Meet The Lockhart's (Z-Mask Assemblies)

One of the things Dakota and I learned very early on in our business venture is that you never know who you’re talking to, and how they might come around to help in the future when you need it most. This is the story here. Meet the Lockhart’s.

 Introducing Bradley, Michelle, Kaitlyn, Skye, and Mason. They make up a team called Z-Mask Assemblies located in South Boardman, MI (approximately 15 minutes outside of our hometown, Traverse City). We met the Lockhart Family over ten years ago, right after we came up with the idea to create and sell ActionGlow lighting systems.

 Z-Mask Assemblies is a veteran-owned company focusing on electronics assembly, including circuit board design, layout, population.. you name it. Anything electronic, and the Lockhart’s are the experts.

 We were approached by one of the largest sport fishing companies in the world to create an ActionGlow lighting system, but just on a smaller scale for a fishing application.

 We were extremely young at the time, and well, the fact of the matter was that the Lockhart’s were one of the few to take us and our project seriously.

 We had limited electronics knowledge and needed help to scale down our current product to make it work for this application. We approached the Lockhart’s who worked through several different circuit board designs with us until nailing down the best one. We would eventually end up presenting this product to the CEO of Big Jon Sports.

 Fast forward to a busy holiday season in 2020 when we realized there was an issue with the power draw on some of our lighting systems. We were stressed out and had so many orders to get out in time for the holidays. Not sure what to do, I was reminded of the electronic experts that lived just a stone’s throw away from us. Thrilled by the first experience we had so many years ago with Z-Mask Assemblies, we reached out to the Lockhart Family once again.

 We ended up leaving all of our defective units with them that night. By the next day, everything was fixed and ready to be picked up. We could’ve almost cried. They absolutely saved our butts, and we were able to deliver all of our orders to our customers before December 25^th.

 Name a better sight than walking up to the front door of a family business on a cold winter night before Christmas and seeing their entire family carefully assembling your electronics piece by piece.

 We’ve had the pleasure to witness exactly that over the last few years.

 Taking on jobs big and small, they have the knowledge and work ethic to accomplish any task you throw at them. On several different occasions, the entire Lockhart family would pull all nighters to make sure we had our parts completed on time.

 They take your problem and turn it into their problem. You walk away feeling like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders and refreshed knowing that your product couldn’t be in better hands.

 When you work with local small businesses, there is a sense of pride that goes into every piece. There is someone right there able to answer any question, ready to help, and willing to work all night if need be.

 I feel as if I’m giving away a trade secret here, one that we were fortunate enough to learn so early on – which is exactly why I want to share it with you..

 If you need any electronics component designed or assembled, reach out to Z-Mask Assemblies. You’re in good company with the Lockhart Family, and they’ll make sure you’re taken care of.