A little under 18 months ago, Lindsay Pack took the helm of dpiX – now known as InnovaFlex. Pack knew right out of the gate that a major rebranding was the most pressing need of this successful, unique, 20-year-old semiconductor design and manufacturing firm in Colorado Springs.
“Day one, I knew we needed to amplify what we do in this industry, and we are the only company in the United States that creates semiconductors the way we do. That’s quite a statement to be able to make,” explains Pack. “Our major competitors are in China, not the U.S. This puts us in a unique spot to be able to collaborate with other industry partners, instead of competing.”
With more than 140 “teammates” at InnovaFlex, it was important to Pack to hear what all staff had to say about the company. “We had great people and great products, but there was very little vision, mission, or core values,” explains Pack. “I have a very different approach to leadership than my predecessor. We started with the culture of the company and took a grassroots approach, talking with every single member of our team to find out what worked well, what didn’t, and what they were excited about for the future.”
Two major themes emerged – product innovation and flexibility – both internally and externally. While strategy and direction still come from the top, the ideas that were generated from the InnovaFlex teammates were instrumental in the shift in focus, according to Pack.
“I know it seems very literal, but it truly tells our story,” she says. “It’s not just the products we produce, it’s who we are for teammates, our customers, and our partners.”
What InnovaFlex Produces
Colorado Springs was once a mecca in the U.S. for semiconductor manufacturing. “The thought was that the U.S. could produce offshore and still keep our designs and creativity in this country,” notes Pack. “That’s not what happened. It wiped out the sector economy in the U.S., not just Colorado Springs. With the CHIPS Act and other initiatives now being put in place, we’re starting to bring that manufacturing back to our country, and especially to Colorado Springs.”
InnovaFlex is unique because of the fabrication they use to produce semiconductors.
“Our company works mainly in the medical and DOD sectors, but we’re expanding and are looking to move into different business areas,” says Pack. “We can create semiconductors on a two-by-three foot piece of glass, the thickness of a credit card or on a cellophane type of material that is paper thin. These can be used in a variety of applications from a very durable and portable in-field bomb detection to standard medical x-rays.
“We are just beginning to scratch the surface of potential applications of this technology. We have a lot of research underway with multiple partners across the globe,” Pack explains. “We are hopeful that with the CHIPS Act and focus on the importance of this technology, we can engage in more partnerships and research that will keep the future of this technology in the U.S.”
One of the biggest challenges InnovaFlex and the entire changing manufacturing industry faces is a shifting workforce. Pack is working with other industry leaders, and governors, across Colorado, Utah, and Arizona to address the need for a different kind of worker for the future.
“I just returned from a summit in Denver,” Pack notes, “discussing how to train and recruit these new workers in our increasingly automated production world without needing a four-year college degree. InnovaFlex and other partners have similar needs – certified employees to oversee the massive machinery we all use, but who can also maintain and troubleshoot. What many people don’t understand is that these are well paid.”
The workforce is not just a challenge for her company, it’s also a personal passion. As a female CEO with a biochemical engineering degree, Pack believes society is making progress getting more women into STEM fields, but it’s moving too slowly. She also laments the lack of women in leadership positions within the manufacturing industry.
“Often, I’m the only woman in the room at meetings, and I’ve just kind of gotten used to it,” notes Pack. “I believe the key to changing that is just starting to happen, introducing students to STEM applications in elementary school. From there, we need to continue to push in junior high, high school, and college until it just becomes a non-issue.”
InnovaFlex’s Future
“We’re here to stay,” exclaims Pack. “We have the capacity to grow easily in our Southeast location.” The company sits on 40 acres and is presently using only 20 acres of that space. “While we have the physical capacity to expand, the workforce component is our challenge right now.”
InnovaFlex works with Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, the electrical engineering department at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS,) and is looking at other feeder programs including Golden’s School of Mines. Additionally, InnovaFlex wants to support K-12 schools to enable vocational training and certificate programs for students resulting in employment for future high-paying technician roles.
“We’ve had great success with our educational partners so far and we’re looking for more opportunities to partner with organizations who can help us create jobs in our community that benefit all of us,” she ends.
