Sen. Paul Doyle Helps Manufacturer Create New Jobs

During a Monday afternoon tour of ACT Group in Cromwell, State Senator Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield) witnessed firsthand how ACT is keeping itself a step ahead of its competition. Along the way, he learned how this small business success story took shape, and how a partnership with the State helped ACT expand at a critical juncture.

“Just as businesses have to constantly find new ways to stay ahead of the competition, the State needs to constantly find ways to support these enterprising businesses,” said Sen. Doyle. “I’m here to listen—to hear how State programs have helped businesses like ACT, but chiefly to learn how we can improve these programs to make them as easy and effective as possible for our small businesses.”

Greg and Cindi Gondek, co-owners of ACT, have quietly made their business a top servicer in the northeast, providing office equipment and document management services to thousands of businesses and organizations across Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.

In 1999, the Gondeks purchased Northeast Copy in Cromwell. They changed the name, and moved the business to their state-of-the-art facility on Commerce Drive. The many awards they have received for their outstanding performance include 26 consecutive Kyocera Gold Medallion Service Excellence Awards and three J.D. Power and Associates certifications for providing “An Outstanding Customer Experience.” 

ACT was able to purchase equipment for its facility and hire new employees thanks to Connecticut’s Small Business Express Program (EXP). EXP is a competitive program administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to help small businesses fund capital investments and create jobs. The program offers loans and matching grants to Connecticut companies with fewer than 100 employees. EXP enabled ACT to expand its workforce by 10%, including the hire of two technicians and an engineer. 

“We are a true success story for the program,” said Cindi Gondek. “The State helped us add jobs, and supported us in moving our business in a new direction. If we didn’t have the assistance, we might not have been able to expand our 3D Equipment and Services Division.” 

ACT’s newest venture to stay one step ahead of the competition is 3D printing, and the business tour featured a demonstration of the printers ACT sells to its clients. 3D printing enables the creation of three-dimensional objects through the process of additive manufacturing. The printers can create items as varied as architectural models, machine parts, and portions of human organs.

One of the printers the Gondeks demonstrated can use 55,000 different materials in the printing process. The implications of this technology for prototyping and manufacturing across a wide range of industries are profound. Thus far, ACT has been highly successful in selling 3D printers to its clients.

“Our client list has been largely commercial, but as the price point for 3D printers becomes more affordable, we’re really hoping to show what a game changer this technology can be for small manufacturers,” said Greg Gondek. “They’ll be able to cut costs and keep manufacturing jobs in the state. We’re having a lot of fun selling this technology, and we firmly believe this is going to change the world.”