Vertical integration is one of those manufacturing buzzwords that gets thrown around a lot, but at Symtec, it has a very specific meaning: we control every critical step in the product development and manufacturing process under one roof. Design engineering, prototyping, tooling, manufacturing, assembly, testing, and quality control all happen at our facility in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
This isn't just an organizational preference—it's a strategic advantage that delivers measurable benefits to our clients.
When design and prototyping happen in the same building, iteration cycles collapse. Our engineers can go from a CAD model to a functional prototype in days, not weeks. When a prototype needs modification, the feedback loop is measured in hours.
For clients facing tight launch timelines, this speed is invaluable. We've repeatedly compressed development schedules that competitors quoted at months into a matter of weeks—without sacrificing quality or thoroughness.
When you outsource manufacturing steps to multiple vendors, quality management becomes exponentially more complex. Each vendor has their own processes, their own tolerances, and their own definition of "good enough." Defects get passed downstream and caught late—or worse, not caught at all.
At Symtec, our quality system spans the entire process. The same team that designed the product oversees its manufacturing. The same quality standards apply at every step. Problems are caught and corrected immediately because everything is visible.
The sticker price of an outsourced component often looks attractive until you add the hidden costs: shipping between vendors, quality inspection at each handoff, communication overhead, rework from miscommunication, and inventory carrying costs for longer lead times.
Our vertically integrated model eliminates these hidden expenses while giving clients a single point of accountability for the entire product.