by Jens Jensen.
I started Jensen Systems Inc. along with a minority
share partner in December
of 1986 in Phoenix Arizona. Within a year I bought the partner out and continued
expanding services. By 1990 we had 25 employees, were providing millions of dollars
in Equipment and Services per year. JSI became the first Authorized Allen Bradley Controls
Systems Integrator in the state of Arizona, and an Intellution Partner and Beta software
test site.
As Controls Systems Integrators we focused on providing PLC based control systems for
OEMs and End users, with occasional municipal customers. The majority of
projects involved either Ultra-pure water production or chemical
mixing/distribution for the semiconductor industry. Most of our System's ultimate
destinations were to a Motorola, Intel or TRW facility. Our emphasis was to
provide high quality engineering and completed control systems for the most
technically challenging and schedule demanding projects involving fluid
handling in semi conductor facilities.
There was a downturn in the semiconductor industry
1989-1990 that I did not navigate very well from a business standpoint.
I allowed my principal customer to convince me to do several months
pre-project development work at my risk in anticipation of a very large
ultrapure water treatment facility for a new semiconductor fab on the East
Coast, (one of the largest in the world at that time). Although, I believe we
were instrumental in our customer's contract for that project, their corporate
office decided to use an in-house engineering group (on the East Coast) with
the excuse that we were too small to handle this project. We were told by the
local office that they would make it up to us, which I accepted.
The next couple of years turned out to be a
continuing struggle from a cash flow standpoint as our primary customer was
swamped with the large project we were excluded from. We were still doing lots
of proposals with them and others, and kept our staffing level up in
anticipation of work that never materialized. In retrospect I realize that
since our primary customer was busy, they weren't very aggressive with
pricing, at a time when with the industry downturn, everyone else was
extremely aggressive.
In 1992 I started a Software company named Workware Inc. with an outside
(50%) investor. With the continuing cash flow problems at Jensen Systems Inc.
I eventually (1994) chose to curtail operations as a Systems Integrator and concentrate
on Workware Inc.. All Jensen Systems Inc. projects were completed in a professional
manner, all bills were paid, and enough capital remained to continue financing
my share of Workware
Inc.. Four former employees started a new Systems Integration company, which was
sold to a larger company. One employee became the Chief Engineer at another System
Integrator, and several became the core of the facilities engineering group for a new
Motorola plant in Chandler, Arizona.
I moved my family to the mountains of Arizona and wrote software during 1995 and
1996. My plan was to create commercial software for Systems Integrators.
We got a couple of products out during that period, but were not able to get
the business to a point where it could pay me a livable salary. In 1996 I let it be known that
I
would be interested in doing Controls System Engineering projects again (as
Jensen Systems Inc.) to supplement my income. I was soon fully occupied with Controls Systems Engineering Projects, and have
been ever since. We officially dissolved Workware in1996.
I obtained my Professional Registration in February, 1998, and continue to provide
Engineering services full time. I am supported by my wife Debbie, who answers the
phone, does the bookkeeping and other office tasks.
My business experience has led me to believe that
there are a couple of viable options for an Engineering Professional with my
background. One would be to aggressively pursue company growth in order to
achieve enough inertia so that the business would survive the setbacks that
gave us, as a small firm so much trouble. The other strategy is to act as an
Independent Consultant, eschewing the temptations of ultimate fame and fortune
in favor of more personal control of all aspects of my work product and
business relationships.
I believe that I have accidentally fallen into a
somewhat unique configuration of chosen Engineering Discipline, background,
and personal qualities that allow me to be highly competitive as a very small
firm. My primary difficulty at this point is balancing my work volume with my
capacity. I try to be selective concerning projects and customers in
order to maintain my enthusiasm and work quality.
