Unverified OSINT — Conversation Prep Only

Eastek International

Contract Electronics Manufacturer | Vernon Hills, IL | Est. 1990

Revenue (Est.) $57-60M
Employees 500+ Global
Facilities 4 Countries
Ownership Private (PE-Linked)
Prepared Feb 21, 2026
Risk Level
MODERATE
Consulting Opportunity
HIGH
DISCLAIMER: This dossier is compiled from publicly available sources (company website, D&B, ZoomInfo, Glassdoor, Indeed, press releases, SEC proxy filings, customs records, etc.). No data has been independently verified. Revenue figures, employee counts, and ownership details vary significantly across sources. Leadership titles may be stale. Employee reviews are anonymous and potentially biased. Treat all findings as unverified intelligence for conversation preparation — not as facts to cite. Confidence levels are noted where applicable.
01

Executive Summary

Core Business
Vertically integrated contract manufacturer (EMS) specializing in PCBA, injection molding, box build assembly, and custom battery solutions. Primary focus on medical devices (Class 1 & 2), with industrial, transportation, energy, and telecom sectors.
Strategic Posture
Aggressively diversifying away from China (historically 465K sq ft campus, 1,100+ employees). Opened Mexico (2021) and Malaysia (2019) facilities. PE-style management installed since ~2019. Positioning as "big company capability, mid-sized company nimbleness."
Consulting Angle
Multi-ERP fragmentation: Global Shop Solutions confirmed in Malaysia, SAP preferred in US buyer role, Oracle 11i historically. Microsoft 365 confirmed via DNS but only 4 IT staff for 500+ people across 4 countries. No QMS software found despite ISO 13485/FDA certs. Classic infrastructure-vs-ambition gap.
Key Findings
!
Multi-ERP Fragmentation Across Sites
Global Shop Solutions confirmed in Malaysia (warehouse job posting: "System transactions (Global Shop)") and via contact report. SAP strongly preferred in current US buyer posting. Oracle 11i confirmed historically. Three different ERP systems (or migration in progress) across a 4-country operation — major integration/consolidation opportunity.
!
Skeleton IT Team
Only 4 IT employees for 500+ global headcount across facilities in the US, Mexico, Malaysia, and China sourcing. Severely understaffed for the complexity of their operations, certifications (ISO 13485, FDA QSR), and multi-site coordination needs.
+
PE-Backed Growth Ambitions
Board includes turnaround specialist (Atayan, Slusser Associates), CEO has M&A background, CFO hired from PE-owned Revcor with CEO credentials. Draupnir LLC acquired the company in 2004. These are people who invest in infrastructure to drive value creation.
~
Employee Sentiment Split
Glassdoor: 3.8/5.0 (81% recommend). Indeed: 2.5/5.0 (management 2.4, pay 2.6). References to "merger company" friction from 2013 ACT acquisition. Employees leaving without replacement. New leadership improving culture but pay/support still lagging.
~
Leadership Instability at COO Level
Dave Vrioni (President/COO since 2019) no longer on website — replaced by Bill Boyer (came through 2013 ACT acquisition). Multiple names in the role across different sources. CFO Drew Groharing only 3 years in. Significant recent turnover at C-suite through Director levels.
i
Clean Public Record
A+ BBB (zero complaints), no OSHA violations, no lawsuits, no EPA issues, no government contracts, no patents. Essentially invisible online outside trade directories — zero Reddit/forum presence. Low-profile company punching above its weight class.
02

