Innovation keys Cryomech’s growth

DeWITT — A philosophy of putting innovation at the core of the business has served Cryomech, Inc. very well, boosting growth with new products, new employees, and increased sales.

The cryorefrigerator (cryocooler) designer and manufacturer is seeing the benefit of that ongoing philosophy with new-order sales up 14 percent so far this year, says Peter Gifford, president of Cryomech, which is headquartered at 113 Falso Drive in the town of DeWitt.

The company, founded in 1963 by William E. Gifford (Peter’s father), designs and produces cryorefrigerators, liquid helium-management products, liquid-nitrogen plants, cryostats, and cold-helium circulation systems. Many of Cryomech’s customers come from physics-research markets. Most customers use the firm’s products as components in larger pieces of equipment, such as a Cryomech cryorefrigerator used in an MRI machine. Many of these machines that take precise measurements rely on Cryomech products to function properly, Peter Gifford says.

Essentially a cryorefrigerator pulls heat out of something at cryogenic temperatures, which is anywhere from 120 kelvin to near absolute zero where no heat energy remains.

Think of a household air conditioner, says Gifford. Every unit contains a small refrigerator inside that takes the 80 or 90-degree air surrounding it, removes the heat from that air, and dumps that heat out an exhaust vent, enabling the air conditioner to blow cold air out into your room. Cryorefrigerators operate the same way.

Cryomech has done well over the years by creating three to four new products to offer each year, Gifford says. That has led to steady growth at the company. In 2002, the business had 27 employees and operated from 11,200 square feet. By 2010, those numbers had grown to 56 employees and 24,900 square feet. Today, Cryomech has 119 employees and 3 interns and 42,250 square feet.

Sales are already up substantially this year, Gifford says, and the company’s three largest OEM (original-equipment manufacturer) customers have indicated they plan to increase their orders by 50 percent for the year.

Cryomech is also actively working to bring on new customers, he adds. The first step in taking on any new customer is to assess whether Cryomech already makes a product that the customer needs. If not, the next step is figuring out how to tweak an existing product to meet those needs. “I don’t want to say no to a customer who needs a product from us,” Gifford says.

That kind of flexibility and innovation serves Cryomech well and sets it apart from competitors. The company’s largest competitor is Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., which operates Sumitomo Cryogenics of America, Inc. in Allentown, Pa. While Sumitomo typically caters to large corporate customers, Cryomech has found its niche with customers who need a more personal and flexible approach, Gifford says. The end result is that customers truly need what Cryomech has to offer.

Looking ahead, Gifford says he expects sales to continue to grow at a steady pace and that employment growth will match. “We’re constantly looking to hire more,” he says. The company is seeking skilled toolmakers and machinists in particular. To help ensure a future pool of employees, Cryomech works with organizations such as MACNY to reach out to students to show them what they do and inspire interest, Gifford says.

Key executives

Peter Gifford graduated from Syracuse University in 1971. He joined Cryomech to work with his father in 1973, apprenticing in cryogenics. He became president of the company in 1978. Gifford has designed the compressor packages and cold heads incorporated in the Gifford-McMahon cycle cryorefrigerators presently manufactured by Cryomech, according to the firm’s website (www.cryomech.com). He has designed custom cryostats and cryorefrigerators for customers throughout the industry and research community. Gifford has been awarded three patents.

Chao Wang has been the director of research and development for Cryomech since 1998. He received his B.S. from the Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Engineering in 1985 and M.S. and Ph.D. from Xian’An Jiaotong University in 1990 and 1993. Upon joining the Cryomech team, his main research focus was developing pulse-tube cryocoolers, GM cryocoolers, and cryocooler-related cryogenic systems, according to the company’s site. During his time with Cryomech, Wang has developed and commercialized the world’s first two-stage, pulse-tube cryocoolers below 4K. He liquefied helium and conductively cooled a superconducting magnet with the pulse tube cryocoolers for the first time. Wang’s 4K pulse-tube cryocoolers have created many applications for low-temperature superconductors, the company says. Wang commercialized the world’s first 10K pulse tube cryocooler for cryopump and also developed single-stage GM cryocoolers for high-temperature superconductors, which have the highest efficiency and cooling capacity to date, according to the company.

Wang continues to research and develop new cryogenic refrigeration technology today. His most recent developments include the ultra-low vibration 1K Cryostat and the pumping recovery system for the helium reliquefier.

Richard Dausman is currently the chief operating officer at Cryomech. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Syracuse University. Dausman joined Cryomech in 1976 and has held a number of positions with the company. Dausman continues to be a key contributor in fostering the steady growth and development of Cryomech into a leading manufacturer of cryogenic systems, his biography on the company website says. Before his current position, Dausman was vice president of engineering. His work focused on the design, development, and manufacturing of the company’s broad product line. He has extensive experience in a wide range of cryogenic techniques, applications, and systems integration, Cryomech says.

Dausman is a member of the Cryomech board of directors and was chairman of the 18th International Cryocooler Conference hosted in June in Syracuse, according to the website. His peers elected him to the Cryogenic Engineering Conference board of directors.

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