VIDEO: X-Cell Tool and Mold Is MoldMaking Technology's 2019 Leadtime Leader Award Winner

This year’s competition for the title was fierce, requiring a second round of review by our anonymous panel of OEM, molder and consultant judges. Each finalist was scored on performance in lead time and deliveries, investment in technology, innovation in business strategy, manufacturing efficiency, commitment to workforce training and development, industry involvement and customer satisfaction. It was a very close race among the scores of the top three, but X-Cell reigned supreme in the end. 

X-Cell has a complete outlook on being a Leadtime Leader—from its “no snowflake” mantra, investment in technology to industry partnerships to its eye on design, apprenticeship efforts and continued expansion; they are on the continued path to success.

A few standouts include: 
• “Nothing is ever fast enough, good enough or clean enough” company culture
• Ability to manufacture more complex, higher cavitation molds with the same lead time as its more basic molds
• New technology investment including five-axis machines, mill-turn centers, EDM, laser, hard machining, hard turning, automation, PDM and polishing
• Continued and recent expansion for tooling and molding
• 99.17% first-pass quality rate/no rework 
• Customer communication and service
• Full-time information technology manager focused on cybersecurity
• “No Snowflakes” mantra; building Class 101 molds featuring completely identical componentry, guaranteed
• Partnerships in technology development
• Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Counsel-sponsored apprentice training program
• Working with the Penn State Behrend Board and Erie County Technical School

The shop’s lead times average about 14 to 16 weeks. Parts that have complex actions are the shop’s bread and butter. However, these types of molds are usually smaller in cavitation. Its core business is migrating to the higher cavitation higher volume parts. The company credits its decision five years ago to invest in newer technology and automation as a key factor in maintaining that timeframe. 

This Leadtime Leader Winner has increased work per machine hour, machine hours and unattended machine hours, basically producing more product in the same delivery time frame.

Read the full feature on X-Cell Tool and Mold here, take a virtual tour of their operations via our feature video below, and register for Amerimold to be a part of our celebration as we honor this year’s winner.