It's nice to meet you!

About Artisan Technology Group

Artisan Technology Group ® is a team of top-talent engineers and customer service specialists. We serve organizations that need to maintain and extend the life of their critical industrial, commercial, and military systems beyond obsolescence.

When the creators and manufacturers of your equipment step back to pursue new technology, we step in. Our expertise spans electrical, computer, optical, bio, network, and embedded engineering technologies. Combine that with tens of thousands of items that are ready to ship, like this circuit board that dates back to 1982, we are ready to restore, repair and return critical electronic components to the front lines.

How exactly did we get where we are today? Check out our story below.

ARTISAN TIMELINE

The 80s – The Dawn of Personal Computing

When Tim Miller and David Markun stepped foot in their school’s very first computer programming class, they were in heaven. The two had grown up with electronics, doing everything from tinkering with car stereos to running one of Chicagoland’s largest electronic bulletin board systems. Never heard of a BBS? Think of it as the great-great-grandfather of today’s social media! Well, back in computer class, it only took a week before the whole class knew who had the most advanced skills in the room – and it wasn’t the teacher!

1997 - Friends Reunited

After high school, Tim and Dave studied Electrical Engineering – surprise, surprise! Dave graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and got his first job at Johnson Controls in Wisconsin. Tim studied at the University of Illinois and then stayed on after graduation to become a research specialist for biophysics and biochemistry labs. When scientists needed to perform surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism spectroscopy, or fluorescence imaging, Tim got busy designing and building instruments that could do it. However, progress was often painstakingly slow. The biggest bottleneck was creating the custom programming to bring the machines to life. The solution – reach out to the best programmer he knew! By summer of ‘97, Dave was on the scene, churning out code!

1999 - A Business is Born

As scientists began showcasing their groundbreaking research at national biophysics and biochemistry conferences, word began to spread about the instruments that made it possible. Soon researchers from across the land wanted custom analytical instrumentation! Tim and Dave received their first purchase order for a specialized photobioreactor in 1999, and so Artisan Scientific was born. Tim focused on hardware, Dave developed software, and it wasn’t long before they outgrew their first facility – Dave’s 520 square foot apartment.

2000 – Turn of the Century

Artisan’s cutting edge test and measurement enterprise was taking off and so were other tech companies. Rapid advances in computer networking technology, such as the telecommunications and fiber optics industries, created the backbone of today’s high-speed internet. Investors and venture capitalists poured money into internet start-ups, while the research and development departments in established companies expanded at lightning speed.

2002 – Dot.Com Bust & Artisan Boom

Then the dot.com bubble burst. Stock prices of high-tech companies plummeted, and investment capital dried up, turning research and development divisions around the world into ghost towns. As manufacturers phased out production and slashed servicing, their cutting-edge equipment also began flooding the market.

By 2003, Tim and Dave recognized a tremendous opportunity. They could wait on grant funding to build new machines for the university and scientific communities, or they could shift gears to preserve and maintain these discarded engineering marvels. The decision was easy. They made the shift and rebranded as Artisan Technology Group to reflect their new mission.

2009 – Expanding Innovations

Rescuing equipment wasn’t always easy. Finding the right equipment was the first step. The next challenge was making sure the items were in top working condition, followed by finding enough space to store them all. In 2004, Tim and Dave hired their first employee and expanded from a 2,400 to a 10,000 square foot facility. In 2009, they moved into a 26,000 square foot facility, added a 30-ton crane, and employed more highly skilled staff.

2011 – Established Expertise

There are no shortcuts to expertise. It takes years of constant and deliberate practice. Regularly stepping outside of your comfort zone to find new problems to solve also accelerates the process! By 2011, Artisan had staked their claim as the leader in supporting obsolete and legacy test and measurement equipment. They had also expanded to their current 50,000 square foot facility and developed the Instraview TM system that allows customers to inspect the actual piece of equipment they are interested in before purchasing it. In addition, they developed an Export Management Compliance Program (EMCP) and became registered with the Department of State to handle and export International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rated assets.

Today – Experts in Action

Today, Artisan Technology Group is an essential business that continues to lend their expertise to companies around the globe. Their ever-expanding inventory of over 275,000 items includes both engineering marvels of decades past and current models of essential test and measurement equipment. They are trusted by industries ranging from aerospace engineering and telecommunications to bioengineering and military branches in the United States and abroad. Whether you are a manufacturer looking to extend support and servicing of phased out product lines, or you are in need of rare equipment, system troubleshooting, or custom engineering, Artisan looks forward to serving you.

The 80s

1997

1999

2000

2002

2009

2011

TODAY