Electrical Engineering Case Study

The Origin Story: A Family Business Powering Critical Infrastructure 

ANUCO and RedHawk Energy, headquartered in Ohio, represent a remarkable third-generation, family-owned business that has grown steadily since its founding in 1958. Matt Ulrich, Marketing Director/Technical Sales and one of four third-generation family members, describes it simply: “We are a family-owned, operated, and managed manufacturer’s representative and solutions provider in critical power systems. Our work spans hospitals, data centers, telecom, and rail transportation. Industries where uptime is essential, and downtime is costly or even life-threatening.” 

Matt’s grandfather started the company with five sons, and the family involvement continues today. Though Matt’s father retired in 2018, he still spends most days contributing to projects, underscoring the enduring family commitment. Matt himself joined in 2008 and has carried forward the tradition of innovation and customer-first service for nearly two decades. 

ANUCO’s reach expanded through its subsidiary, RedHawk Energy, which brings value-added manufacturing to the table. While ANUCO represents and distributes, RedHawk solves customer problems by engineering new solutions. RedHawk pioneered solar and wind power systems for the rail industry well before “renewable energy” became a mainstream buzzword. They also championed Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, taking them from obscure technology to a trusted solution, now selling hundreds of systems annually. RedHawk’s product portfolio now spans solar, fuel cells, their patented Switch Boost™ Systems, and a new product line for WATT REMOTE™ 500W & 1.25kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. 

Innovation and cross-pollination are at the heart of their strategy: solutions proven in one sector often find their way into others. As Matt put it, “Critical power is something every industry needs. Whether it’s money on the line or lives on the line, reliability and resiliency matter more than price. That’s what we deliver.”

Key Learnings

• Family continuity strengthens trust and long-term customer relationships.
• Innovation often comes from transferring ideas across industries. 
• Reliability and resiliency outweigh price in critical infrastructure markets. 

Life Before Cazbah: Limited Web Presence, Limited Growth 

Like many small businesses, ANUCO and RedHawk Energy had historically managed their web presence in-house. Matt himself built earlier versions of the websites using Microsoft WebExpression. While serviceable, the sites were difficult to update and lacked modern features. “I’m a sales engineer, not a web designer,” Matt recalled. “My time was better spent elsewhere. Our sites looked okay for a couple of years, but keeping them updated and functional was nearly impossible.” 

The websites generated almost no inbound leads. They functioned as static brochures rather than living, dynamic sales engines. As Matt explained, customers today judge a business by its website. “If I go to a site and see a copyright from 10 years ago, I’m not going to trust them with my credit card or my business. That’s how people see it.” 

This realization pushed RedHawk and ANUCO to look beyond DIY solutions. Matt presented a case to the company’s board: invest in a professionally managed website and online marketing strategy or risk falling behind competitors. The decision opened the door to a new partnership with Cazbah. 

Objectives 

• Replace DIY websites with a professional digital presence. 
• Create a platform capable of generating inbound leads. 
• Build online credibility equal to ANUCO’s offline reputation. 

Results 

• Clear business case justified outsourcing marketing.
• Freed Matt from web maintenance to focus on sales. 
• Laid the foundation for measurable growth online. 

Why RedHawk and ANUCO Chose Cazbah 

ANUCO’s leadership wasn’t looking for just any marketing firm. They wanted a partner that understood small, niche industrial companies. Matt explained that Cazbah stood out because of its authenticity. “It wasn’t a generic email comparing us to Google or Coca-Cola. We’re a niche player, and from the first call, you understood that. You’re also a small business, so you get it. The trust factor was huge from the beginning.” 

That trust gave Matt the confidence to persuade the board. The investment would not only offload website responsibilities from his already full plate but also create new opportunities for lead generation, growth, and competitive positioning. 

Key Learnings 

• Trust matters as much as technical capability when selecting a partner.
• Small-business alignment builds stronger relationships than generic outreach.
• Vendor authenticity helps win board-level support. 

Transformations Across Technology, Process, and People 

The first and most noticeable change was the lead process. Before Cazbah, ANUCO’s websites generated few, if any, inbound inquiries. After the partnership, inbound leads became a steady and measurable flow. More importantly, Cazbah helped RedHawk and ANUCO establish a process to handle them efficiently. Leads are now filtered to the correct salesperson within minutes of arriving. Matt described the difference plainly: “We didn’t have a system before. Now multiple people see the leads, they’re tracked, and they’re directed quickly to the right rep. It’s far more efficient.”

