We started sending out Saf-T-Pops with orders earlier this year. We did it as small token of our appreciation for the customers and in the hope that it would bring a few smiles in this turbulent year. At least that is how marketing justified it. Word to the wise, this is what happens when you send someone from the marketing department to make a bank deposit. They said they all had fond memories of getting suckers through the overhead suction delivery system at the banks drive through.  While we couldn’t recreate the suction tube system or the drive through we could get and deliver the “Paydirt” a.k.a Saf-T-Pops.

The response has been very positive, who would have thought engineers like suckers almost as much as kids.  We started with a small trial sending out roughly 25lbs of suckers a month.  With the success and positive response we received we have extended the program to all orders.  Fun for our customers and fun for us.  Today we got the full load of 189lbs of Saf-T-Pops to bag up and place in the boxes of all orders over the next few months.

I don’t know what it is but a pile of candy that big is enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face.  It certainly worked for Jessica (below).  We will see if she feels the same way after bagging up the remainder of the 7500+ suckers.  Don’t think this job comes without perks…  Jessica gets to eat all broken or malformed suckers. Of roughly 1000 packed so far she has already found 12 Saf-T-Pops for her candy stash.

May our suckers bring you as many smiles as they bring us.

On July 8th, Real Time Automation attended our third annual company Brewers game. In true Wisconsin tradition, the company tailgated and competed in a very competitive Bags tournament. While our own tournament got pretty heated, we left the real competition to the ball players. The Brewers took on the Cardinals and literally kept us on the edge of our seats with this nail biter. Keeping the game tied for four innings, the Brewers finally broke the tie in the last inning and ended the game with a final score of 5-4.

On May 8, 2009, Real Time Automation unveiled its brand new “Industrial Networking University.” The courses will offer you an easy-to-follow introduction of different industrial protocols. Each course contains two tests which will be scored at the end. The courses below are all free and you are welcome to take as many courses as you wish.

Hopefully by the time you complete each of the available courses, you will have a better grasp on the concepts and charactersistics of the Industrial Protocols. We hope everyone takes advantage of this newbie-friendly overview, and please feel free to contact us with your questions and comments.

Real Time Automation was pleased to show off its new location to friends and family last Friday. It’s great to have so many visitors in one place at one time, and while some people were only able to stay an hour or two, we were glad to have visitors throughout the entire day.

A surprise hit of the day would have to have been the wide selection of food. We spared no expense in ensuring that all our guests will well fed. The leftovers of the day also helped satisfy our lunch and snack cravings for days to come.

Activities included demonstrations of many of Real Time Automation’s products, a meet and greet with our entire staff, and a kids’ favorite was a computer controlled foam rocket launcher which could be used to win various prizes.

Again, we can’t thank everyone enough for their attendance and we hope to work with everyone in the near future.