Quick, quality service is no longer a luxury; it is an expectation. Mark Osterstock, the founder and president of Q-Mark Manufacturing Inc., saw a need in the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) industry, and he took a risk to fill it. Since 1992, Q-Mark Manufacturing, a member of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, has been offering same-day and overnight shipping on machine tool and CMM probe styli.
A probe stylus (styli is plural) is the "finger" of a CMM, according to Q-Mark. Probe styli are the precision tips that touch parts, gathering data points that are then used to create a 3D map of the part. This map tells operators whether the part is in spec and whether the machine is operating correctly. Probe styli are essential to quality control.
Taking a Risk
Like so many leaders in the manufacturing industry, Osterstock got his start by joining a family business. His father, a machinist who worked to build B-25 Mitchell bombers during World War II, started his own machine shop in California after the war.
“As soon as I was old enough, I was at the shop pushing a broom,” Osterstock recalls.
After learning how to operate the machinery, Osterstock decided to work in sales, working as a traveling machinery salesman for more than 10 years for various companies. When CMMs started to gain popularity, he found himself selling these innovative new machines. However, he quickly discovered that his customers were unable to get spare parts for CMMs in a timely or cost-effective manner.
Osterstock had a solution. He would make probe styli in Southern California, ensuring rapid production and eliminating pervasive supply chain issues.
After quitting his corporate job, Osterstock established Q-Mark with a lot of dedication and very little money. “I quickly found that when your back is against the wall, and you have two young mouths to feed, you find a way to make it work,” he says. Osterstock worked seven days a week and accrued significant credit card debt to launch the company. It worked.
Reaping Rewards
Q-Mark now boasts thousands of customers worldwide, including industry leaders such as Honeywell, Ford, and NASA. Osterstock notes that machine tool distributors helped him launch his business and continue to be his best customers because they are so embedded in the industry.
As he continues to grow Q-Mark, Osterstock has found immense value in his AMT membership. “Q-Mark is a proud member of AMT. I began to fully appreciate the value of our membership last year when the AMT Research Services team was able to correctly identify the size of our market and our current market share,” he says.
Osterstock explains that he had no idea if his potential market was five million or 500 million. He had asked several industry experts for help, but they were unable to determine the market's actual size. AMT’s in-house research team provided Osterstock with a detailed answer within two weeks. This information has been instrumental in his plans to grow the company.
Osterstock and his team also benefit from attending IMTS - The International Manufacturing Technology Show. “It’s easy to become complacent,” he admits. “We have a happy customer base and many repeat customers, but when we go to IMTS we can display our merchandise, educate people, and bring in new customers from all over the world. IMTS helps us ensure that our business doesn’t stagnate.”
Sharing Gains
Osterstock found a need and fulfilled it, but he acknowledges that he did not do it alone. “My biggest piece of advice to people trying to build a manufacturing business is to take care of your people,” he concludes. “I make sure my employees are well paid and have full benefits. I want them to be happy because I know that then they’ll make me happy.”
Q-Mark was built on a calculated risk and is sustained by shared rewards. Osterstock and his employees have found a unique path to manufacturing success.
Learn more about AMT member benefits and expand your network.
