Address: N60 W22700 Silver Spring Drive, Sussex, WI 53089
Website: www.pwrtst.com
Year founded: 1976
Product or service offered: Power Test is an industry leader in the design, manufacturing and implementation of dynamometers, dynamometer data acquisition and control systems including engine and chassis dynamometers and hydraulic test stands.
Projected 2012 revenue: Not disclosed
Leadership: Alan Petelinsek, president and owner
Target clientele: Manufacturers, rebuilding facilities and distributors for the mining, construction, over-the-road trucking, power generation, marine, military and transit system markets.
Business organization memberships: The Executive Committee; Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce; Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce; Tool, Die & Machining Association of Wisconsin; American Public Transportation Association; Sussex Chamber of Commerce.
What has fueled your company’s growth? “Our company’s growth has been fueled by two key mantras – ‘either grow or die’ and ‘great is not good enough.’ If you want to grow you can make it happen. We are a highly motivated group of creative individuals with the ingenuity and the talent to produce high quality machines designed to meet our customer’s unique needs. With our 36 year history of solving testing needs throughout the world, we have a very solid referral business.”
What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth? “Our growth is limited by the availability of employees and by space. We are addressing the space issue through a building expansion and space reallocation/renovation project. To address our need for employees, we are creatively promoting our career opportunities, furthering our corporate wellness programs, working closely with the schools and building upon the community service aspects of our company, to attract individuals with similar passions. For employee development we have initiated a unique boot camp training environment.”
Do you plan any changes in your company in the upcoming months? “We have just broken ground on a new office addition. We are tripling the size of the existing office to allow us to expand our engineering, customer service and sales departments. This expansion will generate additional careers for the skilled craftsmen we require in our fabrication, machining, electronics, hydraulics and assembly departments and a future addition to our manufacturing area.”
Who are the business people, locally or nationally, whom you admire? And what traits do those people exhibit that make you admire them? “There is not one particular company or individual business leader I admire but many. I have been introduced to a variety of businesses through our involvement in TEC, WMC and MMAC and through the BizTimes publications.”
What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months? “This year, (2012) has been another very strong year and will end with about a 30 percent increase in revenue over our record setting 2011. 2013 looks very promising as well. Our goal is to achieve Future 50 Master Mettle status.”
What is your company’s key strategy for rising out of the recession? “Our key strategy for rising out of the recession was and remains; communication, honesty, hard work, investment in our employees, investment in equipment and of course encouraging our customers to invest in their futures as well.”
