He started an O-ring distribution business with his brother, and when a customer asked about gaskets, he did what engineers do: he figured it out. He bought die-cutting equipment and began making them. The manufacturing business took hold, Joe bought out his brother, and the distribution side faded away. What remained was the foundation for what is now JBC Technologies: a precision die-cutting and flexible materials converting company headquartered in North Ridgeville, Ohio.

More than three decades later, JBC Technologies has grown into a multi-facility operation with 185 employees, 16 degreed engineers on staff, and a client base spanning medical, aerospace and defense, battery energy storage, automotive, HVAC, and appliance markets.

Todd Wright, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, joined JBC after the founder partnered with a private equity firm in 2020. Joe Bliss remains an investor and sits on the board, but Wright now leads the business, and he leads it with the same problem-solving ethos that built it.

“Joe is very passionate about solving problems and overcoming challenges,” Wright says. “He really sought out customers and companies that had a need for something to be solved and then went to work to solve that. If that involved additional equipment, Joe went out and bought that equipment. If it involved different types of materials, he went out and learned about the materials.”

That founding mindset, what Wright calls an “engineered solutions” philosophy, has shaped everything about JBC Technologies, from its staffing model to its market strategy. 16 degreed engineers is a remarkable figure for a company of its size, and Wright is candid about its significance: competitors, even larger ones, rarely carry that kind of engineering depth in-house. But for JBC, it is not a point of pride so much as a competitive prerequisite.

To understand what JBC Technologies does, it helps to understand what flexible material converting involves. At its most basic, converting means taking raw flexible materials, foams, films, adhesives, and non-wovens and cutting them into precise shapes for use in manufactured products. A simple product might involve laminating an adhesive to a foam to create an adhesive-backed gasket. Most converters can handle that.

Where JBC Technologies distinguishes itself is in complexity. When customers need multiple substrates brought together in intricate geometries, or when they need parts delivered in a format compatible with automated assembly on their own production line, the technical bar rises sharply and that is where JBC’s engineering staff excels.

Wright points to a standing program for a major medical customer as a clear illustration of the company’s capabilities. The customer required fetal heart monitoring pads built from a five-layer stack-up of materials in complex geometries. Previously, five separate parts were assembled manually, a slow, labor-intensive process with inherent quality variability. The customer came to JBC to see whether the entire assembly could be accomplished in a single press pass. Other converters had attempted it, but none had succeeded.

“We went through our normal engineering design process and were able to solve the issue and get them a completely fully automated solution,” Wright says. “We supply, and have for the last several years, about 50,000 of those parts a week. We visually inspect those parts, which is rather unique in our industry. We are able to provide them with a complex part for their automation with 100 percent inspected parts so that they have zero defects and have for the last three years.”

That combination of engineering-led problem-solving, high-volume production, and 100 percent visual inspection is the kind of outcome that builds long-term partnerships. Wright frames the company’s ideal customer relationship not as a supplier arrangement but as an extension of the customer’s own design team—involved early, contributing to design for manufacturability, and managing inventory solutions in tandem.

JBC Technologies operates across three facilities. Its headquarters sits just west of Cleveland in North Ridgeville, Ohio. A second facility in Denver, Colorado came through an acquisition in December 2021. A third location in Madison, Wisconsin serves the upper Midwest customer base. All three facilities carry ISO 9001 certification, providing customers with a consistent quality baseline across the network regardless of which location is producing their parts. The company previously maintained a smaller site in Elk Grove, Illinois, but rapid growth in its medical business caused it to outgrow that footprint, and it was consolidated into the Ohio and Denver facilities, with the Ohio site gaining expanded clean room space in the process.

That clean room expansion reflects a deliberate strategic shift. Over the last three to four years, JBC Technologies has moved away from the industry-agnostic, broadly diversified model of its founding era toward what Wright describes as a focus on three “premium markets”: medical, aerospace and defense, and battery energy storage. Legacy business in HVAC, automotive, and appliance continues to grow, but the company’s front-end commercial energy is concentrated on those three segments.

The reasoning is straightforward; in each of the three premium markets, engineered solutions carry genuine value, agile product development is expected, and the competitive field of converters capable of meeting those demands is thin.

Medical is the most heavily regulated of the three, and JBC Technologies holds ISO 13485 certification, is FDA registered, and operates multiple ISO Class 8 clean rooms across its facilities. The combination allows the company to supply fully certified medical components to customers across the sector, from wearable diagnostic devices to wound care and IV dressings.

Within the aerospace and defense category, it is the emerging commercial space market, satellites and rockets specifically, where Wright sees the most compelling growth trajectory. JBC Technologies has built a significant position in this segment over the last three to four years, and Wright says the company is now the market leader in flexible materials and converted products for satellite components.

What makes the new space market distinctive is not just the technical complexity of the materials involved, but the pace at which customers need to move. Satellite and rocket programs run on launch schedules, and those schedules do not flex for supply chain delays.

“Lead times really are measured in days instead of weeks or months,” Wright says. “We will get a request for a new part today, and the customer very likely will need us to deliver that in the next week or two to be able to meet their launch schedule. That is something that not everyone is equipped to handle.”

Meeting this challenge requires an inventory strategy built for speed, a broad equipment base with available capacity, and an organizational culture wired for rapid response. JBC Technologies has spent the last two to three years restructuring its operations with that responsiveness as the design brief. Wright is clear that technical knowledge of the exotic materials used in space applications, while important and growing, is secondary to that capability: without the agility, the expertise alone would not be enough to win or retain business in this segment.

Organizations that thrive in high-pressure, high-complexity environments tend to share certain cultural traits. At JBC Technologies, two of the company’s core values, “don’t ever quit” and “multifaceted” reflect exactly the demands its premium markets place on the business and the people who run it. “Around here, people understand that they are going to be asked to do many different things throughout the day and throughout the week, some that are directly related to their job description and probably many that are not, in order to meet the customer’s needs and timing,” Wright shares.

That culture flows directly from JBC’s founder. Joe Bliss built the business by refusing to treat a challenge as a reason to walk away, and that disposition has been institutionalized across 185 employees in three states. Wright sees it as inseparable from the company’s commercial success: in the medical and new space segments, a supplier that hesitates or hits its limits is quickly replaced by one that does not.

JBC Technologies is also investing in capabilities that extend its value further into the customer’s own production process. The company uses robotics to automate assembly steps, applying plastic components to die-cut adhesive parts, for example, on behalf of customers, handling work that would otherwise occur on the customer’s own floor. Engineers visit customer facilities, observe how parts are used in the assembly process, and return with proposals for how JBC can absorb additional steps and deliver a more complete, ready-to-assemble component.

“When we really can bring value and where our customers really can see the worth in what we’re doing, is when we have those deep partnerships, where we are working together to ensure that both sides are more efficient,” Wright explains.

Today, JBC Technologies occupies a specific and defensible position in the flexible materials converting market. The company is large enough to sustain significant engineering depth, run high-volume automated programs, and operate across multiple certified facilities. It is focused enough on three premium markets with outsized needs for engineered solutions to develop genuine expertise rather than spread capabilities too thin. Indeed, the company Joe Bliss started with a set of O-rings and a desire to work for himself has become a specialist manufacturer at the leading edge of medical device components, satellite supply chains, and emerging energy storage technology.

Wright and his team are betting that the characteristics that made JBC attractive to its earliest customers—engineering rigor and a willingness to take on problems others have given up on—are precisely what its next chapter of growth demands.

The post Engineering Solutions at Every Layer<p class="company">JBC Technologies</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Driven by an engineering-first mindset, this Elkhart, Indiana-based manufacturer seeks to improve accessibility in the market, providing not only accessibility-forward vehicles, but the choice of alternative engines with its low-floor offering.

Though Optimal’s expertise begins with electric, the engineering backbone of the company has enabled it to pivot with market conditions to expand its original purpose through the addition of alternate fuels to ensure buyers can have full confidence in the product and its range.

Optimizing automotive
Behind Optimal Electric Vehicles is parent company Optimal, which was founded in 1986 by Dr. Song L. Young, widely recognized across the world for his pioneering breakthroughs in the areas of computer-aided engineering (CAE), vehicle optimization, and simulation-driven product development.

His work has changed the very nature of how modern OEMs design, engineer, and validate vehicles, and as a result, he saw an opportunity to break into the market himself with a niche product offering that leveraged his expertise. This enabled Optimal, as well as its clients, to accelerate innovation, optimize performance, and reduce development costs through Dr. Young’s sophisticated methodologies.

