January 11, 2022
Calgary, Canada - Blackline Safety Corp. (TSX: BLN), a global leader in connected safety technology with a hardware-enabled software-as-a-service (HeSaaS) business model, today announced it brought on additional Surface Mount Technology (SMT) to its in-house production line in anticipation of strong customer demand for the company’s products in 2022.
The $2 million investment over the last three years will enhance manufacturing horsepower as the company gears up for high volume production of G6, its entry-level single-gas wearable safety device, launching this year. This investment, along with capacity on the current line, should allow the company to double its hardware production in the year.
“With SMT we build on our already robust manufacturing technology and facility alongside additional flexibility to quickly respond to increased demand—all while maintaining product excellence,” says Kevin Meyers, Blackline Safety Chief Operating Officer.
“Having SMT to place components on a printed circuit board line allows us not only to produce units more quickly and with greater precision, it’s also a layer of much tighter control of our manufacturing process.”
Before purchasing the technology, lead times with the company’s contract manufacturer were as high as five weeks. By bringing SMT in-house, assembly and ship times have been reduced to 24-48 hours. It’s also proven to be more cost-effective, with Blackline realizing payback on the equipment in just 10 months.
“Since we’ve been building product with SMT in-house, we’ve seen our hardware sales volume grow by 350%. In addition, our quality levels have been exceptional, programming and job set-ups are easy, and our team has been able to rapidly develop and deploy new products,” added Meyers.
“Because of the vital safety aspect of our products, they simply can’t fail — exceptional manufacturing quality and in-field reliability are non-negotiable.”
About Blackline Safety: Blackline Safety is a global connected safety leader that helps to ensure every worker gets their job done and returns home safely each day. Blackline provides wearable safety technology, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and increase productivity of organizations with coverage in more than 100 countries. Blackline Safety wearables provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of men and women, having reported over 165 billion data-points and initiated over five million emergency responses. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, we ensure that help is never too far away. For more information, visit BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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INVESTOR/ANALYST CONTACT
Cody Slater, CEO
cslater@blacklinesafety.com
Telephone: +1 403 451 0327
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Gillies, CMO
cgillies@blacklinesafety.com
Telephone: +1 403 629 9434