Thus far, 2017 has been a productive year with continued operational growth and enhanced product development capabilities. We have added to an already impressive product portfolio by investing heavily in advanced research and the development of core products that appeal to a broader market segment outside of government consumption. We are now positioned to deliver quality products that appeal to a larger segment of consumers with frequent necessity being a daily driver. The introduction of our antimicrobial socks, sheets and under garments are the epitome of mass appeal. Why buy a competitor's sock when you can buy high-tech Hygieia socks that are healthier, for nearly the same price? We expect this market segment to be quite successful for us and in fact extensive market research indicates that we have entered a large market with the significant advantage of a unique technology that has few competitors. Hygieia utilizes medically proven antimicrobial technology and delivers it to consumers via intelligently engineered products made from advanced textiles. This product line is truly amazing and for a CEO it has the added benefit of being almost limitless in terms of scalability.
We continued to improve strategic and operational transparency with the addition of a robust investor relations mechanism, increased news cycle and with the launch of our UAT Group brand awareness campaign to support product initiatives. We have improved our web presence so that customers, shareholders and future employees can more easily identify who we are and what we do in support of recruitment and marketing efforts. We have added a world class e-commerce and web marketing firm so that product release schedules are supported by muscular and targeted marketing campaigns to ensure brand and product awareness. This significant investment has already begun to show returns in the areas of brand awareness and consumer interest. Nearly 300 potential customers signed up for Hygieia pre-order notifications in the first 2 days alone and our very first corporate branding commercial received over 2,800 views in the first few days! With the launch of Hygieia's pre-order e-commerce website just weeks away, we are poised to deliver a product that I firmly believe everyone will want and should have.
The path forward is complex and navigation can be daunting but understanding what lies ahead is critical to our success.
Technology is advancing at an ever more rapid rate and creating world-changing innovations that in some instances are industry disruptive and influencing how manufacturers deliver new and exciting products. This new era of advanced technology and rapid prototyping is changing the way we structure our organizations, influence how we work and how we live; sometimes on a daily basis. With the global increase of economic nationalism, founded in part from a narrowly shared globalization trend of the past 9 years, we are beginning to see the return of the textile and manufacturing industry to the U.S. Something I have witnessed throughout my tenure as the head of a technology company determined to manufacture our products here in the homeland. While these advances have significant benefits, they are not without their challenges. We must become more dynamic when confronted with the challenges of operational and professional sustainability. It is not enough to simply say "made in the USA" but we must ask ourselves "how it is made in the USA." What micro, macro and collective career objectives are we helping to define by the types of jobs we as employers are creating? This contemplation and ultimate focus forces us as a company to shift the emphasis of a direct footprint to one that encourages us to think how we are shaping the nation's future workforce by dictating what jobs we are creating. This is an awesome responsibility when one considers the significance of such influence. Consider this, The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released that while more young adults are graduating from high school, college enrollment is down for the fourth straight year. This despite the massive increases in federal aid for students who cannot afford tuition. What does this mean for an employer or society as a whole? As an employer, we must strive to simplify manufacturing processes to increase the population of potential candidates we can hire so we can fill more positions while benefitting from less complex processes and reduced operating costs. I am not implying that college is a bad thing but does every single person necessarily need to go to college in order to earn a good income? We have individuals here at UAT earning between sixty thousand a year and over six figures who are welders, SLA programmers, Adobe/CAD designers and C&C operators/programmers. These highly skilled and intelligent team members are an integral part of the UAT family and are, without question, critical to this organizations success. I know many college graduates that don't earn as much but are encumbered with significant debt upon graduating.
Investing in a world-class team to ensure growth and deliver the finest products available
We are currently structuring the company for a slow and deliberate expansion of the UAT team while challenging ourselves to create the frame-work to provide training for new skills not just in advanced technology but in manufacturing. We have made significant investment in high-quality jobs that require less personal sacrifice, less debt but offer fair compensation and an opportunity for personal upward mobility. We will also be implementing assistance for those employees who desire to go into areas of the company that do in fact require college degrees to foster retention and comradery among the UAT family. I understand that UAT cannot solve every problem all by itself but, I do believe that while doing our share we can be the example that inspires others to join our efforts in changing the world for the better while preparing for what lies ahead. We can contribute to the ever evolving geopolitical and economic landscape in a very real and positive way.
So far, 2017 has proven to be a year of significant progress for our business execution strategy and market momentum. We have advanced our product pipeline, evolved our approach to research and development, streamlined manufacturing processes, sagaciously invested capital to drive strategic growth, bolstered our brand marketing apparatus and prioritized resources to support sustainability. While I am acutely aware of the challenges that lie ahead, I am encouraged by of how far we have come and as such, confident in our ability to continue executing a business strategy that will ultimately identify UAT Group as a world class technology company.
I know I speak for all the members of the UAT Group team when I say that we are incredibly proud of how much we have accomplished over the past twenty months and as a result are excited about what the future is set to bring. We look forward to thrilling you with our innovations and inspiring you with our products. Thank you for your continued confidence and support.
Sincerely,
Alex Umbra
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Umbra Applied Technologies Group, Inc.
$UATG
Surrounded by thieves, lets fight our way out!
