "Larger than we typically see."
That has spurred kSpace Associates to create a couple of job openings. The firm is looking to hire an engineer and a sales associates. The company currently has a staff of 24 employees and the occasional summer intern. Barlett expects those staffing numbers to continue to grow as his company keeps on its current growth streak.
"It looks like it’s going to be a good year," Barlett says. "It looks like foreign sales are going to be a big part of that."
Source: Darryl Barlett, CEO of kSpace Associates
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.