This change shifted workloads inside the company. Instead of spending hours trying to manage websites, Matt could focus on sales and customer engagement. “The return on investment is huge because I’m not doing the website anymore. My time as a salesperson is better spent in front of customers, solving problems and selling systems.” 

Metrics 

• Leads now routed within minutes of arrival. 
• Multiple stakeholders are notified simultaneously. 
• Significant hours saved from Matt’s weekly workload. 

Results 

• Improved sales productivity through faster lead response. 
• Streamlined internal processes for handling inbound demand. 
• Greater ROI from redeployed sales time. 

The Impact: Leads, Pipeline, and SEO Wins 

Cazbah’s influence is most visible in lead generation and search visibility. “Since partnering with Cazbah, we’ve seen real growth in new leads coming in,” Matt confirmed. His boss now receives those leads directly, closing the loop between investment and results. 

Search engine optimization has been particularly impactful. Matt cited a recent example where a new page ranked third on Google for a competitive keyword just a month after launch. Previously, without professional SEO support, they had no visibility in those searches. Today, targeted content and SEO strategies consistently bring new prospects to the site. 

While ANUCO and RedHawk don’t run e-commerce due to a limited number of SKUs, the websites are increasingly central to introducing new technologies, educating prospects, and supporting the sales cycle. Trade show appearances and word-of-mouth referrals are now reinforced by a strong, credible online presence. 

Metrics

• A page for a new product line ranked #3 on Google within 30 days of launch.
• Inbound lead volume up significantly year-over-year. 
• Expanded keyword visibility across multiple sectors. 

Key Learnings 

• SEO builds credibility as much as it generates traffic. 
• Website performance supports long sales cycles with technical buyers.
• Digital presence strengthens offline marketing like trade shows. 

Competitive Positioning: From Last to First 

In niche industrial markets like rail transportation, competitors are often small businesses with limited marketing resources. Matt is clear: “If I go around and look at other rail companies’ websites, ours is by far the best. It has the most information, the most pictures. It really stands out. Before, we were last in that group. Now we’re first.” 

Results 

• Competitive position shifted from last to first in web presence. 
• Website now differentiates ANUCO and RedHawk in rail and industrial markets.
• Improved credibility with prospects and partners. 

Return on Investment: Easier Renewals, More Value 

Renewals with Cazbah have become easier each year. Initially, Matt had to work hard to convince the board. Now, the value is evident in every meeting. “It’s less and less of a struggle to get that renewed every year. People see the value. Leads, SEO, content, competitive positioning. It’s not just a line item anymore, it’s an advantage.” 

Key Learnings 

• ROI is not just financial but also strategic. 
• Demonstrated value reduces internal friction at renewal time. 
• Outsourcing frees high-value staff for customer-facing roles like technical sales. 

Trust, Responsiveness, and Shared Values 

No partnership is perfect, but Matt emphasizes that what matters is responsiveness. Twice, when the site went down or mobile formatting broke, Cazbah’s team responded within minutes. “That’s exactly how we treat our customers. Everyone sells products that occasionally have an issue. It’s how fast you respond that keeps you in business. That’s why you’re still here. That’s why we’re still here.” 

Results 

• Issues resolved and addressed within minutes, not days. 
• Reinforced trust between Matt, the point of contact for RedHawk/ANUCO and Kennedy, the Internet Marketing Consultant. 
• Shared culture of responsiveness and reliability.

Conclusion: Innovation Meets Growth 

ANUCO and RedHawk Energy exemplify the kind of companies that thrive when tradition meets innovation. With a sixty-year family legacy, they continue to pioneer renewable power systems and custom solutions for industries that cannot afford failure. Partnering with Cazbah has helped them translate that offline expertise into an online presence that generates leads, builds credibility, and positions them as leaders in critical power markets.

From Matt’s perspective, the partnership is about more than websites or SEO. It is about having the confidence that their digital presence matches the innovation and reliability that have defined their business for three generations. In his words: “We’ve gone from last in the group to first. That’s what Cazbah has done for us.”

Key Learnings & Results 

• Traditional family businesses can thrive by adopting modern digital strategies. ● Professional marketing builds credibility that complements technical innovation. 
• Partnership with Cazbah shifted ANUCO and RedHawk from a lagging online presence to an industry leader.