Optimal, aptly named, was established as an engineering services company that supported Detroit automakers and evolved alongside the sector. While the company remains true to its original purpose—accessible electric vehicles, chiefly the low-floor shuttle model—the means has shifted with market demand, which is fueled not only by shifting legislation but also consumer confidence in the range of electric, which Optimal seeks to overcome with its solutions.

“The original designs were all about accessibility and serving an underserved community in a dignified kind of way. So that’s really what we focus on,” explains Executive Vice President, Jeff Hiatt.

“Given the recent changes in administration and the recent changes in focus on EVs in general, we’ve announced that we’re testing and validating a gas version of our vehicle that will also allow for us to do CNG and propane, so it will be a complete product offering that covers not only no-emission vehicles, but low-emission vehicles as well,” he adds.

Further to having the choice of engine/fuel type, customers enjoy the confidence of knowing that the vehicles have been built on years of testing and validation for quality and performance. “The last three years have really been focused on serial production, marketing, brand building, and all those activities to get the business in a growth stage,” Hiatt shares.

The company’s history of offering lightweighting, CAE, and other engineering services to premier automakers illustrates capabilities that translate well into electric and alternate fuel applications. “We’ve had three years of full production and bringing the product to market, as well as, along the way, developing a conversion technology whereby we can take existing vehicles or new vehicles, gas vehicles, and convert them to just a standard-floor type vehicle,” says Hiatt.

He explains that, by using a Ford E450 donor chassis stripped of all its components, Optimal can modify the frame to support custom builds with EV components and the resulting body.

“Because of the business’s expertise in engineering, especially in the world of CAE, and being able to model and test different iterations of the bus, it really kept a lot of our development time and cost down to be able to do what we do today with converting the vehicle,” Hiatt explains of the product, purpose-built from the ground up.

What especially sets the vehicle apart is its low floor, which addresses a market segment that has long been underserved. “Low-floor shuttle buses have a lot of advantages,” says Hiatt, noting that they don’t require a lift. “We have a ramp design that’s close to the ground so people in a wheelchair can actually get themselves in and out of the vehicle, so it’s a much better design, much cleaner design, and it provides a level of dignity for people.”

A winning business model
Strategically located in the cradle of RV country, which gives it a good supply base, Optimal Electric Vehicles is well positioned to monitor and anticipate future trends, engineering its products in response to the data collected and continuing to do good for an underserved market.

By adding alternate fuel types that operate to the same standard of performance of its EVs, Optimal addresses the persistent anxiety that exists within consumer sentiment around the range of electric vehicles, and thus the company continues to take advantage of market opportunity. The market is particularly strong in Canada and the U.S., which is where Optimal will focus going forward, continuing to secure market share and consumer confidence through its trusted dealer network.

“We’re constantly working with our dealer network to educate them and train them on the product, any new enhancements we make to the products,” Hiatt explains, to give its supporting players all of the tools necessary to be successful.

Ultimately, Optimal is driven by a culture of giving back and ensuring that it can grow its impact to serve the greater good through greater accessibility to accessibility. It’s a simple, yet noble, undertaking.

“The sum is greater than the parts within our business—leveraging the technical expertise coupled with practical expertise in the company and combining those to really create the value that we need for our customers,” is what Hiatt feels drives the culture.

Whether it is the growth of its EV line or alternate fuel platforms, the next 18 to 24 months are going to be exciting for the company and something for the market to watch, particularly those who are interested in a highly innovative company that is doing good work from all angles.

“We did the hardest thing first: we created an electric vehicle. Now we’re going back and creating variants of that that are much simpler to engineer to bring to market, so we’re positioned well for the future,” Hiatt notes of the company’s outlook.

Over the near term, the market can expect that Optimal will continue to bring new products and innovations to the fore, doing so with a small, lean team of industry experts that bring unmatched experience and capacity so it can have a significant impact without overextending itself. And long term, always steadfast to its original purpose and goal, Optimal will continue to find ways to improve the performance of its offerings to ensure that accessibility is accessible to a greater number of people.

The post Optimizing Automotive Accessibility<p class="company">Optimal Electric Vehicles</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Design Systems Canada, as a small company with a strong following, is trusted for excellence in smart factory design, upgrading facilities to meet 4.0 and 5.0 fabrication standards, and providing advanced planning, program management, and full-service engineering. DSC also utilizes a terrestrial 3D-laser scanning suite and drone-based photogrammetry to survey and document site dimensions, supporting smart factory conversions.

Additionally, DSC uses top-tier simulation software and commissioning tools for virtual commissioning. As a result, some of its largest clients come from the automotive industry, including well-known global brands. DSC’s clients also come from healthcare, pharmaceuticals, package handling, and other sectors. And although these big industrial companies are diverse, they share an understanding that managing their own layouts, system analyses, and improvements too often wastes more time and resources than it’s worth.

Improving outcomes
DSC is based in Windsor, Ontario, and its team of 20 professionals specializing in removing pain points for clients in service of improving their bottom lines. Aaron Anson, Managing Partner and General Manager, is clear about the company’s value proposition.

“You don’t know what you don’t know—and when clients want to improve processes, they are so close to their established systems it can be difficult for them to see the bigger picture,” Anson says.

But, well-seasoned in a variety of systems, from conveyors to design, all firmly rooted in establishing the ideal product timing schedule for each facility, the DSC team is able to improve output, pre-empt potential issues, and identify existing faults and weaknesses before they escalate. Importantly, DSC also identifies near-imperceptible system flaws that can cost companies dearly down the line.

Care for its image, too, has contributed to the company’s longevity. DSC recently completed a group rebranding project across its facilities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada with a spruce new look embodying energy and modernity. The company also expanded its footprint, adding a facility in Querétaro, Mexico, to its existing footprint in Saltillo.

The future of automotive assembly
As its clients have always included automotive assembly plants, the company originally built its reputation helping car manufacturers by managing new product programs while assisting to implement process improvements. When market demand shifted toward electric vehicles, DSC naturally pivoted to the support of EV manufacturing.

As global political and economic realities evolved, and governments adjusted their mandates accordingly, the company kept pace, although it took a few years to understand what the ideal iteration of this new technology would be for the Canadian market. Now, a little further down the line, with the real-life conditions of a vast landscape, extreme weather, and absence of recharging infrastructure outside large metropoles, EVs are losing favour with Canadians. “There are so many unknowns still in EVs, especially in Canada,” Anson says, and adoption trends indicate a higher popularity rate for hybrid vehicles.

With local market trends including hybrid vehicles as well as pure electric vehicles, the move provides manufacturers with less of an incline in the learning curve to achieving the best possible outcomes in these technologies, essentially buying manufacturers extra time to reflect on and refine their innovations. This is also necessary for developing the kinds of vehicles that are practical specifically for a Canadian context. “Our clients are going to continue to make the combustion engine,” Anson says, pointing out that, economically, this provides security on a national scale.

Yet, it is by no means game over for the EV market. DSC continues to contribute to the country’s electrically powered future by assisting battery fabricators in establishing their state-of-the-art facilities on local soil. A significant amount of this assistance goes to Korean feeder plants working in collaboration with the battery fabricators. These include NextStar Energy, a collaboration between LG Energy Solution and Stellantis, with NextStar Energy’s recently launched $5 billion facility in Windsor, Ontario. The arrival of this company in Windsor led to other firms setting themselves up in the area, creating even more opportunities for DSC.

Flourishing, the Canadian way
The DSC team has been assisting these companies with facility layouts, efficiency improvements, safety reviews, and general guidance on typical Canadian fabrication flow and regulations. “That’s where we get excited; these are the things that we have the opportunity to improve and streamline,” Anson says, noting that foreign outfits often need a lot of support to adapt to the Canadian way of operating.

The company also helps legacy firms evolve by harnessing the latest technology and assisting with regulatory upgrades, putting them painlessly at the cutting edge of their sector through the addition of automation, modern equipment, and facility design. As with new builds, this includes harnessing predictive maintenance and the internet of things (IoT) to optimize uptime and output. While these upgrades can be lengthy projects, breaking them up into clear phases has proven an ideal strategy for introducing manageable change in organizations where fabrication processes have become outdated.

