Skip to content

Ep. 10: MECCO's Industrial Roots and Tech Future

MECCO CEO Dave Sweet talks about his company's more than 130+ years of innovation in Pittsburgh. MECCO offers the latest innovations in direct part marking for traceability, verification, and part identification in manufacturing, assembly, and other harsh environments. MECCO features a full range of marking technology, including MeccoMark fiber lasers, as well as CO, diode-pumped, and flash lamp lasers as well as a complete line of dot-peen indent markers with portable, benchtop, integrated, and custom systems available. Thanks to Comcast for powering up the #50PGHSummerStories!

Transcription:

 

Really, really pumped up about what's happening today on our summer of 50 PGH tech stories. Why? Because it involves lasers, lasers involved, I get super pumped up. It's about MECCO. And Dave Sweet. I know it's really cool stuff. One thing I love about this story is that these guys are like behind the scenes. I think as you guys we talked to Dave, today, you're gonna realize how important they are. When it comes to everything that gets out there through through automation and through people supply chains and everything like that. Once again, I said it uses lasers, which makes it super, super, super cool. And I couldn't tell these stories that my friends here at Comcast, because we are trying to tell 50 these over the course of the summer. And of course, we're trying to raise awareness and phones for the beyond laptops campaign to neighborhood allies, making sure all the kids and Pittsburgh public schools have access to computers when they get back to school in the fall. And so Dave, thanks for hanging out with me today. I'm so excited to learn more about necco and all the great stuff that you do. You've done tech by radio before we did catch up On so much stuff to know you guys have made some acquisitions. And I'm just excited for our listeners and our viewers just to learn more about what mecco does because every time you tell me about this, it kind of blows my mind because your roots go way back. You're using the absolute most modern technology today. So welcome to the show. Get tell us your background and what that goes all about.

Thanks, Jonathan. I appreciate catching up with you. It's a new venue but this is a this is great. I appreciate you doing this. You and Comcast. You put it putting these stories together I think is fantastic. So we're having a good time with it. Zoom in. Oh.

Yeah. From for those folks that don't know. So MECCO has been around 130 years. We just saw it last year. So as you kind of noted our our history, we've been in the Pittsburgh steel mills for you know, over 100 hundred years and we started off literally doing hammer and chisel type marking so yes, your big billet of steel will come down either by hand or by machine indent, like lot numbers or serial numbers into material. But obviously, as the ages progressed, so does the technology. And now we're really focused on those, you know, automated types of marking like laser marking Dot Peen, marking. And these are all things that you guys would typically see around out in the world. So objects on mirror on your car V's and all your digital or your LED displays there was those are all laser marked out or that's all done by a laser then they they didn't chisel that on there like they did a build a steel back in 1902.

I went through a lot of glass and then they realized many layers to do this type of stuff. That's a great example to show you how like, you see that objects are closer to mirror a million times when you're driving your car. No think but how that got on it, but it has to get on there.

And you guys make that happen? Absolutely. So yeah, that that All your car buttons, you know, are most of those are all laser marked, okay? So if you use Gillette razors, those would be laser marked as well as serial numbers. So a lot of that stuff is all identified, serial numbered, so that you can trace that product back to its original point of manufacturing.

And that is what is so important is to show that like how this is needed, because this is all safety requirement type stuff, and it has to be marked, someone's got to do it. And if that's nothing that goes jam, that's what makes it so cool. I'm assuming, obviously, as you're talking, you must have some really big customers out there. Obviously, in the automotive industry, consumer products. You're everywhere, right?

Yeah, that's the nice part is that we're in every industry because every industry has to mark and identify. So yeah, automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, oil and gas fabrication, medical device, you name it. We're marking that those materials and working with really the coolest companies out there, you know, all automotive, electric vehicles, all those types of things. I think the cool part of the of the job as a former, I guess, engineer, yeah, mechanical engineer, laser engineer, but it's great. You get to go see these factories, see how things are made. It's just like you're living that show, which is fantastic. I love it. That is so cool. How many people do you have working here in the Pittsburgh Office? I mean, obviously, all these customers and acquisitions, you guys have probably grown like nuts.

Yeah, we have 55 in Pittsburgh, and through acquisition, we have another 15 or so in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Londonderry, New Hampshire. Do we get that get that office? Very much? Not Yeah, this is the weird thing. Like we've acquired that business. I have not been there. Because the game right.

Guys, thing is I know most of the people because I've been a long term or longtime customer. So that's it. my saving grace as far as you're trying to bring this group in into the fold, but that's been really different challenging, but I've been to the facility as many times as a customer, so at least I have that part. But yeah, I just haven't been able to. To me it's so and it's so important that we protect those who have to be at work. Absolutely. Me to hop in a car and travel five states.

They don't need me to do their jobs. They're all it's all running quite well. That's why we have zoom here. You can check in there. Hey, are you guys doing all right? Like we're doing fine, Dave nothing's there. You know, they're pros. They're experts they know what to do they don't need me to be there. So it's been interesting but that's to me is always about keeping people safe and worse. No, that's that's our priority in this day and age as far as that is. And so tell me more about the acquisition cuz that's so exciting. How can news that we got as all this crazy COVID stuff is going on. Like we're getting noticed stuff like how they do Still some cool business activity happening on here despite the pandemic, it's just exciting to see you guys grow like that. And I guess this is basically acquiring some software that you guys used to use.

Yeah, it's kind of a unique situation we've been had, we've had a few opportunities where, you know, you could classify mecco as an integrator of technologies. And that's been great for us, but also pose some challenges to our business because for us to innovate, we have to do that really outside the core technology because we don't control it. Right. So we had an opportunity where one of our our biggest software suppliers made a decision to really focus more on their core business and said, Hey, is mecco interested in acquiring this? This technology, along with they're called gallon amateurs, but fancy word for motors with mirrors on the end? That's all things that we can understand. I have no idea what a gun law is that I understand.

