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AUSA November 2009 Member Profile
AUSA Sustaining Member Graflex Incorporated is recognized within the field of fire-con­trol systems as the world leader in the manufacture of muzzle boresight devices.

Corporate Structure- Founded : 1993. Executive Vice President: C. Paul Ganther. Headquarters : 15855 Assembly Loop, Jupiter, FL 33478. Telephone: 561-691-5959. Website : www.graflex.com

Graflex Incorporated is recognized within the field of fire-con­trol systems as the world leader in the manufacture of muzzle boresight devices. The company also has developed, designed and now manufactures a broad line of sensor positioners, or "pan and tilt" devices. In addition, Graflex has always been in­volved in the video business, primarily focusing on ruggedized day sights for military applications.

The founders of Graflex were once the primary shareholders and management of Lenzar Optics Corporation, a company focusing on products similar to those of Graflex (except for sensor positioning) in the 1970s. Following changes in ownership and management, Lenzar was dissolved, and Graflex Incorporated emerged in the early 1990s.

Graflex is a relatively small yet highly capable company, drawing most of its engineer­ing expertise from a database of highly qualified individuals from many engineering fields. With a primary goal of internal funding of all research and de­velopment efforts, an empha­sis on low overhead expenses and a policy of strictly Limiting growth only to meet production requirements, Graflex hopes to remain a tightly controlled company with zero outstanding debt. Graflex views its employees as family members: Each individual is key to survival and success.

The principals, management and employees of Graflex strive to provide—and will accept nothing less than-100 percent customer satisfaction. In this relatively small company, all em­ployees are keenly aware of each customer's requirements. With­out its customers' complete satisfaction, the company would cease to exist. A high percentage of Graflex's sales are trans­acted with those customers with whom the company has had a previous and, in most cases, long-term relationship—a testa­ment to Graflex's commitment to customer satisfaction.

In 2006, Graflex moved into its current facility in Jupiter, Fla., specifically built for and well-suited to light production, featuring optical and electronic test labs; primary and product-specific production areas; warehousing; and metal working. The building encompasses 16,000 square feet, including 6,500 square feet dedicated to metal working, 4,000 square feet to production and 3,000 square feet to warehousing, Following some very tumul­ tuous hurricane seasons, the building was designed and built to withstand up to and including Category 5 storms.

Tight control and a keen focus on core products have enabled Graflex and its employees to achieve the pinnacle of quality and success. Graflex was presented the Blue Ribbon Quality Award by the Defense Contract Management Agency for outstanding achievements—namely, not shipping a single defective item (muz­zle boresight devices) to the U.S. Army over a span of 10 years. The company's commitment and an unblemished track record continue.

Graflex is the U.S. military's primary source for muzzle boresight devices, also known as sight-alignment tools. Boresights are used to align the mechanical centerline axis of a gun tube with a gunner's sight and are a critical component in the lethality of modern fire-control systems. Graflex boresights are also used by many foreign armies. The benefits of precision boresighting include increased lethality, strike ratios and crew confidence as well as decreased ammunition expense.

The addition of sensor posi­tioners as a core product repre­sents a major investment for Graflex. As such, emphasis was placed on superior perfomance, features, low mean time be­tween failures, and low life-cycle cost throughout the de­velopment and design effort. Sensor positioners are used to position antennas, surveillance equipment and similar tech­nology in a particular direction and are used on stationary, mar­itime or ground vehicle platforms.

The name Graflex has been associated with the video industry for many years, namely Graflex cameras, a product line that was dissolved more than 35 years ago. Since then, Graflex has been involved in the design, development and manufacture of refrac­tive and catadioptric zoom lens; image intensified systems of all types; related image enhancing hardware and software; and, most recently, fixed and variable field-of-view plastic optical systems. Although the technology of plastic optics is still in its infancy, the benefits of a high-performance, lightweight, inex­pensive alternative to conventional optics is intriguing and will certainly affect the market as the technology advances. Graflex Incorporated will continue on the path of exceeding each customer's expectations, embracing its employees as fam­ily, and manufacturing products that unquestionably display the highest level of quality, performance and value available in each of the markets served.
 
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