DSC’s methods are as modern as its layouts, with professionally rendered designs using AutoCAD and the use of digital twins—virtual copies of facility layouts that reflect processes in real time. These are used for data analysis, in machine learning, and to improve system flow. “The data might tell us that you need to have a second machine installed so that you can handle more volume efficiency,” Anson explains.

Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 popularized the use of predictive maintenance. As spare parts like filters—which would typically arrive in a few days—suddenly took several months to appear, pre-empting mechanical services became imperative to ensure fabrication uptime. It also brought change.

Continuously diversifying into new areas like food & beverage, the DSC team soon found that its hard-won automotive engineering expertise in lighting, air supply, and every other aspect of manufacturing facility setup had an unexpected upside: it was transferable and would work in any industry. Today, Design Systems Canada collaborates with a host of new industrial outfits, like a lumber yard in northern Ontario that needed some process flow assistance. DSC also foresees exciting new possibilities in aerospace and forestry.

A tight team
Running a smooth operation with a small team means that DSC’s people are close-knit, making teamwork a pleasure—and customers benefit in many ways. Camaraderie makes for solid work relationships and reliability, care, and a general sense of kindness to colleagues permeate the company’s service delivery. In DSC’s own ranks, the result is long tenures, with at least two employees having been with the company for three decades. This means that generational knowledge is being passed from the older generation to the newer, ensuring continuity and a legacy of excellence.

And, with the vast volumes of manufacturing returning to North American shores, whether tearing down old, existing facilities or building new ones, whether consolidating or expanding, Design Systems Canada is close at hand to support fabricators. This includes setting up manufacturers properly from the start to avoid unnecessary expenses while optimizing earning potential. It is much like having an experienced coach on the team, says Anson.

“We want to help you grow your business. We’re not looking to invest in your business or trying to take your money; we just want you to be the best version of you.”

The post Modernizing North American Fabrication<p class="company">Design Systems Canada Ltd.</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The business specialized in solutions that speak to a bygone era in cinematic history, when movies were shot on celluloid film. The company made film and chemical processing equipment, drybox air systems—also called dry cabinets, storage systems to protect film and film gear from humidity and contaminants—and silver recovery cells, which are commonly used in darkrooms to recover silver elements from chemicals used to process film.

“From ’76 on, any major motion picture you’d see in the movie theatre had gone through something he had made,” states Daniel with pride. During the 1990s, moviemakers started to transition from celluloid film to digital technology and demand for celluloid film-related equipment dropped sharply.

In 2000, Valenzuela suffered a heart attack and his son-in-law stepped into the breach. At the time, Daniel was working as a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff; he was an experienced lawman but knew little about metal manufacturing. Nonetheless, the LA County Sheriff’s Department gave him a six-month leave of absence to manage the business as Valenzuela recuperated.

Few of Daniel’s policing skills were applicable to his new role, other than the ability to suss out “if employees were trying to get something over on me,” he jokes. He did, however, have a naturally inquisitive nature, a good work ethic, and an outsider’s perspective. He peppered the shop floor staff with questions and worked hard to make changes in a business that was struggling at the time.

“At the end of the six months, my wife and I decided that I would stay there and continue with the company and help make it great again. They did their best sales they ever had that year,” he recalls.

In 2004, Valenzuela closed his business and sold his equipment to Daniel and his wife Petra. The company name was tweaked from Metal Engineering, and the business was moved from an 8,000-square-foot space to the 15,500-square-foot facility it currently occupies. Petra passed away earlier this year, so the firm is now solely run by Daniel and his son Bryce, Project Manager.

At present, the company is eagerly anticipating the arrival of a special laser welding system to augment its service lineup. The order was placed after the company researched the laser welding system and found much to its liking.

“The gist of it is it welds faster than MIG welding, which right now is the fastest form of welding,” explains Bryce. “It uses more precise and direct heat than TIG welding, and it delivers full penetration in a single pass… a job that would normally take you an hour, you can do in 15 minutes without any metal fatigue.”

The system is “very easy” to learn, he continues. He expects that the leading-edge solution will arrive by December of this year.

As with most services at Metal Engineering & MFG., laser welding will be handled in-house. The company’s motto, ‘Where Craftsmanship and Technology Meet,’ reflects its devotion to technological solutions and old-fashioned skill. The company has its own machining and welding equipment and uses CAD software for planning, and, if it needs to subcontract anything out, it relies on a handful of trusted partners.

As a custom metal fabricator, Metal Engineering & MFG. often works as part of a larger team of contractors for the commercial, residential, and specialty markets. Once a project is completed, the company offers maintenance, although such services are not often needed.

“Nine times out of ten, our products don’t require any maintenance,” Bryce says. “The only time that ever happens is, say, for a water feature—if the chemicals are imbalanced and the chlorine levels are way too high, sometimes that causes stainless steel to rust. In that case, we come out and perform the maintenance and tell them what’s wrong with their water. But that’s very rare.”

Even if most modern films are made using digital technology, the company still does some work for the silver screen. The last big film the company worked on was Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a Quentin Tarantino thriller shot on Kodak 35mm film. Tarantino’s use of old-fashioned film stock necessitated the use of old-fashioned accessories. “We made all the film reels for all the movie theatres in the nation to run the film and the traveling boxes for those films,” Bryce explains.

While Metal Engineering & MFG. does not do much movie work these days, it has developed a new niche doing metalwork for theme parks and casinos. “We get hired by contractors,” says Bryce, “and through them, we do a lot of work for theme parks. You can’t walk through one of their parks without running past products that we make.”

About a decade ago, the company did secondary metalwork at a huge theme park area. The team also contributed to a striking 39-foot-high fountain featuring three stylized sculptures of women embedded in a column rising from a base. 22,000 lbs. of stainless steel support the fountain and its sculptures, built for the lobby of the Palazzo, a high-end casino and hotel that is part of the larger Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

“Water comes from the top, from a chalice all the way to the bottom, which is the floor below. Everything underneath is stainless steel,” Daniel says. “We do a lot of water features as part of the team that puts them together; we do the metalwork.”

Personnel levels at Metal Engineering & MFG. vary depending on the nature of projects at hand. On a big assignment, the company might use as many as 30 employees, while for most work, the firm relies on a core of roughly 12 staff members. When hiring, the company likes applicants who are “go-getters,” says Bryce. “We try to hire people who mesh well with everyone, too.”

Indeed, the company aims to cultivate a family-like atmosphere, lending out shop trucks, for example, for employees facing car problems. Employees can use the shop trucks to save on repair bills. For their part, employees are expected to be honest and focused on quality. “I tell every employee, whether they’re new or old, ‘If there’s a mistake made, don’t try to hide it. Just come up and say, ‘Hey, I messed up’ and let’s try to figure out how to fix it,’” he tells us.

In terms of quality, “I never want to hear the words, ‘It’s good enough.’ Any company can do good enough. They’re not hiring us to do good enough; they’re hiring us to do better,” adds Daniel. “We’ve got to try to make this the best that we can. If something doesn’t work right, we’ll step back and see what happened: ‘What caused this?’ Then we’ll correct it.”

In a similar fashion, Metal Engineering & MFG. takes a strict line on safety, with regular safety meetings and ample and readily available PPE.

Promotion of Metal Engineering & MFG. is largely a matter of word-of-mouth endorsements. The company does attend trade shows but primarily relies on customer referrals or general contractors hiring it back for new projects. Being that the company is still relatively small, “I would say the biggest challenge is that the industry is kind of changing—more and more companies are favoring big business, big corporations. What we’re doing to solve that problem is really focusing on our quality and our customer service,” says Bryce.

The team is also pondering the possibilities of opening an operation in Florida, perhaps in tandem with some customer operations. “We’re in talks to see if that’s a viable option,” Bryce says. And of course, the company can’t wait to start using its laser welding solution once it arrives.

Looking ahead, “We want to continue to be more of a leader in technology,” Bryce asserts. “That’s the biggest thing with metal manufacturing—integrating technology into what you’re doing and not being afraid of it, whether that’s integrating an AI model into our quoting services, laser welding, or any other new technology that’s coming up. There are a lot of new things emerging right now.”

The post From the Silver Screen to Casinos and Beyond<p class="company">Metal Engineering & MFG.</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Founded in 2014, Wind River Built used to focus exclusively on tiny homes—that is, small, comparatively inexpensive residences on wheels. The firm was featured on the hit reality show Tiny House Nation and gained a reputation as a premier builder in this sector. In recent years, it has tweaked its business model and expanded into modular construction.

