Take a Tour of Our 2013 Leadtime Leaders
Winner: Tech Mold (Tempe, AZ) and Honorable Mention: Micro Mold Co. (Erie, PA).
Image courtesy of Creative Technology Corporation (creat.com) and Tech Mold Inc. On the cover (l to r) from 2013 Leadtime Leader Award Winner Tech Mold Inc. are moldmaker Tyler Schwenning, VP of Operations Karl Szanto, and moldmakers Steve Schraufnagel, Mike Vanstone and Mark Gacy.
Micro Mold owners (l-r): Rob Cooney, Philip Katen and Ryan Katen. Each are degreed engineers, complimented by Philip’s additional business degree.
Take a tour of our 2013 Leadtime Leader Winner and Honorable Mention Shops
And the 2013 Leadtime Leaders Are …
Winner
Tech Mold (Tempe, AZ)
With its 85 employees across three divisions concentrating on upfront collaboration, mold design and build, and mold and process validation; 12-to 20-week leadtimes for complex molds and many other mold types; concerted sales and marketing strategy, creative use of both employee and supplier resources; solid shop floor management system; delivery improvement; emphasis on quality suppliers; a “grow your own” workforce philosophy; customer mold maintenance training; and a solid concentration on innovation in new manufacturing technologies and processes for themselves and for their customers—including an impressive list of customer case studies (e.g., a unique coining process to redesign a Test Plate to provide greater speed-to-market for new pharmaceuticals; a mold that would rotate into position for the injection and coining processes; a proprietary valve gate actuation system; in-mold serviceability; full central lube; in-mold assembly; quick electrical disconnects; and self-correcting manufacturing) has earned Tech Mold the 2013 Leadtime Leader Winner title.
Honorable Mention
Micro Mold Co (Erie, PA)
A small company with 20 employees, 8- to 14-week leadtimes for complex molds; a sister molding company offering processing capabilities; a partnering approach with customers; innovative job leader role; automated EDM work cells (including a high-speed machining center coupled with a CNC EDM interfaced with a robot) that helps bring customer products to market (e.g., Alcon handle; cinch connector and mini insulin pump); value-added sampling services impacting leadtimes; quoting strategy via a new product risk assessment for all new design/build projects improving upfront collaboration; committed sales and marketing efforts; unique employee performance bonus program; “train your own” employee approach (4-year program; 576 hours of night school class work in conjunction with 8,000 hours of on-the-job training; as well as sales & marketing, mold validation and leadership training); and, a strong team mentality have allowed Micro Mold to bring home this year’s Honorable Mention title.
Sponsored by Progressive Components.
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