Company Profile

Company Timeline
1990
Fred Yuen founds Eastek near Chicago to source electronic sub-assemblies from Taiwan/Hong Kong for the US market
1992
Begins manufacturing operations in China
2001
Opens Dongguan Eastek (DG Eastek) — injection mold manufacturing + electronic assembly
2004
Draupnir, LLC acquires Eastek and consolidates subsidiaries. Joe Rocco joins as President & CEO
2006
China campus expands to 465,000 sq ft across five buildings; 1,100+ employees
2007
Forms joint venture with Phillips-Medisize ("Wah Tsun Far East Ltd.") for injection tooling in HK/Dongguan
2009
Begins investment toward FDA 21 CFR 820 manufacturing compliance
2012
Adds ISO 8 cleanroom for PCB SMT assembly at DG Eastek
2013
Acquires Automated Circuit Technology (ACT) in Menomonee Falls, WI — now EACT subsidiary. Bill Boyer (ACT owner) joins leadership
2017
Phillips-Medisize joint venture dissolved
2019
Malaysia expansion — acquires Adaptive Micro Systems Malaysia assets. Dave Vrioni appointed President/COO. Robert Gerth becomes CEO. Joe Rocco transitions to Vice Chairman
2021
Mexico launch — two plants in Fresnillo, Zacatecas via Entrada Group partnership. $1.5M initial investment
2023
Drew Groharing hired as EVP/CFO. ERA membership. Website redesigned
2024
HQ relocated from Lake Zurich to Vernon Hills (825 Corporate Woods Pkwy, 22K sq ft)
Global Facilities
LocationSizeFunctionEst.Status
Vernon Hills, IL
825 Corporate Woods Pkwy
22,155 sq ft Corporate HQ, engineering, program mgmt, sourcing. No manufacturing. 2024 Active
Menomonee Falls, WI
EACT Subsidiary
PCBA division (Eastek Automated Circuit Technologies). Semi-independent operations 2013 Active
Fresnillo, Mexico
2 plants, Entrada Group campus
100,000+ sq ft PCBA (Fuji SMT), injection molding (90-650 ton), box build, battery assembly. ISO 13485, IATF 16949, FDA registered 2021 Active
Alor Setar, Malaysia
65 Barrage Industrial Estate
60,000 sq ft PCB assembly, die-attachment, wire bonding, LED tech, display assembly. ~85 staff, capacity for 500+ 2019 Active
Shenzhen, China
Longhua District
Office only Asia-Pacific sourcing group Reduced
Dongguan, China
DG Eastek (Historical)
465,000 sq ft Was: 5 buildings, 28 injection molding machines, 1,100+ employees, ISO 8 cleanroom. No longer listed on website 2001 Wound Down
Certifications
Quality
ISO 9001:2015 IPC-610 RoHS
All global facilities
Medical / FDA
ISO 13485:2016 FDA QSR 21 CFR 820
Mexico facility — Reg #324036
Automotive / Safety
IATF 16949 UL CSA TUV
Mexico facility
Core Capabilities
Electronics
High-speed SMT lines (Fuji), reflow/wave/robotic soldering, AOI, SPI, ICT, conformal coating, PCB laser marking, rigid & flex PCB assembly, mixed-mode (SMT + through-hole)
Injection Molding
50-650 ton presses, vertical/horizontal/multi-shot/rotary, insert & over-molding, ultrasonic welding, pad printing, spray painting, heat staking, in-mold decoration, on-site metrology lab
Assembly & Integration
Box build / turnkey assembly, electromechanical assembly, end-of-line testing, retail-ready packaging, warehousing & logistics, single-source vendor management
Engineering & Battery
DFM/DFX, reverse engineering, BOM health evaluation, VAVE, custom lithium battery packs, BMS selection & design, cell chemistry optimization, regulatory compliance
03