“It was more of a shift in where we think the bulk of our business is going to come from,” explains Director of Business Development, Amelia Dicks. “We will never fully move away from building tiny homes on wheels.”

Modular buildings have foundations and are fashioned from segments built in factories. These segments, or modules, are transported to the building site then fitted together like huge building blocks. Offering a faster, cheaper, and greener alternative to traditional construction processes—in which residences are erected at a building site—modular construction is rapidly gaining in popularity.

Production is carried out at Wind River Built’s 100,000-square-foot plant on 30 acres of land. The company runs a single shift at the moment, built around a shortened week as production crews work 10 hours a day, 4 days a week. Production staff enjoy their three-day weekends, and such a schedule “is part of our culture that everyone seems to enjoy and appreciate,” says Dicks.

The company’s production duties are all self-performed. “We do everything in-house. We have our own cabinet shop, paint booth, spray foam, we do HVAC in-house,” Dicks notes with pride. “We don’t have any subcontractors.” The company does, however, partner with third parties who install its modular buildings. The team works with developers and designers who approach the firm with design concepts that it then brings to fruition, and also offers model designs for modular buildings which can be viewed on the company website.

The factory complies with industry standards from the ICC NTA, an International Code Council organization that certifies modular buildings. When it comes to tiny homes, Wind River Built adheres to American National Standards Institute 119.5 to certify the tiny homes as Park Model RV’s through Pacific West Associates, an engineering firm that provides consultation and quality assurance services for the tiny home niche.

This intense focus on quality is a key element in ‘The Wind River Difference,’ a company ethos that also encompasses excellence and community spirit, says Dicks. That difference is all about “care for both our people and our products,” she says. “It really does translate into everything our clients get from Wind River Built: carefully-crafted products and a customer experience that makes them know they found the right build partner. We’ll welcome anyone to our shop to see and feel this for themselves.”

The Wind River Difference is clearly having an impact; earlier this year, the company won a prestigious Excellence in Innovation Award from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of East Tennessee.

We last spoke with Wind River Built in November of 2024, and at that time, “We had just released our Hospitality series,” says Dicks. “Hospitality has been a great industry for us, but we also care deeply about building homes for people. So, since our last interview, we’ve released a few signature residential models and have a few more that will be online soon,” she says.

The hospitality sector is still the company’s largest market at present, and designs include the Nova (286 square feet in size with a gable roof, open sleeping area, kitchenette, private bath, and dining area) and the Ronan, which is 390 square feet with floor to ceiling windows and a private sauna. Other hospitality designs include the Rogue (small at 180 square feet, it still offers a porch, coffee bar, and spaces for living and sleeping) and the Wind River Sauna (104 square feet, complete with a private outdoor shower).

For all that, the company’s most popular modular design is a residential model called the Cascade, Dicks tells us. This model home features one bathroom, a pair of bedrooms, and an open floor plan. The house exterior is 43’ long, 25’ wide, and 13’ tall, with 700 square feet of interior space and a base price under $200,000. She attributes the Cascade’s popularity to the fact that “it’s hard to find single family homes at that footprint size… built with traditional construction anymore.”

Given its diminutive footprint, the Cascade could also fit into the emerging accessory dwelling unit (ADU) category, she adds. Sometimes called ‘granny flats,’ these units are secondary residences located on the property of an existing home. They are often small and, as their nickname implies, frequently house older relatives who want to live independently but remain close to their families, or young adults preparing to launch. ADUs can also be used as guest houses for short-term visitors.

While Wind River Built is eager to explore opportunities in the ADU market, permitting and extensive paperwork can make it a challenge to get such units installed. Obtaining pre-approval for building plans from municipalities would be one way to speed this process along, Dicks says. The company is also looking to expand its presence in the student and workforce housing sector as well as the single- and multi-family residential sector.

Regardless of the sector involved, almost all of the firm’s projects are based in the Southeast, Tennessee in particular. That said, “We are actively pursuing development projects across the country and have been approached with some bid requests for the Caribbean and other islands,” Dicks shares.

The company currently has 110 employees and in terms of new hires, “We look to find people that fit with our culture, that want to grow with us. We look for people with integrity… that want to do good work and be part of something that’s meaningful and fulfilling for them.” Led by an accessible, open-minded team, the company is “not corporate,” she says. “Everyone gets a voice.”

Non-corporate as it may be, Wind River Built is starting to land some big contracts. One project mentioned when we last spoke, to build 75 cabins for a resort in the Great Smoky Mountains, has since been completed. The cabins are done, pending installation.

To keep growing, the company attends trade shows, is active on social media, and engages in old-fashioned networking, the latter involving “finding people we want to work with and reaching out to them.” Wind River Built also hosts events at its own facility and takes on in-house projects that showcase its talents and the benefits of modular construction. At the time of our interview, the team was in the process of having a Cascade model modular home installed in Signal Mountain, a town near Chattanooga. VIPs and “people who may be modular-skeptic—who haven’t seen a modular home before” have been invited to view the residence, says Dicks.

Another project involves the installation of a Cascade home on a parcel of land donated by the Chattanooga Land Bank Authority, an affordable housing organization. This partnership is one of Wind River Built’s latest charitable endeavors. The firm has also worked with North Carolina-based nonprofit group, Patriot Relief, to build homes for victims of Hurricane Helene. The team assists with classes that raise awareness about the trades, supports the United Way, and regularly picks up litter as part of an Adopt-a-Highway effort as well.

The company also maintains an internal ‘Helping Hand Fund’ that is used to assist “our Wind River Built family as well as community members,” says Dicks, and has a committee that brainstorms team-building exercises that often involve a philanthropic component.

Going forward, the company may build another facility on its property. It also aims to cement relationships with designers and architects as it takes on larger assignments.

“A lot of developers will go to their existing professional team, which might include [architects and designers], asking about modular, and then those architects and designers are tasked with finding manufacturers,” Dicks explains. “So, we’ve been putting more effort into expanding those relationships and we encourage people to reach out to us if there’s interest in doing developments with modular construction.”

Wind River Built is also determined to educate politicians and the public about the benefits of modular construction. While becoming more commonplace, many people still mistakenly associate modular with lower-quality trailer homes. “We have to talk to municipalities, talk to the community, help them understand that these are real residential homes, and they’re of a high quality,” notes Dicks.

The post Establishing a Model for Modular Construction<p class="company">Wind River Built</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

At its core, Benson Systems is about more than just systems integration; it is about protecting people, safeguarding property, and delivering solutions that blend cutting-edge technology with the personal touch of a family-run operation. The company’s reputation has been built over nearly four decades by staying true to its values while continuously adapting to new demands. “Being a second-generation company means that we carry forward not only the name, but also the values and reputation built by my father,” says Eric Benson, President and CEO. “That legacy is something we take very seriously, and it motivates us to keep raising the bar.”

Benson Systems’ origins trace back to 1986, when Shawn Benson first launched the business with a simple but ambitious goal: to provide reliable, professional service in an industry where safety and trust are paramount. At the time, Arizona was experiencing steady growth in both residential and commercial development, and there was a growing need for specialized systems that could keep up with new construction and regulatory standards.

Over the years, the company evolved from a small local operation into a trusted regional leader. From its earliest days, Benson Systems has stood out for its family approach: treating every client as a long-term partner, not a mere transaction. This philosophy helped build relationships that have endured through multiple projects, property expansions, and even generational changes on the client side. Now, under Eric Benson’s leadership, the family legacy continues.

Family ownership, he notes, is about more than succession. It is about continuity of values, consistency of service, and accountability that extends beyond the bottom line. “When you work with Benson Systems, you’re not just another project or number,” he explains. “You’re part of a relationship. We bring a personal touch that bigger firms often can’t replicate, and we take pride in delivering on promises.”

Employees benefit from this approach just as strongly, and many have stayed with the company for decades, creating a workplace where technical excellence and loyalty go hand in hand. That sense of belonging and shared mission helps Benson Systems maintain consistency, even as the company grows and adapts to shifting markets, regulations, and innovations.

“You don’t make it 40 years in business without adapting to changing markets and technology, or without staying true to who you are,” Benson reflects. “Our customers know they can trust us because we’ve been here for the long haul.”

This dual focus—evolution paired with consistency—is at the heart of Benson Systems’ longevity. The company has successfully navigated multiple economic cycles, from the housing booms of the early 2000s to construction slowdowns during recessions. Through it all, Benson Systems kept investing in people and technology, ensuring it was positioned to serve clients when demand rebounded.

