High Tech, Thin Film Manufacturing Professional

1. RANDY HIGGISON
www.linkedin.com/in/randyhiggison
300 N. Saint Phillip Lane T/F: (770) 664-5151
Alpharetta, GA 30022 randy.higgison@comcast.net M: (404) 488-9107
High Tech, Thin Film Manufacturing
Professional possessing a strong balance of engineering/R&D accomplishments with over twenty years of experience
in high tech, high volume manufacturing operations. Proven successes with start-ups, introducing new product
lines, optimizing operations, increasing revenues, reducing costs, and improving quality. A firm believer in the
philosophy of continuous process review and improvement.
Pursuing opportunities to bridge applicable successes and experiences with thin film manufacturing into the Solar
Cell Manufacturing Industry. Signature strength is leading the transformation of laboratory concepts into efficient
volume based manufacturing operations. An effective translator between scientific and operational sectors.
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
Lab to Production Start-ups Sub-Micron Manufacturing
New Process/Product Development Class 100 Clean Rooms
Project Management Glass Polishing/Cleaning
Research and Development Organic Thin Film Coatings
New Facility Construction Laser Exposure Systems
Turn-Around Management Sputtering/Evaporation
Seven-Figure P&L Electroplating/Passivation
Directing 200+ Personnel Injection Molding/Embossing
TQM and ISO Certification UV Curable Spin Coatings
Process Improvement Teams Screen/Offset Printing
Mergers and Acquisitions AFM/SEM/Enviro Testing
Consulting DI/Waste Water Systems
CAREER HISTORY
R. HIGGISON CONSULTING, INC. 2005-Present
Due to industry reputation and demand for expertise formed a consulting company that services small to mid-sized
manufacturing companies and assists larger industry leaders with their overseas consolidations.
President/Consultant – Alpharetta, GA (2005-Present)
Provide consulting services specializing in process development and optimization, equipment selection and installation,
facility expansions, start-ups, consolidations and new format introductions. Consulting services performed for both
domestic and international clients.
DELUXE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. 2000-2005
$934 million annual revenue international company specializing in the production and distribution of film, pre-
recorded videocassettes and DVD’s for the major Hollywood Studios.
Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering - Alpharetta, GA (2002-2005)
Project leader for newly acquired and existing operations in the US and European markets. Responsibilities included
building new operations, expanding existing facilities, conducting due diligence for potential new acquisitions, process
optimizations, and managing/re-directing troubled operations.
♦ One of two project leaders who directed the closure and consolidation of two CA facilities into one single-plant
AR operation. Directed initial project schedules, budgets, facility designs, and production processes for newly
constructed $50 million, 120 million unit annual capacity manufacturing operation.
♦ Relocated to England to serve as European Project Leader in order to support Deluxe’s launch into the European
market sector by conducting technical due diligence audits, advising corporate office on purchasing details,
building unit cost models, making recommendation for facility improvements, and managing $20 million of new
equipment and process improvements. Resulted in a four times global capacity increase for Deluxe.
♦ For one of the UK operations, lead a team that increased production capacities by 50%, increased yields from
50% to 85%, reduced labor costs by an annual $140K savings, and improved on-time deliveries from 90% to
99.8%.
Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering - Carson, CA (2000-2002)
Introduced Deluxe to the DVD market by directing the process of re-tooling and conversion for a recently acquired
outdated Laserdisc manufacturing operation. Assumed operational responsibilities by directing all functions except
Sales for a 100+ staff manufacturing facility, including full seven-figured P&L operating budgets.

2. RANDY HIGGISON PAGE TWO
♦ Increased manufacturing efficiencies and improved quality by replacing outdated manufacturing equipment
with state-of-the-art equipment and processes, which increased the yield from 54% to 81% and production
capacities from 36K to 234K units per day.
♦ Reduced labor costs by 17% resulting in a $1.5 million annual savings by eliminating excess labor from
previous inefficient batch production process, consolidating and reassigning existing staff, and retraining and
developing a management team better suited for manufacturing the new format.
♦ Implemented and directed a process improvement team that introduced TQM philosophies, revised quality
control procedures, redefined specifications, streamlined manufacturing, and reinstated faltering ISO 9002
certification resulting in a reduced cost per unit by 80% resulting into a $574K monthly savings.
TECHNICOLOR 1993-2000
$1.3 billion annual revenue market leader in the production and distribution of film, videocassettes, and optical media
(CD Audio, CD ROM and DVD) formats for both major Hollywood Studios and Software Developers.
Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering - Camarillo, CA (1996-2000)
Director of Manufacturing and Engineering - Camarillo, CA (1996)
Manager of Mastering Operations - Camarillo, CA (1993-1996)
Managed operations for a $40 million annual revenue optical media manufacturing division, which included directing
staff of 200+ and responsible for a seven-figured P&L operating budget for all operational functions with the exception
of Sales and IT.
♦ Lead an engineering team in the design, development, construction and commissioning, first of its kind $4.5
million mastering operation (thin-film/laser exposure/electroplating process). Generated $3 million additional
annual revenue from core business by selling its superior substrates to other industry manufacturers.
♦ Developed and directed a $20 million expansion for new US DVD product launch, earning $20 million in
additional annual revenue by the second year.
♦ Beat aggressive 45-day schedule from commissioning to production for introductory DVD 9 dual layer product
line and completed under budget by $350K.
♦ Developed process improvement teams that reduced per unit material costs by developing strict cost and quality
control strategies (22% reduction; $1.04 million annual savings), reduced labor costs per unit by training and
integrating existing labor for new introductory product line ($1.6 million annual savings), and reduced equipment
down time by implementing preventative maintenance programs (90% equipment uptime).
DISC MANUFACTURING, INC. 1987-1993
$150 million high volume manufacturer of compact discs for major Record Labels and Software Developers. First to
manufacture CD’s in the US.
Manager of Mastering Operations - Huntsville, AL (1988-1990) - Anaheim, CA (1992-1993)
Research Engineer - Anaheim, CA (1990-1991)
Process Engineer - Huntsville, AL (1987-1988)
Directed manufacturing, R&D, engineering, quality control, maintenance, customer service and sales functions for $5
million annual revenue mastering (thin film/laser exposure/electroplating) division.
♦ After being trained by the founders at Philips in the Netherlands, was one of a dozen scientists who helped
introduce the Compact Disc manufacturing technology to the US.
♦ One of the first pioneers who initiated the concept of in-line manufacturing by integrating three batch
processes/departments into one operation, increasing throughput yield from 50% to 80%.
♦ One of three engineers who developed and built a one-of-a-kind, state of the art dual beam mastering lathe capable
of producing any possible optical format. Recognized for its superior abilities by organizations such as Kodak,
Philips, Polaroid, 3M, IBM, and DEC who commissioned the machine for their research in recordable optical
media (generated $2 million in additional annual revenue).
♦ One of two engineers who designed and built equipment for laser mastering exposure systems and glass master
QC testing, which generated $2.5 million additional annual revenue in commercial equipment sales.
ALLIED CORPORATION 1986
Developer and manufacturer of high powered Nd: YAG laser crystal rods for medical and military applications.
Research Engineer - Charlotte, NC (1986)
PATENTS
Laser Scanning Optical Disc Counter (1989)
EDUCATION
B. S. – Physics – Mercer University, Macon, GA (1986)