Leadership Team

Board of Directors
Jeremy W. Hobbs
Chairman of the Board
Chicago attorney (1987-2002) specializing in closely-held businesses. President of Western Wind Foundation. Board member, Inland Empire Community Foundation.
LegalPhilanthropy
Christopher H. Atayan
Board Member
Chairman/CEO of AMCON Distributing (NYSE: DIT). Former Senior MD at Slusser Associates (PE/investment banking, 1988-2020). Goldman Sachs, PaineWebber, Morgan Stanley pedigree. EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. Turnaround specialist.
Private EquityTurnaroundsWall Street
C-Suite
Robert (Bob) Gerth
Chairman of Executive Committee & CEO
BBA Accounting, Notre Dame. Background in M&A, financial services, due diligence, start-ups. Previously with PPL Holdings, LLC (possible investment vehicle). Financially oriented — not an operations person.
M&AFinanceStrategy
Bill Boyer
EVP & COO (Manufacturing)
Former owner of Automated Circuit Technology (acquired by Eastek 2013). Previously at Marquette Electronics. Deep roots in the EACT subsidiary. Now listed on website as COO — Vrioni is not.
ManufacturingACT Acquisition
Drew Groharing
EVP & CFO (since Feb 2023)
Former CEO, COO, and CFO at Revcor (PE-owned industrial manufacturer). Deep manufacturing P&L experience. CEO-level credentials suggest broader strategic mandate than just finance.
PE BackgroundIndustrial~3 years
Dave Vrioni
President & COO (Status Unclear)
BS ChemE, Iowa State. Previously at Eastek (2005-06), Mosaic Company, ProBuilt, Waldmann Lighting (President). Appointed by board Apr 2019. No longer listed on company website — may have departed. Third-party databases still list him.
Possibly DepartedProcess Improvement
Vice Presidents
Steve Busch
VP, Business Development
BSEE Tufts, MBA Cal State East Bay. 30+ years across engineering, ops, marketing, sales. Co-founded Turnkey Test (28 years). Previously at Creation Technologies. Based in Encinitas, CA (remote).
Ron Rygiel
VP, Engineering (since 2020)
MBA, MSME, MEM. Former roles at Littelfuse (CVP products), KOMET of America (VP Sales), QCC LLC (VP/GM). Founded Eyeloupe Capital (M&A consulting). Aerospace/industrial/medical/defense.
Gilles Antoine
VP, Customer Success
Previously VP International Expansion. Instrumental in geographic diversification strategy. Quoted on Mexico expansion.
April Lemley
VP, Controller
BBA Western Illinois. Former Controller at CTS Corp, TouchSensor Technologies, Methode Electronics. Previously VP Supply Chain & Pricing at Eastek — significant internal growth.
Key Observations
i
Former CEO Joe Rocco now Vice Chairman
Joined 2004, ran the company for 15 years. Featured on NBC Chicago discussing servant leadership. Transitioned ~2019 when Gerth/Vrioni took over. 20+ year tenure. Still connected but no longer operational.
04

Financial Profile

Revenue Estimates (varies by source)
SourceRevenueEmployees
D&B / RocketReach$57.9M147
Medical Device Dir.$60M1,100+
Zippia$46M50 (US only)
ZoomInfo (2025)$750M*501
* ZoomInfo figure likely erroneous. $57-60M range most credible for global consolidated revenue. All estimates — unverified
Ownership Chain Inferred from SEC/public records
Draupnir LLC (Chicago, est. 2002 by Jeremy Hobbs)
  ↳ Eastek Holdings LLC (Lake Zurich / Vernon Hills)
    ↳ Eastek International Corp (operating company)
    ↳ EACT LLC (Menomonee Falls, WI)
    ↳ Eastek Intl (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
    ↳ China WFOE + 2 HK entities
Draupnir LLC — "A private operating and holding company specializing in innovative, well-managed companies." Founded by Jeremy Hobbs (Chairman of Eastek board). Cross-board connection: Hobbs and Atayan both serve on AMCON Distributing (NYSE: DIT) — disclosed as related-party in AMCON's DEF 14A proxy filings.

Draupnir Holdings LLC formed in Wyoming Apr 2020 (LEI: 549300VFKI4QWW7MXM90). Draupnir Holdings Group LLC formed in Wyoming 2023.

Bloomberg ID: 0194466D:US
Competitive Landscape
Eastek sits in the mid-tier EMS market — too large for a local board house, too small for the publicly-traded giants. Their differentiator is vertical integration (PCBA + molding + battery + assembly) with medical device specialization.
CompetitorScaleNotes
Jabil$34B+ / 260K employeesMuch larger, publicly traded
Flex Ltd.$26B+ / 170K employeesMuch larger, publicly traded
Celestica$8B+ / 27K employeesLarger, publicly traded
Plexus$4B+ / 23K employeesLarger, publicly traded, strong medical
Benchmark Electronics$2.8B+ / 12K employeesLarger, publicly traded
Eastek International~$58M / 500+ employeesPrivate, mid-tier, vertically integrated
Legal / Risk Items
~
WARN Act Filing (Apr 2020) Confirmed
EACT LLC filed WARN notice to eliminate 36 jobs at Menomonee Falls, WI facility. Likely COVID-related. Covered by BizTimes Milwaukee. No other legal issues found in public search, but thorough check would require PACER, Cook/Lake County courts, UCC filings.
i
Financial Stability Signals Inferred
34 years in business. Acquired new HQ property in 2024. Opened Mexico facility mid-pandemic (2021) — counter-cyclical investment. Hired PE-caliber CFO in 2023. Active at trade shows. All suggest healthy cash position, but no financials are public.
Items Requiring Paid Access for Verification
D&B Full Credit Report (PAYDEX, Financial Stress Score, payment history) • PitchBook Full Profile (valuation, deal history) • Illinois SOS Corporate Filing (officers, good standing) • PACER Federal Court Search • Cook/Lake County Circuit Court Records • UCC Filing Search (secured creditor activity) • AMCON Distributing DEF 14A (Draupnir related-party disclosure — free via SEC EDGAR)
05

