BEL Hall of Fame 2017 Profile
Richard (Dick) Conrow, C&A Tool Engineering, Inc.
By the time he turned 21 years old, Richard (Dick) Conrow had served in the Navy, was married and raising a child, buying a home, and serving a tool and die apprenticeship.
“Things happen specific to our time and the conditions surrounding us. For example, in my early years, there was depression and war,” says Dick Conrow, Founder, C&A Tool Engineering, Inc. “The choices we have and the decisions we make as a result affect our future.”
Dick says an apprenticeship he took after serving in the Navy was a milestone in his life. He learned the craft of tool and die. His success in that field, he says, can be attributed to working with the best people in the trade and paying attention.
“I had a mentor who gave me broad exposure, and I listened and learned,” Dick says. “After completing my apprenticeship and working a few years, I started a tool and die division at Precision Plastics.”
Then, with a depth of experience and work expertise, Dick decided to start his own company, C&A Tool Engineering, Inc.
“I took a lien against the house and started work in a 16x26 garage with a lathe, mill, and grinder,” he says. “Because I had an understanding of the trade and business, I took work with the highest degree of difficulty. The company grew quickly, and over the years we’ve continued to raise the bar on what we can do for customers.”
C&A Tool now serves customer needs in 13 buildings in Churubusco and Auburn, Indiana. The company has 600 employees and is considered among the top 2% in the nation among its peers.
“We have grown from our initial mold and die work to focusing on numerous specialties, from turning, milling, and machining to EDM, additive manufacturing, large machining and metrology,” Dick says. “At each stage of the company’s growth, there were choices. With each choice, I decided to change and move forward with the industry and customer needs.”
One example of change was Dick’s decision to invest in CNC expertise, which transitioned the company into everything from fuel system, medical, and aerospace industry work to additive manufacturing, 3D printing, and laser sintering. The company operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, creating single $50 parts as well as $5 million runs.
Adherence to the highest national and international quality manufacturing standards is part of every operation at C&A Tool. The company is ISO, TS, and AS certified, which means that each production facility, process, and operation meets the standards set forth by these organizations.Its facilities and operations also meet FDA standards and approval for the manufacturing of medical, surgical, and pharmaceutical components.
“Every business has choices to make as it grows and serves its customers,” Dick says. “I don’t define the choices as risks – I believe the key is to combine an understanding of the trade and its applications, then make decisions and execute them.”
With each business decision he made, Dick says he believed in the company’s responsibility to the well-being of its employees and community.
“I am proud of the people who work here. They bring knowledge and expertise, and without them, it’s a facility filled with machines,” he says.
Dick is driven by projects that keep him involved and learning.
“Success is having choices and making decisions,” Dick says. “I believe anyone can do anything, and each of us needs to always be looking for the next opportunity.”