Manufacturing Spotlight: Spectrum E-Coat

Company Background

How Spectrum E-Coat Grew from a Garage Startup to a West Michigan Leader

For more than 47 years, Spectrum E-Coat has been a multi-generational, family-owned manufacturer serving West Michigan. What began in 1968 as Bassett Tool & Die, operating out of founder Jay Bassett's garage, has grown into one of the region's leading e-coat suppliers.

Over time, the business expanded from manufacturing store shelving and stamped metal parts before expanding into automotive e-coating. In 1981, Spectrum added its first paint line and later made the full transition to e-coating. In 1987, Jay's sons, Kevin and Keith, joined the business to help lead its next chapter of growth. Nearly 20 years later, Kevin stepped into the role of CEO.

Today, Spectrum E-Coat operates an OEM-approved process that meets more than 200 customer specifications while maintaining compliance with IATF 16949, REACH, RoHS, and Prop 65 requirements.

Capabilities

E-Coat Solutions for Automotive, Aerospace, Military, and More

Spectrum serves a diverse range of industries, including automotive, agriculture, office furniture, military, and medical manufacturing. Using an electrodeposition paint system, the company applies corrosion-resistant coatings to metal parts through a black cathodic epoxy electrocoat process and an 11-stage zinc-phosphate pretreatment, delivering complete coverage, strong adhesion, and a durable finish.

Its 220,000-square-foot facility can finish up to one million parts per day while accommodating a wide variety of part sizes and geometries. In addition to e-coating, Spectrum offers in-house testing, part masking, specialty packaging, and low-volume prototype runs, allowing customers to move projects from development to production with confidence.

The Challenge

Building a Strong Workforce for Long-Term Growth

Spectrum E-Coat has built a culture where employees stay for decades and continue to grow with the company. As many team members advanced from the production floor into supervisory and management roles, they brought years of hands-on experience but had limited opportunities for formal leadership development or exposure to how other manufacturers approached similar challenges.

To continue strengthening its leadership team, Spectrum looked beyond its own walls for training, peer networking, and new perspectives that would help managers develop the skills needed to lead people as effectively as they led operations.

For CEO Kevin Bassett, Spectrum has always been about creating opportunities for employees.

"We don't care where you've been. We care where you're going, and we help you get there."

That philosophy has shaped a workforce that has grown alongside the business for decades.

The Solution

Leveraging West Michigan Resources to Develop People and Leaders

To continue investing in its workforce, Spectrum E-Coat partnered with MMTC-West to strengthen leadership skills, expand industry knowledge, and connect employees with peers across West Michigan manufacturing.

Over the years, supervisors, managers, and emerging leaders have participated in MMTC-West's Master Supervisor Leadership Training, supervisor and plant manager networking groups, and AI for Manufacturing workshops. These programs have equipped Spectrum's team with practical leadership tools while creating opportunities to share ideas, discuss common challenges, and learn from manufacturers facing similar issues.

Beyond MMTC-West, Spectrum has also leveraged regional resources like the Family Business Alliance (FBA), which provides leadership development and educational programming for family-owned businesses, and The SOURCE, a workforce support organization that helps employees overcome barriers to employment. Spectrum was also an early participant in a state housing grant program that provided eligible employees with up to $10,000 toward homeownership, reinforcing the company's long-standing commitment to investing in its people.

The Impact

Building Better Leaders Through Shared Learning

By investing in leadership development and peer networking, Spectrum has built a workforce that continues to grow alongside the business. Employees gain not only new management skills but also fresh ideas and perspectives from manufacturers across the region, helping bring continuous improvement back to the shop floor.

"It really helps us see other facilities and how other people do things," said Geoff Bailey, Director of Operations, reflecting on the value of connecting with peers beyond Spectrum's own walls.

MMTC-West helps West Michigan manufacturers build stronger leaders, develop their workforce, and connect with a community of peers who are solving similar challenges every day. Get started by emailing TheCenter@rightplace.org.