Technology Stack & Infrastructure

!
4 IT Staff for Global Operations
Approximately 4 IT employees supporting 500+ people across 4 countries. IT Manager: Stephan Cherry. Currently hiring a Network/System Administrator (Lake Zurich, IL). Severely understaffed for FDA-regulated, multi-site manufacturing.
!
Multi-ERP Fragmentation
At least 2-3 different ERP systems across global operations. Global Shop Solutions confirmed in Malaysia, SAP preferred in US, Oracle 11i historically. No unified system for a company shipping across 3 continents. Major consolidation or integration opportunity.
ERP / Business Systems
SystemEvidenceLocationConfidence
Global Shop Solutions Malaysia warehouse job posting (Maukerja): "System transactions (Global Shop), work order preparation, parts kitting" + First-hand contact report Malaysia (confirmed) Confirmed
SAP Current Buyer posting (Vernon Hills): "Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP strongly preferred)." Anne Hill (Buyer) lists SAP on LinkedIn profile US HQ Likely — job req + employee profile
Oracle E-Business Suite 11i US-Tech article: "Oracle 11i ERP system for operations management." Anne Hill also lists Oracle on LinkedIn. Oracle 11i is EOL (released ~2001) Historical (HQ/China) Historical — may be migrated
SAP Ariba Anne Hill (Buyer) lists Ariba on LinkedIn — procurement/supply chain module US procurement Likely — employee profile
Cloud & Infrastructure (DNS-Confirmed)
CategoryTechnologyConfidenceSource
Email / CalendarMicrosoft 365 — Exchange OnlineConfirmedMX records point to *.mail.protection.outlook.com
CollaborationMicrosoft TeamsConfirmedDNS SRV records for sipfederationtls, lyncdiscover (Teams/Skype infrastructure)
Device ManagementMicrosoft Intune (MDM)ConfirmedDNS CNAME: enterpriseregistration → enterpriseregistration.windows.net
IdentityAzure AD / Entra IDConfirmedDNS CNAME: enterpriseenrollment → enterpriseenrollment.manage.microsoft.com
Email MarketingMailerLiteConfirmedSPF record includes mlsend.com (MailerLite sending domain)
Transactional EmailSMTP.comConfirmedSPF record includes smtp.com sending servers
Email SecurityAppRiverConfirmedContactOut detection + SPF/email headers
DNS / HostingGoDaddyConfirmedNameservers: *.domaincontrol.com (GoDaddy)
CDNCloudflareConfirmedWebsite resolves through Cloudflare proxy layer
Unknown Portalconnect.eastekinternational.comExists — purpose unknownSeparate IP from main site. Possible client portal, VPN, or supplier portal
CRM / Marketing / Analytics
CategoryTechnologyConfidenceSource
CRMHubSpotWeak — may be staleContactOut scan + Creative Corner case study (site rebuilt since)
CRM / Email AuthSalesforce (SPF only)Weak — SPF onlyCould be email routing, not full CRM
Web AnalyticsGA4 + MonsterInsightsConfirmedDirect site inspection
Tag ManagementGoogle Tag Manager (GTM-5FPBQK3)ConfirmedPage source / tech profiles
HeatmapsHotjar (hjid: 523299)ConfirmedLinkedIn employee profile + page source
AdvertisingGoogle Ads Conversion TrackingConfirmedLeadIQ detection
AdvertisingLinkedIn Insight TagConfirmedLeadIQ detection
Ad ExchangeOpenXLikelyDatanyze detection
Engineering & Design Tools
CategoryTechnologyConfidenceSource
ECADAltiumConfirmedTech profiles
CAD (General)Unspecified platformRequired but not namedMalaysia NPI Engineer posting: "CAD software proficiency required"
Gerber / FirmwarePCB Gerber file + firmware toolsConfirmedNPI Engineer job description
Project MgmtMicrosoft Project / ExcelConfirmedTech profiles + multiple job postings
Office SuiteMicrosoft Office (Word, Excel, PPT)ConfirmedRequired in multiple job postings (Buyer, WSI Tech, etc.)
Quality & Manufacturing Systems
Quality Methodologies (from job postings)
Six Sigma Lean Manufacturing SPC FMEA / PFMEA DFM VAVE 5S Control Plans FAI IPC-A-610
Sr. Quality Manager posting (Mexico) requires Six Sigma certification + multi-site audit responsibility
Manufacturing Equipment (confirmed)
DEK solder paste printer Fuji pick-and-place Reflow ovens AOI inspection CNC machines Injection molding (50-650T) In-circuit test (ICT) Automated X-ray Conformal coating
NC program generation + temperature profiling confirmed via Malaysia SMT Technician posting
Additional Certifications (from job postings)
ISO 9001:2015 ISO 13485:2016 IATF 16949 ISO 14001:2015 ISO 45001:2018 FDA 21 CFR 820 RoHS UL/CE
ISO 14001 (environmental) and ISO 45001 (occupational health/safety) are new findings from job postings — not on the Eastek website certs page
Critical Unknowns & Gaps
Critical Gaps
No QMS Software found — critical for ISO 13485/FDA. No MES Platform found. No PLM System found. No dedicated SPC software named (despite SPC being a req in job postings). These are foundational tools for a medical device contract manufacturer.
Important Unknowns
No MCAD tool identified (SolidWorks? Creo?) — unusual for injection molding company. ERP consolidation status unclear. BOM/ECN management system unnamed. Warehouse management system unnamed (but confirmed in use at Malaysia).
Physical Security (Confirmed)
24hr CCTV, manager-only USB/email/internet, restricted areas, strict NDAs. Conservative/physical approach — not modern cyber frameworks. Intune/MDM confirms some device management.
Website Technology Stack
Frontend
WordPress 6.9.1, Elementor Pro 3.35.5, Hello Elementor theme, Forminator + WPForms, GTranslate, WPML (multi-language), Contact Form 7, EA11y accessibility widget
Infrastructure
Nginx server, PHP backend, Cloudflare CDN, GoDaddy hosting, reCAPTCHA, Gravatar, Cookie Law Info (CKY) v3.4.0. Redesigned July 2023 by Creative Corner Studio (originally Webflow + HubSpot, migrated to WordPress)
IT Team & Open Positions
Known IT Staff
Stephan Cherry — IT Manager
+ ~3 other IT staff (per Zippia/ZoomInfo headcount data)
4 IT staff for 500+ global employees = 1:125 ratio (industry typical: 1:40-1:60)
Open IT Positions
Network/System Administrator — Lake Zurich, IL (Glassdoor)
Likely covers: Windows Server, Active Directory, VPN (multi-site), ERP support, endpoint management
Single open IT position for a global manufacturer. No DevOps, no security, no DBA roles posted.
06

