ElectriPlast: The Tipping Point

Vision &

Opportunity






By Vince S.
ElectriPlast Blog Editor





Integral Announces Jasper Rubber Company the official manufacturer of ElectriPlast

Much has been written about the term the “tipping point” since the advent of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Although he speaks in terms of the rapid and exponential spread of viruses, he uses other definitions to illustrate the tipping point concept:

(1) the moment when something unique becomes common
(2) a radical change that moves a critical mass one way or another
(3) a point at which an equity becomes a fortune or a misfortune, inter alia.

You get the picture, so develop you own analogy.

Since Gladwell’s introduction, the phrase has been used to define sea changes in any number of areas, not to mention political, environmental, social, economic, military and other areas of human endeavor. Likewise, in the investment community, it has come to mean a transformational change that accelerates the growth or decline of a sector, a company or a stock. Hence, those pivotal events that cause these radical changes are called the "tipping point."

If a tipping point can be defined as “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point,” has a tipping point been achieved for Integral Technologies? If so, can we identify that tipping point? Was it the hiring of Tom Aisenbrey? Or the invention of ElectriPlast? Could it have been the historic 3 January 2006 declaration from our CEO proclaiming 2006 as our go-to-market year? Actually, a number of events occurred this year that might also qualify as collective tipping points, but I’ll save those for another day. For the time being, let’s focus on the latest press release.

In what one newspaper called a “bombshell,” Integral Technologies named the Jasper Rubber Company as the official manufacturer of ElectriPlast. Of course, all who follow this stock know of the relationship between these two companies. However, what separates this statement from a decade of press releases (2006 is the most prolific year for Integral press releases with nine) is what “the tipping point“ is all about.

This, the most dramatic statement of the year, was bursting at the seams with hints of progress made as well as insinuations (promises, really) for a successful future. In it, Integral proclaimed that it had finally matured to the point where it has moved past the developmental and prototype stages to the production phase. (Next, obviously, comes the revenue generating phase, which will be a tipping point for the share price!). After a full decade, Integral is prepared to assume a major manufacturing role by providing “well over 100 companies” with the “necessary material” to take their products to the next level. That is a significant statement.

Then, when Jasper's CEO and President Doug Mathias, whose client base includes Fortune 500 companies, commented on the “long-term success of Integral,” it was clear that his frame of reference included Jasper’s manufacture of ElectriPlast-based products for many of those Fortune 500 companies. Some of Jasper’s clientele are in the major appliance (GE?), oil filter (Fram, ACDelco, Purolator?), and automotive industries (Detroit, Tokyo, Munich?) Not too shabby, huh? And all it takes is one contract from any of those industries and we are "off the launch pad and into orbit."

To be sure, Jasper Rubber didn’t become a $70 million a year company over night! It started 57 years ago with a vision, strong management, a cadre of dedicated workers and the persistence to be the best at what they do. Over time, they have grown larger, expanded their client base and become a substantial name in their industry by providing a quality product at a competitive price. Now, Jasper Rubber sees an opportunity to take the company to the next level by partnering with the world’s first highly conductive polymer company.

And that, friends, is another tipping point--for Jasper Rubber and Integral Technologies.