Inside Tucson Business: Raytheon, optics industry bond a mutual benefit

Raytheon, optics industry bond a mutual benefit

By Nate Searing
Published on Friday, July 30, 2004

Inside Tucson Business

Raytheon Missile Systems and the Arizona Optics Industry Association are collaborating on the creation of a "fast-response team."

The team would help the defense contractor identify local companies whose products and services Raytheon could use to fill orders quickly.

The team, which is in the development stage, will essentially be a detailed list of local optics companies and their related specialties which Raytheon can use as a quick reference.

"The expertise is here," said Bob Breault, founder and president of Breault Research Organization Inc., and president of the association for the local optics cluster industry. "The trick is getting it organized in such a way that it's mutually beneficial to Raytheon and the cluster."

In some cases, Raytheon has a 45-day turnaround and would benefit greatly from increased connectivity with local optics companies, Breault said.

"We'd like to see something more personal than BusinessLINC, to make sure that they (Raytheon) have a good idea of what's going on with each of our members so they don't get passed up for a job that they could do."

While the system is not yet in place, the listing is likely to include companies with expertise in optical design, research and development, optical electronics and positioning equipment, Breault said.

There are 217 association members in Arizona with 168 located in Tucson. While many of them have the resources and technology that would likely be used by Raytheon for any number of products, only a handful are equipped to provide services to the missile producer with the speed that is necessary, Breault said.

That is because in order for a company to do business with the defense contractor, it must maintain a variety of clearances, as well as abide by stringent international standards.

Along with the development of the fast-response team, the association will help its members get the required clearances to participate in the program, Breault said.

Breault said the "fast-response team" concept is one that Raytheon could expand to include additional technology clusters throughout the state that would benefit from a closer relationship with Raytheon.

Nate Searing may be contacted at nsearing@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4238.