Employee Sentiment

Glassdoor — 16 Reviews
3.8 / 5.0
81% recommend | 74% positive outlook | 75% positive interview experience
Recommend
81%
Business Outlook
74%
Indeed — 6 Reviews
2.5 / 5.0
Significantly lower — more frontline worker perspective
Work-Life Balance
3.2
Pay & Benefits
2.6
Management
2.4
Job Security
2.4
Culture
2.6
Employee Quotes (Verbatim)
"Small company with a mom/pop shop mentality despite wanting to become a large medical device manufacturer"
— Glassdoor review
"From the C-suite through VP and Director levels, many new people have joined in the past 3 years, bringing new ideas, different approaches, and a much-improved culture"
— Glassdoor review (Executive VP)
"It has really gone downhill over the last 1 to 2 years mainly due to the poor decisions made by management and even more by headquarters in Illinois"
— Indeed review
"When people do leave/quit they are not replaced which gives another person more work to do"
— Indeed review
"All the employees that have been there for 5 plus years are leaving due to the poor work environment since the merger company"
— Indeed review (referencing 2013 ACT acquisition)
"Under development with work to do, but with proper management could eventually be in a better position to compete in the contract manufacturing market"
— Indeed review
Hiring & Benefits
Current Hiring
US: Buyer/Supply Chain (Vernon Hills), Network/System Admin (Lake Zurich), Sr. Quality Manager (Fresnillo, Mexico — multi-site). Malaysia: 10+ active postings on Maukerja/Indeed including Warehouse Admin, NPI Engineer, Sr. Engineer (PCBA), SMT Technician, CNC Machinist, Warehouse Section Head, IPQA Technician. Heavily investing in Malaysia + Mexico operations. Only 1 IT role posted despite being severely understaffed.
Benefits Package
Health, dental, vision insurance. 401(k). Life insurance. HSA. Employee Assistance Program. Tuition reimbursement. PTO. Standard mid-market package — nothing exceptional but nothing missing.
Compliance & Safety Record
A+ BBB (zero complaints) No OSHA violations No labor disputes No lawsuits found No union activity
07

