Article submitted by David Izett, CEO of RD Concepts

In this article, we learn how RD Concepts has grown exponentially to well over $1M in 2019. It is on pace to double that in 2020 even with COVID restrictions. RD Concepts initially engaged on the supply chain side, provided expertise and great service, and migrated the business to the CM when the opportunity presented itself. Here is a case study about their customer: Swift Navigation.

Swift Navigation provides precise positioning solutions for automotive, autonomous vehicle, mobile and mass market applications. Since its founding in 2012, Swift has evolved from creating the industry’s first low-cost, high-accuracy, real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS receiver to delivering an ecosystem of GNSS positioning solutions for autonomous applications.

Swift was identified as an excellent technology company with whom to partner, and RD pursued their business aggressively with Creation. 

After meeting designated price points set by Swift, RD Concepts’ board group, Phase 3 Technologies, was awarded all the board business and engaged with Creation as a supply chain partner.

In addition to board fab, RD provided schematic capture and layout services to Swift, adding a DFM layer and building all of Swift’s prototypes. We worked very closely with Ben Hsu, the Director of Hardware Engineering, and Andrew Shannon, the Operations Manager.

In August 2018, Creation (a Canadian-owned company) shut down their Milpitas operations, where Swift’s product was being built.

Creation’s offering to take Swift’s business either to Canada or Texas was deemed unacceptable, and Swift launched a search for another CM.

RD introduced Swift to Tier II CM, Sonic Manufacturing, and after several visits, a full-blown audit and some tough negotiation, Sonic was awarded the Swift contract manufacturing business.