Looking ahead, the 40-year mark is both a celebration and a launchpad. Benson Systems plans to honor its long-term clients, spotlight its employees, and use the milestone to showcase a vision for the future. For Eric Benson and his team, the anniversary isn’t simply about looking back but about setting the tone for the decades ahead.

One of Benson Systems’ priorities is keeping work in-house. The company maintains a staff of highly trained engineers who manage design, implementation, and support under one roof, allowing the team to ensure quality control, shorten project timelines, and adapt more quickly when challenges arise. Teams enjoy a collaborative culture wherein they share knowledge and mentor new talent, creating a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to carry the company forward.

“Having engineers on staff gives us the ability to respond quickly, customize solutions, and control quality at every step,” Benson says. For example, on a recent large-scale commercial installation, Benson’s engineers were able to customize a low voltage and fire life safety system that integrated seamlessly with the client’s existing operations, and were able to pivot quickly when needs changed. The result was a project delivered on time, on budget, and with long-term reliability.

While Benson Systems provides a wide portfolio of services, its reputation is strongest in low voltage technologies and fire life safety, specializations that reflect both industry demand and the company’s commitment to protecting people and property.

Low voltage systems encompass everything from structured cabling and communication networks to access control and security cameras. In today’s connected world, reliable low voltage infrastructure isn’t just a convenience, it’s a necessity. Businesses, hospitals, schools, and municipalities all rely on these systems to function safely and efficiently.

Equally critical is fire life safety. From detection systems and alarms to emergency communication and monitoring, Benson Systems designs and maintains solutions that meet rigorous codes and exceed client expectations. This work is not only technical but deeply personal, as lives depend on systems performing without fail.

“Fire safety isn’t optional, it’s life and death,” Benson emphasizes. “That’s why we’ve made it a core part of what we do. Our clients depend on us to keep their buildings and their people safe, and that’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”

By focusing on these specialties, Benson Systems has carved out a reputation as a trusted partner in industries where there is no margin for error. Clients know they can depend on the company not just to meet compliance requirements, but to design systems that provide real-world reliability when it matters most.

Operating for four decades means facing and overcoming numerous challenges, and one ongoing issue has been the shortage of skilled labor in the technical trades. Rather than accept this as a barrier, Benson Systems has doubled down on training and development, building internal pathways to grow talent from within.

Another challenge lies in balancing customization with standardization. Every client has unique needs, but too much customization can increase costs and timelines. Benson Systems has found the sweet spot: creating repeatable frameworks for efficiency while maintaining the flexibility to deliver bespoke solutions.

The company has also kept pace with rapid regulatory change. Fire codes, building standards, and safety regulations evolve constantly, and Benson’s in-house expertise ensures the team can interpret and implement these changes seamlessly for clients.

Beyond its work for clients, Benson Systems also plays an active role in the community. Sponsorships, charitable giving, and educational initiatives reflect the company’s belief that success should be shared. As Eric Benson puts it, “We don’t just work in these communities; we’re part of them.”

Indeed, the future for Benson Systems looks as dynamic as its past. Smart building technology, integrated security solutions, and advanced fire life safety systems are reshaping the industry, and Benson is investing heavily to remain at the forefront. Sustainability is also becoming a priority, with a focus on energy-efficient systems and environmentally conscious practices. Most importantly, the company is preparing the next generation of leaders, both within the Benson family and among its engineers and technicians. This commitment to people, alongside innovation, ensures Benson Systems will remain relevant and respected well beyond its 40^th anniversary.

Eric Benson sums it up best: “Our legacy is important. But so is the work we’re doing today and the opportunities ahead. We want Benson Systems to be here for the next 40 years and beyond, continuing to make a difference in the lives of our clients and communities.”

At its heart, Benson Systems is more than a business; it is a legacy. Built on family ownership, strengthened by in-house expertise, and distinguished by a specialization in essential systems, the company has stood the test of time. With its 40-year anniversary on the horizon, Benson Systems is not just reflecting on its past but laying the foundation for its future. For clients, employees, and the community, that means one thing: a trusted partner that will continue delivering safety, reliability, and excellence for decades to come.

The post 40 Years of Safety and Innovation<p class="company">Benson Systems</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

“It is something really special, and not lost on us,” says Ana Lopes, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Beacon Design. “And our customers see tremendous value in U.S.-made products.”

The company’s slogan, “Where Quality Drive meets the New England Way,” says it all. For ChemArt’s many customers, there are countless benefits that come from working with a proud New England company. “Made in the USA means quality craftsmanship, dependability, and our ability to react to demand,” says Lopes. “And it gives you outstanding service, because you’re not having to deal with lag time from working with somebody overseas. There is comfort in knowing you can execute a project on time, on budget, and with consistent communication along the way.”

Investing in people and products
ChemArt has come a long way since it was founded by research chemist Richard Beaupre. Serving in the Navy in the 1950s, he earned his BS degree in Chemistry from the University of Rhode Island in 1962, which fueled his passion for innovation. Soon, Beaupre worked for several companies, including Dynachem Corporation. Highly inventive, he developed and patented several unique core chemistry processes, including dry film resist polymers, still in use today. Created under a work-for-hire arrangement, Beaupre didn’t get into the royalty stream, but is listed on the patent; when he left Dynachem, he received a check as a gesture of appreciation. This became the seed money for ChemArt, which he created with his wife, Barbara, in 1976.

“When ChemArt first launched, it wasn’t a big company,” says Nick Jones, Vice President of Operations. “It was a small location in an old ice cream shop.” Within two years, Beaupre moved the business to its current Lincoln, Rhode Island site, and in 1998 created an additional building. ChemArt was profitable in its first year and every year since, allowing it to grow entirely on internally generated cash flow, which meant there was no outside funding. “This is a very rare accomplishment,” notes company CEO Hamilton Davison.

Planning for the future, Beaupre saw the benefits for the company and its customers of having everything—from initial concept to manufacturing and packaging—under one roof. This allows control over entire projects, from the initial phone call to getting products out the door. “That’s important to our customers,” says Lopes. “It allows us to meet emerging trends, optimize inventories without risk of shortage, and ensure consistent quality.”

ChemArt’s customers include government agencies, military, and historical organizations, as well as medical and aerospace, and for these clients and others, working with a well-established, U.S.-based business has its advantages; Beaupre developed many of the company’s innovations, such as dry film technology, plating recipes were internally created, and the company was vertically integrated long before its competitors. A trusted list of local suppliers and vendors from area companies completes ChemArt’s capabilities to allow the company to make most anything fathomable out of metal, finished in 24 karat gold or other finishes, then hand assembled and packaged in stock or custom boxes.

“Even today, we continue to innovate,” says Jones. Before he passed in 2018, Beaupre realized the importance of investing in technology to produce high-quality products at a reasonable cost. “A Christmas ornament only sells at a certain price point, so we have to figure out how to keep making it for less, given our price point and increasing cost inputs,” Jones explains. “So we’ve combined 3D printing as a form of tooling, rather than paying for traditional hard tooling, and use 3D printers in some of our processes. We’ve added automated cutters instead of hand-cutting, and digital printing instead of just screen printing. And we’ve automated basically through micro-controllers that allow data gathering, improved safety, robotics, and automated press forming, among other advances.”

Along with incorporating robots and updating equipment, the company has also improved its wastewater treatment facility, which has an excellent record. Protecting the planet is important to the company and its clients alike, who value ChemArt’s commitment to the environment compared to more far-flung manufacturing locales.

“Since everything ultimately drains to the Atlantic Ocean, there are very stringent discharge requirements imposed on all companies in this area, especially regarding metals, and we continuously monitor our discharge, sample it, and send it off weekly for chemical analysis,” says Davison. Occasionally, members of the Narragansett Bay Commission, the regional wastewater operator, show up unannounced, take samples, conduct their own analysis, and compare the two to ensure accuracy. In 2023, ChemArt had a perfect record; in 2024, it had just a single incident, due to employee error. “We take employee health and safety and environmental stewardship very seriously,” adds Davison. “We’ve got a great track record, and that’s something we’re very proud of.”

Constantly refining its processes and procedures, ChemArt continues to improve efficiencies and reduce waste and setup times. In the two years he has been with the company, Davison has seen significant improvements. “By being vertically integrated, we can bring different disciplines together to ideate and problem-solve in a way you don’t find in other non-vertically integrated shops,” he states. “They just have a piece of the process; we can look holistically across the whole production flow and optimize the entirety, not just individual pieces.”