News & Press

Jan 2026
"Engineers Quality and Partnership into Every Product" — Feature in SMT Today (Issue 77), reprinted by What's New in Electronics. Company profile piece on manufacturing philosophy.
Aug 2025
"Manufacturing Migration Made Easy" — eBook published positioning Eastek as China-exit experts for OEMs looking to nearshore to Mexico.
2025
Trade show presence — MD&M West (Feb, Booth 1546), MD&M East (May). Active medical device industry visibility.
2024
Vernon Hills property acquired — 22,155 sq ft at 825 Corporate Woods Pkwy. Brokered by Marcus & Millichap. Tracked by Illinois EDC relocation tracker.
Nov 2024
Content marketing push — Multiple blog posts published: "What is Contract Manufacturing," "Journey to Finding the Right CM," "What Does Your IP Consist Of," China-to-Mexico migration guide.
Jul 2023
Website redesigned by Creative Corner Studio. Originally Webflow + HubSpot, later migrated to WordPress/Elementor. First significant web investment.
Mar 2021
Mexico facility announced — $1.5M investment via Entrada Group in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. Target: 80 employees year one, scaling to 500. Covered by Medical Design & Outsourcing, Circuits Assembly, Entrada Group. Also covered by Zacatecas state government press.
Sep 2020
EACT leadership change — Angie Lucas appointed Site Leader at Menomonee Falls. 29 years experience, 26 with EACT/ACT.
Feb 2020
EACT quick-turn prototype service launched for rapid PCBAs. Covered by Benzinga.
Feb 2015
Joe Rocco on NBC Chicago — "Leading From the Bottom Up" segment. Discussed servant leadership, US manufacturing, and a fetal heart monitor project for developing countries.
Industry Publications
Mentioned in: SMT Today, What's New in Electronics, Medical Design & Outsourcing, Circuits Assembly, US-Tech, Medical Product Outsourcing Buyer's Guide, Qmed+ Supplier Directory, IndustryNet, Medical Device Directory, Plastics News (2008 China campus feature)
08

Social & Community Presence

PlatformHandleActivity
LinkedIneastek-international3,389 followers. Active posting (events, diversity campaigns, company news). Primary platform.
X / Twitter@Eastek_CM745 posts. Low engagement.
Instagram@eastekinternational102 followers. Minimal.
FacebookEastekInternationalCorpExists. Activity unknown.
YouTubeEastekInternationalListed on website. No videos surfaced in search.
RedditZero mentions found.
Industry ForumsZero discussions found.
Import/Export Activity
US customs records show imports from Hong Kong (via Preo Industries Far East Ltd) — control PCBAs, sensors, board assemblies. Port of LA to Chicago. HS Codes: 8413 (pumps), electrical machinery, optical instruments. Malaysia subsidiary has separate customs records.
Government / Patents
No federal government contracts (SAM.gov). No patent filings (not unusual for a contract manufacturer — they make others' designs). No CAGE code identified. Purely commercial/private sector client base.
Key Partners
Entrada Group (Austin, TX) — Mexico shelter/admin services • Richmar Electronics — US manufacturer's representative • Creative Corner Studio — Website/marketing agency • ERA — Electronics Representatives Association (member since 2023) • Claims to serve Fortune 200 and Fortune 500 companies (no names disclosed)
09

Sources