Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Falstrom Company Committed to Continuous Improvement and Partners with NJMEP

About

Falstrom Company is a ‘MADE in New Jersey’ company that primarily serves large and second-tier US defense and aerospace manufacturers by producing custom, battle-proven, large enclosures precision machined parts and electronic assemblies for avionics to mission-critical shipboard systems and platforms. Headquartered in Passaic, NJ, this local manufacturer has received many accolades and awards including being named NJMEP’s “Manufacturer of the Year”, Lockheed Martin’s “Small Business Subcontractor of the Year”, Northrop Grumman’s “Preferred Supplier”, Rockwell International’s “Subcontractor of the Year” and receiving a letter of appreciation from DRS.

In its 152 years of business, Falstrom has become a leader in the US DOD supply chain building a reputation for its reliable electronic enclosures, electromechanical assemblies, precision parts and integrated systems. They proudly provide the highest reliability solutions for electronic enclosures and electromechanical assemblies for a range of systems that help complete missions safely.

The Challenge

As a defense manufacturer they are required to be compliant with the new CMMC regulations. Organizations are required to manage cyber security threats and apply effective processes and controls in place to respond and recover from breaches. As a smaller company, they needed support. They enlisted trusted advisor NJMEP, part of the MEP National Network™, to help them address workforce challenges, earn the necessary certifications and become compliant on Cyber Security SOC 2019 and 2020 by the deadline dates in order to maintain their defense contracts.

We’re not getting just a cooker cutter approach off the shelf. There’s ways to customize it and help develop whatever the program is that we’re working with (NJ)MEP on to meet the specific needs of Falstrom Company. In a high cost state like New Jersey, to have those capabilities be supported by NJMEP and they can feed right into our unique set of capabilities and help us improve them. That’s the value add for NJMEP and that’s what really helps us.

— Clifford Lindholm, CEO

MEP's Role

Falstrom reached out to their NJMEP Account Manager Stacy Cooke for assistance on all their specific needs including certification and upskilling. Stacy, who has had decades of experience working with DOD manufacturers, discussed the current business environment, reviewed Falstrom’s operations and what their needs were, and worked to uncover ways they could address those specific needs.

NJMEP and Falstrom developed a comprehensive solution. Falstrom would work with NJMEP’s experts to become CMMC compliant and create a customized curriculum with lean trainers. CMMC isn’t an easy certification to achieve without the right support and partner. Lean is an easy concept to understand but takes buy-in and effective training to ensure it carries once the trainers and consultants are gone. However, with the right team, a manufacturer will be given every single tool they need in order to thrive.

Created July 28, 2022