“Three brands. One legacy. Made in the USA.”
ChemArt is proud of its three brands, which focus on distinct market segments. Beacon Design is centered on creating custom brass ornaments for clients including religious organizations, universities, non-profits, and fundraising programs across America. B Luxe creates tags, wraps, labels, and other custom luxury packaging solutions “designed to elevate high-end retail presentation.” And ChemTecUSA manufactures precision metal components for industrial and aerospace applications.

“Most of the products we make at Beacon Design support missions of non-profits, by giving them program income while deepening their donor basis allegiance and affiliation with the charity,” Davison explains. “That’s really the lion’s share of our business.” In fact, most of the company’s products are for non-profits. This includes educational and religious institutions as well as local and municipal government agencies and entities.

“The idea with Beacon Design is that we are creating products that reflect the missions of the organizations we are working with to create sustainable annual programs where they are turning their supporters and donors into lifelong collectors,” says Lopes. One of the company’s many long-time relationships is with the White House Historical Association, which furthers its mission to promote a deeper understanding of the Executive Mansion through millions of dollars annually in proceeds from the ornament.

ChemTecUSA, the company’s precision division, sells very tight tolerance parts to industrial clients that are used in subassemblies in medical, energy, transportation, defense, aerospace, and oil & gas. Products include filters, flow measuring components, connectors, springs, sharps, encoder disks, and critical components. B Luxe, meanwhile, uses its capabilities to make luxury attachments and accessories, which helps elevate and differentiate brands in the crowded consumer marketplace and create shelf awareness in retail spaces. Made of metal, these attachments and accessories can be configured to be attached to a box, handbag, perfume bottle, or other containers.

America’s jewelry state
Known as the ‘Ocean State,’ Rhode Island is famous for its striking coastline, rich history, Newport mansions, seafood restaurants, thriving arts scene, and jewelry industry. A leader in the state, ChemArt has made more than 70,000 unique projects in the past 20 years and has some 400 SKUs representing everyday items sold through its open line for retail.

Averaging about 120 full-time staff, the team expands leading up to Christmas, with its increased ornament production. “We can be at over 200 employees at peak season,” says Jones of the company’s roster, which includes manufacturers, assemblers, designers, engineers, and sales. In addition, it has about 150 independent field representatives supported by Beacon Design. These talented staff members, and a commitment to quality and service, continue to put the company ahead of the competition.

“We are lucky to have a highly skilled, collaborative workforce on projects both big and small,” says Lopes. “All those pieces of the puzzle are really important. And to say we have the largest output in the country, being the smallest state, is super impressive.”

CEO Davison joined the company about two years ago. Today, ChemArt’s former CEO remains active as head of the retail division. The transition brought an influx of strategic investments as well as experience and increased sophistication in certain areas.

“Having been through these sorts of transitions in the past, I can honestly say this has been one of the best—maybe the best—I’ve seen in terms of combining incredible history and capabilities with new ideas and technology in a seamless, productive way,” says Davison. “We have not lost any of our executives or managers in that process. There has been a great transition and melding of capabilities, which has been a lot of fun.”

When Davison arrived, he saw the company’s 17 distinct manufacturing steps and how they were precisely sewn together. “I was full of wonder and amazement—and I still am—on a daily basis here,” he says. “And I realized how hard it is to do, to come up with a quality product; maybe we are the only people silly enough to try it? It is really hard!”

When customers and others visit the company, they are often in awe of ChemArt’s dedication to quality and the intricacy involved in the products it produces. “I think for anyone trying to recreate this, the barrier to entry would be huge,” says Davison.

The manufacturing process varies depending on the project: the shortest time from initial conversation to production can be as little as six weeks, while high-volume, large-scale projects with many components can take months or more. Many clients do projects with the company year after year.

Although potential customers can choose to deal with cheaper offshore companies, ChemArt’s clients prefer consistent American quality, accountability, and timely turnaround. This is especially crucial during peak seasons, when customers can’t wait weeks or months for shipping from overseas. “And buying locally allows customers to purchase from us and not have to hold large inventories,” says Lopes.

The ChemArt advantage
Offering design, cutting, plating, advanced manufacturing, assembly, and packaging all in-house, ChemArt continues to attract new clients. “There are other companies that do everything we do—they just don’t do all of what we do,” says Davison. “If you were to go elsewhere, you would be paying three, four, maybe five companies, plus an artist or engineer. And each one of those companies or contractors would have their costs, plus their markup, whereas we just have one markup at the end, so that also keeps us competitive. And because we are vertically integrated, if something goes wrong, you don’t have people pointing the finger at each other, and saying, ‘that wasn’t me, that was your other supplier.’ We take a lot of pride in our quality here, so everyone views themselves as an inspector. When it shows up at their department, they make sure it looks like it’s supposed to look.”

Experienced in running plants in the U.S. and one in Canada before coming to ChemArt, CEO Davison says, “I would put the Northern Rhode Island workforce up against any that I’ve worked with. There is such a sense of craftsmanship, pride, and commitment to quality here, and it’s multi-generational. It’s really cool, and a great asset.”

Lopes, meanwhile, has been with the company for 26 years, and is continually impressed by the company and its staff’s dedication to their craft. “We take great pride in our ability to produce beautiful ornaments and keepsakes all year long for our customers,” she says.

“When you walk out on the assembly floor it’s like walking into Santa’s workshop. The joy and amazement you see in our employees while they handcraft beautiful product for our customers is inspiring.”

The post Crafting Ornaments, Luxury Packaging Accents, and Precision Components Since 1976<p class="company">ChemArt</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

From its 140,000-square-foot facility, the team at Countryside Cabinets gives customers the opportunity to customize their choices based on wood type, finish, and accessories, all of which will set any project apart. And, with a new catalogue on the way as part of its 50^th anniversary celebrations—complete with its new Slim Shaker doors and the ever popular Quartersawn White Oak offering—the company looks to bring its offerings into new markets, ensuring that there is something for every room, style, and budget.

Rooted in family
Over its long history, Countryside Cabinets has made great effort to simplify the design and manufacturing process while strengthening its own internal culture. From its catalogue to its pricing structure and the level of service it provides, these efforts have been a major point of differentiation in the market.

“We’ve eliminated complex pricing structures in our catalogue and essentially put all our offerings into one single cabinet line,” says Marketing and Product Manager Anna Harteau of Countryside’s a la carte offering. “Designers don’t have to jump catalogues or cabinet lines to upgrade the product; we offer all architectural styles at each price point so customers can make decisions based on their preference instead of their budget.”

With the motto “Custom made simple,” Countryside Cabinets seeks to be the go-to source for cabinets on the basis of quality, aesthetic, function, and simplicity, taking the guess work out of cabinetry and becoming a true partner in the process. This approach can be attributed to the company’s founding. Countryside Cabinets was established as a family business in 1975 and grew throughout the years, doing so on a firm foundation of family values and open lines of communication entrenched in the company culture.

When the company was sold in 2020, that same commitment to its values carried forth—all that changed was a renewed sense of energy and the adoption of a growth mindset that would position the company to grow in the Midwest and beyond.

Currently, its sights are set on the Northeast, as Harteau explains. “We have outside sales teams in each region that do a great job of being our eyes and ears in the field,” she says. “We are still able to deliver the majority of our product on our own trucks,” though future growth could necessitate the use of third-party logistics.

Customer-led growth
Much of Countryside Cabinets’ growth has come about organically in response to demand, and customer feedback has informed the expansion of its catalogue as well as how the company operates.

As Harteau notes, “We really listen to what our dealers and designers are asking for, not only in the fashion aspect of our cabinetry line but in the function and quality as well. Our catalogue was built on dealer requests. Because we can do these custom requests, we’ll take what people have been asking for repeatedly and bring it into our line as standard.”

In the 1990s, the business invested in acquiring machinery to produce stock cabinetry to support the burgeoning multi-unit construction market, though it maintained the ability to manufacture simple modifications, which served it well as the market evolved. In the 2000s, there was growth in the single family home market and the demand for customization grew—and so too did Countryside Cabinets. From 30 employees to 300, and 75 pages to 500 pages in the catalogue, the company has come a long way over the last half century, but it remains committed to the values and the relationships it has built along the way.

