Creative Tent International, Inc.- Design Team Robert Stafford

In soldiers slang, the “flash-to-bang time,” represents the time from when the gun recoils to when the shell actually explodes.  The shorter the interval of time, the more productive this system will be.  This type of timing scenario relates to the buiness of design.  In the business of design the “flash-to-bang time,” represents the interval of time the product is sold to when the product has left the manufacturer.  “Creative Tent International designs, engineers, manufacturers, and sales their own products, so finding new innovative ways to reduce lead times is an ongoing process,” says Robert Stafford, designer of the CIT products.  The reduction of time between the falsh to bang or in this case the sale to ship is vital for CTI’s success.  CTI depends on the creative minds of its staff to make this happen.

In the 1980’s, Robert Stafford created two or three products that took about three years to manufacture.  Even in those days, he talked about Design, First Articles, Manufacturing Articles, and the Manufacturing Process.  CTI has invested heavily in people to meet the ever-changing times.  Real-time flash-to-bang is now incorporated into the production process.

CTI production time of 4 to 6 weeks is now the goal of “real time flash-to-bang.”

This goal is attainable through investment in technology, and when even more importantly with investment in people.  Technology is of abundant all over the world and comes relatively cheap; people make things happen and in a timely manner.  At CTI, our emphasis is not only on technology, “it’s on our people.”

The manufacturing models CTI have created place an emphasis on “quality people create quality products.”  Through its people, CTI created a new product for 2009.  The FTS150 Shasta Shelter was creatd in Real Time Flash-to-Bang.