April 22, 2008 Forbes.com ATS forecasts growth during economic downturn as manufacturers say outsourcing factory maintenance will keep their plants viable.

Manufacturers are looking to outsource the maintenance of their factory assets to bolster their plant operations against recession; according to the results of a new report by Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) conducted with Nielsen Research. That trend is an indicator of growth for ATS, which pioneered the factory asset service business two decades ago, and today is the leading company providing managed services for production equipment maintenance and industrial parts repair for manufacturers. Last year ATS had record sales, and with the current industrial climate seeking more initiatives for cost efficiencies, forecasts call for another record in 2008.
 
In the ATS survey of 100 U.S. senior manufacturing executives, with titles of CEO, CIO, Vice President and Plant Manager, a majority of those surveyed – approximately two-thirds – say they would outsource maintenance as a hedge against a down turn in the economy.

Bellwether manufacturers like Caterpillar, Eaton, Honeywell and others have already adopted this recession-hedging strategy in many plants. While staying focused on their core competencies these companies have outsourced the care and maintenance of their factory assets to ATS. For example, downtime is costly, which, according to the ATS survey, costs manufacturers on average $22,000 per minute when production stops.

 According to ATS President Jeffrey Owens, “when the nation faces an economic slowdown, manufacturers seek strategies to improve productivity and profitability and turn to outsourcing non-core functions to care for their most valuable assets.  That’s where we add value and help contribute to our customers’ bottom line.

The company, started as a spin-off from Caterpillar Inc. in 1985, created a niche as the firm that large manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson, Honda and Fortune Brands turn to for outsourcing the care and maintenance of factory assets. ATS is also expanding its territory, having established operations in Mexico and the United Kingdom, and is making plans to enter China.

About ATS:
Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) improves productivity and profitability for many of the world's most respected manufacturers through the managed services of production equipment maintenance, information technology and spare parts repair. For more information, visit the ATS Web site at www.AdvancedTech.com.