Customer feedback has not only impacted the breadth of the company’s offerings; it has also led Countryside Cabinets to become a certified partner in sustainability. Recognizing that many of its processes were already “green,” a customer inquiry took it to the next level. “15 years ago, we had a builder reach out asking if we had an environmental certification that was required for a project of his and at the time we didn’t, but when we started looking into it, we realized that a lot of our practices were already aligned with that,” Harteau shares. “We were already purchasing hardwood materials locally whenever possible. We recycled. We eliminated process wastes as much as we could. Our sawdust is actually collected and used as animal bedding at local farms and any extra product that we have, we donate to Habitat for Humanity.”

For 12 years now, Countryside Cabinets has been certified under the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP), which has guided its sustainability practices and continuous improvement efforts.

“As our manufacturing plant has grown and as our processes have needed to change, it played a really large part in us switching to water-based stains and paints. I think we’re a leader on that point. It’s very difficult to work with water-based and it took a lot of work internally, but we’ve been running that since 2014 and it’s been great for the environment and also for our employees’ health,” Harteau explains.

Collaborative success
At Countryside Cabinets, quality and safety go hand in hand, and these elements are embodied in the culture of the company. A healthy work-life balance is encouraged and as the company has grown, so has its commitment to open lines of communication. Feedback loops with customers and employees alike are a key part of Countryside’s continuous improvement strategy.

With standard quarterly meetings of the representative safety committee and continuous improvement team, everyone has a stake and their efforts are appreciated. “Our production moved shifts to four 10-hour days and that really helps with work-life balance—if we do have overtime requirements, our employees are still keeping their weekends,” says Harteau of the effort to ensure that work-life balance is a priority even when the going gets tough.

She also notes that there is a large Hispanic population in the region, many of whom are employed by Countryside Cabinets, so efforts have been made to create bilingual resources to ensure that everyone can communicate effectively and operate as a collective in the interest of quality and safety.

The company also hosts monthly birthday lunches which give employees an opportunity to meet with the president, director of operations, human resources, and their team supervisors, creating an additional line of communication between employees and decision makers. Harteau refers to it as, “an hour of face time where you can share an update on the company and tell people what’s going on and they get to give feedback on their own experiences and day-to-day life in the shop.” These insights, she says, are invaluable to the company’s leadership.

This year, given the company’s milestone 50^th anniversary, there is even greater cause to celebrate. Countryside Cabinets has hosted company picnics (one for each shift to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate) and other fun events to reflect on the long tenure of the company as well as its bright future.

To 50 more
The success of Countryside Cabinets is unmistakably connected to its culture, including its commitment to continuous improvement and its ability to consider and internalize feedback from its customers and employees. This is why its relationships, like the cabinets it designs and manufactures, are built to last.

For Harteau, the goal is clear: “We want to produce a product driven by quality and focused on value. We want to continue to exceed industry standards for semi-custom cabinetry and maintain relationships with the same family values that got us here.”

This principled approach will continue to serve Countryside Cabinets well as it looks to new markets across the U.S. Backed by a long tenured history and solid reputation, its semi-custom cabinet solutions will satisfy design and function requirements at every price point and its service delivery is sure to impress.

The post Made to Order. Built to Last.<p class="company">Countryside Cabinets</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Lanco takes the guesswork out of these challenges, thanks to its expertise and longevity as a global systems integrator of precision-engineered automation, assembly, and test solutions for multi-piece, high-speed production systems.

As a global integrator, Lanco has an expansive footprint—but with a specialized local touch, able to meet customers where they are. This is important for multinational customers, particularly those in the automotive, medical and life sciences, aerospace and defense, electronics, and consumer product sectors where tight tolerances, rapidly evolving technologies, and production values are top of mind.

As a problem solver, Lanco leverages deeply rooted design engineering, technological integration, and risk-mitigated project management to devise customized solutions, offer valuable market insights, and support a project through its lifecycle until long after installation is complete, which makes Lanco an enduring partner in automation.

Going global, staying local
Lanco Integrated is a legacy company, but one in evolution. The company dates back to 1873 in Switzerland, with origins in manufacturing watch components for Rolex. Through several iterations, acquisitions, and expansions, the precision engineering and automation specialist has positioned itself to support its customers wherever they may be, both geographically and in terms of market readiness.

As a global integrator, Lanco has had a presence in Asia since 2008, establishing an operation in Malaysia in 2021 to further enlarge its global footprint. This expansion allowed the company to flex its might as an integrator by bringing together two separate locations and unique cultures from opposite sides of the world to work seamlessly as a team. “We are a global company,” says President and Chief Executive Officer, Bob Kuniega, “but to be able to execute to that level—to deliver on your promise of ‘design anywhere, build anywhere, identically to one another’—that is a completely different game,” he says.

“The infrastructure has to be set up and the training has to be done; the business management systems and the processes and the forms and the tools all have to be in place, and everybody’s got to be using it all in exactly the same way.” This ensures that “everyone is working toward the same goal,” says Kuniega.

By engaging its people, creating a system of accountability, and blending established institutional knowledge with the ideas of the next generation, Lanco has continued to add value to its customers’ operations with its exceptional precision engineering capabilities and specialized market insights. As an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company, Lanco is uniquely differentiated from other businesses as its employees are also owners. The ownership mindset drives a heightened interest in not only satisfying customers but also ensuring profitability, as everyone’s individual success contributes to the collective success of the team. From Kuniega’s perspective, the company has the potential and opportunity to capitalize on fast-moving markets, both mature and emerging, to advance new products to market and scale up production to take advantage of unique market conditions.

“Whether it be tariffs and reshoring, or supply chain disruptions because of a pandemic, [conditions are] requiring our customers to scale up in the local markets where they have to supply their solutions, so we’re well positioned not only here in the United States because of our legacy, but also in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world through our facility in Malaysia,” Kuniega explains. He sees it as supporting those customers as they face rising costs, resource challenges, rapidly evolving technology, and highly competitive markets.

Embracing change
A significant part of the value delivered by Lanco is the team’s ability to anticipate customers’ needs, for today and for the future. “We have a modular solution,” explains Kuniega. “Each discrete operation is a self-contained module. For instance, if the control system within a module goes down, you don’t have to stop the whole production line.” This affords flexibility and the ability to adapt, reconfigure, and expand operations without the need for costly redesign or reengineering.

These modules comprise all the latest technologies, where needed, such as (take a deep breath!) vision-guided pick and place, dispensing, laser processing, various attachment solutions, multi-axis articulated robot-based mechanisms for material handling, feeders, transport systems, intelligent and smart devices and sensors, industry-leading programmable logic controls, PC-based network systems, and data management solutions.

Essentially, Lanco provides what Kuniega describes as “the glue that holds the whole supply chain together. We’re the best R&D for some of our vendors because we’ll test their products to the limit and in some cases, we’ll tease out some flaws in their software or their hardware and we’ll give them ideas of what they need to enhance their product so they can differentiate themselves.” He notes that this is all while ensuring that customers have the best available technological innovation at their disposal.

This approach is built upon the understanding that with technology advancing at a rapid pace, it becomes harder for customers to understand the breadth and depth of the technology, much less how to unlock its potential, as they may lack the intimate application and market knowledge that sets Lanco apart as an integrator. Lanco takes everything a step further by aligning with sectors where it can deliver the greatest value, leveraging its market insights, precision engineering, and automation expertise to not only add value but also mitigate risk.

Integrating risk management
This team is not only in the business of precision engineering and systems integration; it is also in the business of risk management, and a big part of this approach is centered on its Design for Automation principles, which are applied early in the design cycle to identify and address any potential process and scalability issues while avoiding the potential for costly delays and rework.

“We evaluate our customers’ products and processes, their competitors’ end-market needs, and trends, and engage our critical supply and technology partners as we embark on engineering the right solutions, tailored to address markets’ and customers’ needs,” explains Global Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Barry Rahimian.

From concept to the unique Design for Automation process—as well as data management, line integration, performance optimization, finalization, and post-installation support—Lanco Integrated remains a constant in a market of changing variables.

“At core, we are problem solvers, and we look for difficult automation projects where we can leverage our talents in design engineering, integration, and risk-mitigated process management to provide value to our customers,” Rahimian says. To this end, Lanco Integrated considers all commercial, technical, supply chain, quality, legal, project, financial, and environmental risks and provides comprehensive risk mitigation plans, potential backup plans, and strategies.