It's a Yeah, they, in October, they said, Hey, we're gonna make this decision. Is this something that goes interested in? And we're like, Yes, yeah, we just acquired a laser line last year for us to actually make lasers in Pittsburgh. And this has those are the three biggest parts of any laser system laser scanners in software. So for us within a 12 month period to now literally own all three technologies. You know, and bring that here is just an amazing opportunity for us so, so yeah, we we had to Absolutely, it's a company actually used to work for a software company so it's kind of a really cool that such a company I used to love it. Yeah. But yeah, we were going through the process and ready to, to sign a deal and then COVID hit and really sign the papers at a distance. Right everybody Like, oh, man, is this the smart thing to do? And yeah, we definitely took a pause. But at the end of the day, we're like, Hey, this is the smart thing for us to do we want to get control of a supply chain, to we're able to really innovate, that's our biggest thing is, is the ability to do what to add the things that we're already working on. But they have a major influence on what really our users experience every day. That's the part where there's a laser. But most of the time those engineers operators are they're using the software part. So for us to to now control that. That's huge, because I keep preaching to our folks is it's Yeah, it's a difficult time. COVID is definitely, it's a great equalizer. It's everyone's feeling the pain, but our job is, is really to focus on What can we be doing now to put our foot on the accelerator? So when this period does pass, we're in position. And this was a great move to do just that seems like I mean, you've built the foundation now is that if you control all the aspects going through, I mean, obviously, in a postcode world, even COVID world, I mean, you're ready to roll now. I mean, you can literally start calling the shots in many ways.

Yeah, exactly. That's to me is it's it's all about innovation. That's, that's what we're here for. I always tell people, hey, we, I'm really good at cutting grass. But you know, offering that to my neighbors like, I want to innovate, I want to do things that are that, that our customers are demanding for, you know, their manufacturing is innovating. Every now three months there's a new technology it's to me is we need to be running parallel and at times Hopefully ahead of the curve where we can be offering technologies that help them solve these challenges. And that to me is now having control of that technology, man, that's great. That's fantastic.

However, I do believe you can still innovate on cutting the grass.

You can Yes, you can lasers on your lawn mower there that can perfectly cut that grass.

My neighbor has one of those iRobot type of cars. I was like, Oh, that is awesome.

I won't be impressed until it has lasers. Those are very important.

And we can do it. It's gonna be you guys. It could be a whole side business for Meco going on right there. But it all sincerity, like, I'm just so impressed with the company like this. I mean, obviously going back 130 years, part of Pittsburgh's industrial heritage, driving us forward with leading edge technology that we that every company needs for safety and quality control and all that kind of good stuff. And she's such an awesome Pittsburgh story. I'm so glad we got to talk a little bit about that. today.

Yeah, it is it's a great. It's truly a great Pittsburgh's story follows the other eyes, the struggles, but then you know how this city is definitely over the last 1520 years rebuilt itself to be el technology hub. I feel Mecca is doing its part should we can bringing some of those technologies in and continuing to innovate. That to me is that's our story. And we're sticking to it. I love it. We're gonna be very

prosperous here as a community. I think that's the those are great things. Absolutely. So our last question today, it's always our Comcast Question of the day because we're trying to raise awareness for bridging the digital divide here. What are your thoughts on ways that we can make sure that everybody has access to technology, to the hardware to the bandwidth all the sudden needs to be connected in this day and age and thoughts on that?

Yeah, I think there's one of the things that I love about Pittsburgh. I'm originally From the New England area, so I moved here about 15 years ago, with my family. We've really enjoyed and have enjoyed our time here. It's been fantastic. It's a great area to raise a family. But what really has impressed me is the community. To me. There is so many good organizations out there that are trying to make a positive impact on the community. Yeah, I'd say Pittsburgh tech Council is one of those great organizations. So to me as a manufacturer, I look at it from the perspective of how does our company continued to help support other great organizations doing to me fantastic thing. So that's our has always been our focus. So over the last few years, to me is it training and education in the we always talk about awareness in manufacturing, we want to have those Students are at an early age being exposed to what manufacturing really is. I think there's always this odd sense of factoring is an ingredient the old days,

huh. So much cool opportunity in manufacturing these days. And people, the kids need to learn it as early as possible because like you'd be working at mecco. Like, like literally doing most advanced stuff out there. And yeah, it's old school, but it's new school too, which is I think it's even doubly cool. So what's not to like?

I mean, you're, you're talking lasers, robotics, we do a lot of that integration, advanced manufacturing techniques. We started. We've been working with rMu on plastic laser welding of materials. So I think those are the things that I've seen some really good successes there. But I think to your point is how do we how do we make that that technology those things available like computers, I mean, it just takes a you know, you The old adage it takes a village You know, I think that Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh community is already set up to do this. I think it's one where, you know, folks like, you know, Pittsburgh tech Council, Comcast moving those things forward. That to me is companies can rally around that as well. And be be an active contributor. So I To me, the things are set up the work that you guys are doing, we want to support that as well. And yeah, just realizing there's a great great base here of people, communities, organizations, and, and just, we want to be a part of it, you know, others do too. So it's following good leadership at times.

Very cool stuff. I cannot thank you enough for being part of our summer of 50 PGH tech stories with Comcast Dave Mecca has got so much to be proud of. We're so happy to tell us a little slice of your story. And once again, just mind everybody go to beyond laptops, dot org make a donation help get more laptops in the kids hands. It's all great stuff. Dude, you are the best. All right, Jonathan. Take care.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai