doing business as
employer : Greysam Industrial Services founded : 1992 as Western Process Control Services ; the Foxworth family purchased the business in 2007 and changed the name to Greysam Industrial Services in 2009 . Greysam Robotics Systems was added in 2012 .
location : Port Orchard employees : About 20 website : www . greysam . com
Greysam Industrial Services
Industrial automation can help a manufacturer improve quality and expand their business — but you can ’ t just buy a robot off the shelf and expect to succeed . The Foxworth family , which settled in Port Orchard to run a business after a globetrotting life together , now leads manufacturers across the West Coast in the successful integration of robotics into their shop floors .
Brian Mittge
all about family : Mark and Marybeth Foxworth traveled the world during their younger years after meeting in Germany and spending 10 years in Azerbaijan , where Mark worked in the oil and gas industry . When they moved back to the states they wanted to find a business to buy in the Pacific Northwest . They found one in Port Orchard . what ’ s in a name ?: They changed the business name to Greysam , which comes from the names of their three children : GRace , EYsel and Spencer SAMuel . The company ’ s logo and motto also reflect the family ’ s history : a star for Texas , where their children were born , and a squiggle reflecting their family creed , “ the road less traveled .” time to automate : Spencer Foxworth brought to his parents the idea of expanding their industrial services business into robots — providing support for manufacturers as they automate . He led the research and training , and now Spencer heads this branch of the family company . picking out the right robot : Greysam is an integrator , not a manufacturer of robots . It designs custom robotic systems for manufacturers , from the machinery and programming to the cameras and safety fencing . They purchase the machinery , install it , train employees in how to use it , and come in to troubleshoot if needed . not off the shelf : They often get calls from manufacturers who have robots “ hanging around ” that they don ’ t know how to use . Perhaps they picked them up on eBay and think they ’ ll just put them to use . The reality is a lot more complicated . To get one old system back online , Greysam had to track down old floppy disks . replacing rote work : One client had the company install a robot that would set in place the wooden faces for acoustic guitars — a job so tedious that the company couldn ’ t keep workers . Instead , they automated this repetitive task . That allowed them to train the smart young man who had been doing the job on more advanced manufacturing techniques . quote : “ There are so many manufacturers out there that don ’ t understand there are solutions to help bring them closer to their lean manufacturing goals and better at what they do without costing employees their jobs , because that ’ s not what robots do . They replace tasks , not employees .”
— Marybeth Foxworth , president and CEO , Greysam Industrial Services
42 association of washington business