Supported by a well-defined and documented risk assessment process internally, Lanco Integrated mitigates risk for itself as well, which helps maintain its robust ability to step up to the plate for its customers. With over 1,000 days without a lost workday at its U.S. operations and pushing 700 days in Malaysia, its strategy and performance speak for themselves.

Future-forward
As part of its approach to forecast and mitigate risk for its customers, in 2024, Lanco established a “Futures” initiative that was, as Rahimian notes, “engineered to align our technology and innovation development efforts with our go-to-market (GTM) strategy, and which was fundamentally based on meeting the needs of our customers and markets.”

This is particularly important where speed to market, market share, and cost-related challenges are concerned, since, as he explains, “we don’t have anything off the shelf that people can order; everything is customized to customer-specific requirements. Everything we do is heavily tailored to their needs, so we have to anticipate our customers’ current and future requirements.”

Key to this value-add is a deeply rooted knowledge of the markets being served, which is why Lanco has undertaken a detailed and expansive market segmentation strategy to ensure its solutions are timely, relevant, and insightful, even where technology is forging ahead. The goal is to ensure that processes remain competitive in the one to two years it takes to implement them in the market.

“Markets will change and evolve in that time, so it’s critical for us to anticipate and be cognizant of the market trends and our customers’—and their customers’—needs and accordingly be able to plan proactively and make sure we keep their future requirements in mind,” says Rahimian.

“We want to show our customers that we know their application, their pain points, their challenges, and we want them to minimize their risk by going with a supplier who has done this over and over, who can bring to the table new thoughts that they hadn’t thought of before,” says Kuniega, referring to the way the company has proven itself through its performance for over a century.

It’s this ability of Lanco’s to evolve, grow, and stay at the leading edge of technological innovation and market trends that has proven to be a sharp strategy for its customers and its vendors. And so Lanco Integrated continues to prove that it is second to none as an automation and precision engineering specialist, capable of optimizing performance on the manufacturing floor while remaining profitable in the most competitive of global markets.

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“We’ve consistently grown the business at a significant pace over the last eight years,” says Vice President of Sales and Engineering, Tyler Eck, who shares leadership of the company with his cousin, both fourth-generation members of the Eck family to run the business. “That’s been compounded by significant annual growth for a business like us.”

While its longevity is impressive, it is the company’s recent transformation that truly stands out. After years of flat growth, Eck Industries embraced automation and made strategic hires in engineering to scale operations even amid industry-wide labor shortages. “Less and less people want to do the hard, difficult jobs, and we’ve been able to grow with fewer people because of the automation solutions we’ve implemented,” Tyler explains.

Eck Industries got its start in 1948 when Tyler’s great-grandfather, a metallurgist by trade, left another foundry due to a disagreement and decided to launch his own. Harley-Davidson was among the young company’s early customers, and even members of the Davidson family were original investors. What started as a scrappy entrepreneurial venture grew into a respected, multi-sector foundry serving industries from automotive to defense.

Today, the family legacy is very much alive. “We’re proudly a fourth-generation, family-owned business,” says Tyler, “and while there are other family members in the fourth generation, it’s just the two of us involved in the business, which allows us to stay focused and agile.” That focus and agility have enabled the company to evolve into a modern, technology-driven operation without losing its foundational values.

A sense of ownership flows down through the organization. With a workforce of roughly 200 employees, Eck Industries remains large enough to tackle complex projects, but small enough that employees are more than just a number or a face in the crowd. People know each other by name and the leadership team walks the floor regularly, listening to input, recognizing outstanding work, and creating a culture in which employees feel valued and heard.

Rather than chasing volume, Eck Industries has built its business around complexity. The company specializes in high-complexity sand and permanent mold castings, often using specialty aluminum-copper and high-strength alloys that few others dare to handle. This expertise attracts clients in sectors where failure isn’t an option.

“We like the hard stuff,” Tyler says simply. “If a part has failed at other foundries or the customer needs something no one else will quote, that’s where we shine.”

These are not just technical challenges; they are strategic opportunities. By focusing on the difficult jobs, Eck avoids competing on price alone and, instead, builds long-term relationships based on trust, performance, and engineering excellence. This forte has allowed the company to work in the defense, aerospace, and electric vehicle sectors, where high-performance, lightweight components are critical.

“One of the biggest advantages of taking on the tough jobs is the barrier to entry,” Tyler notes. “Not everyone has the capability or the appetite to handle the kinds of castings we do, which gives us a strong competitive edge.”

That edge has been sharpened in recent years by the company’s push into automation, not just on the shop floor but throughout the engineering and production lifecycle. “We brought in a few key automation engineers and started building our own solutions in-house,” Tyler says. “That changed everything.”

Rather than outsourcing, Eck Industries designs and implements automation internally. From robotic pouring systems to custom-built fixtures and process optimization, its engineering team owns every step of development. Traditionally, pouring molten metal into molds was a physically demanding and inconsistent process. But Eck has developed robotic systems that can pour up to 150 pounds of metal with high precision.

“Before, an operator might pour one mold at a time. Now we can pour multiple molds faster, more safely, and with better consistency,” Tyler explains. “That opens up new opportunities for larger parts and better economics.”

Automation also supports employee retention by helping to reduce repetitive or dangerous tasks and improve ergonomics. Instead of replacing workers, Eck empowers them to focus on value-added activities like quality control and continuous improvement. “It’s not about removing people from the equation,” Tyler says. “It’s about enabling them to do more meaningful work.”

Beyond hardware, Eck Industries uses powerful software tools like solidification analysis to simulate casting performance before metal is ever poured. This predictive modeling helps optimize gating, cooling, and alloy behavior to avoid common defects. Gating is part of the casting process that smoothly directs the metal to the mold so that the mold is evenly filled for better quality. “It lets us pour the casting in the computer first and see where it might fail,” says Tyler. “That helps us move faster and get it right the first time.”

The benefits are measurable: shorter development cycles, higher first-pass yields, and better customer outcomes. However, these improvements do not happen in isolation; rather, they are the product of a deliberate strategy to keep engineering at the core of the business. “A lot of our wins and losses start in engineering,” Tyler says. “We invest heavily there because if we miss something early on, we pay for it throughout the process.”

To keep the talent pipeline flowing, Eck Industries recruits from top foundry programs and supports the Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF). The company is also proactive about mentoring its young engineers and giving them early ownership of meaningful projects. One junior engineer, for example, was recently given the lead on designing a new robotic grinding cell, an initiative that is now being scaled across the plant.

“That sense of ownership is critical,” Tyler says. “We want people who can grow with us and bring new ideas that challenge the way we’ve always done things.”

This growth mindset extends across all departments. From quality assurance to production scheduling to finishing and shipping, Eck’s employees are encouraged to take initiative. “If someone on the floor has a better idea, we’re all ears,” Tyler says. “That’s how we get better.”

In a competitive manufacturing environment, customers increasingly seek partnerships, not just vendors, and Eck embraces this fully, working closely with clients on design for manufacturability (DFM), cost optimization, and performance improvement. “We’re involved early in the process, often before the part is even fully designed. That’s where we can make the biggest impact.”

This collaborative approach has helped the team forge deep relationships with original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. One recent example involved redesigning a part for a military contractor, which cut production costs by 20 percent and improved durability in the field. “It was a win-win,” Tyler says. “They got a better part, and we deepened the relationship.”

Beyond technical success, Eck Industries contributes to its local economy in Manitowoc through job creation, internships, and civic engagement. The company regularly donates to local schools and sponsors science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives, believing that investment in the next generation benefits both the community and the industry at large.

Sustainability is also a growing priority for this team. Eck recycles nearly all its scrap aluminum, uses energy-efficient equipment where possible, and is evaluating carbon footprint reduction strategies. “It’s the right thing to do,” Tyler says, “and our customers increasingly expect it.”

After nearly eight decades in business, Eck Industries is just getting started. With its automation scaling up, engineering talent deepening, and customer demand growing, the company is positioned for continued expansion—but do not expect this team to compromise its values in the process. “Our goal isn’t to become the biggest foundry out there,” Tyler says. “We want to be the best at what we do, and we want to keep that family feel, that culture of craftsmanship and care.”

That means more investment in people, more automation innovation, and more bold bets on complex castings others will not touch. With the next generation of leadership already proving its mettle, the Eck Industries legacy seems poised to shine even brighter in the years ahead.

“We’re not afraid to try hard things,” Tyler Eck says. “We believe if you do the right things long enough, the results will follow. That’s how we’ve built this company, and that’s how we’ll continue to grow it.”

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