Supporting manufacturers
“We serve our clients in a number of ways,” says President Dennis Gilbert. Consulting is one major area of support. This might be in the form of project management or in helping manufacturers meet industry standards and regulations. Whatever the need, IMC boasts the expertise for tackling industry-specific challenges unique to manufacturing.

The team can tailor a solution to meet an individual manufacturer’s specific concerns. “Part of our process is interviewing them to determine where they are, the current state, and where they want to go,” says Business Advisor Tim Davis. Then, the team will determine “how our offerings line up with that.”

IMC offers a variety of training services, “whether individualized or small group training, to much larger implementations of training. That might be a 200-employee company, where we retrain 80 or 100 of them,” Gilbert says.

“Our flagship programs are largely in the area of Lean manufacturing, or what you might call continuous improvement,” he explains. Lean Manufacturing Level 1 and Lean Manufacturing Level 2 are offered every spring and fall. Each program consists of eight sessions, held every other week.

“Those are big programs for us,” he says. “We do a lot with those. We also do what is often called soft skills or essential skills training.” These classes cover skills “that are connected to developing supervisors, developing plant floor leaders.” The Center also offers higher level training, including for C suite employees. Other programs cover ISO, OSHA, and safety training, as well as IT and cybersecurity support. “We have subject matter experts in-house and third parties that we work with on various topics when we need to,” says Business Advisor Rick Terry.

The team can also assist in HR matters. “We help companies think about succession planning, competency requirements for job roles, things like that,” says Gilbert. “A lot of small to midsized manufacturers—which is our entire marketplace—they are looking for how they can onboard the right leaders in their team. Sometimes that might be in family-owned businesses—it might be the mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather leading the business. And then they’re trying to exit the business, but they want to have the business go on to succeed. They sometimes have children, grandchildren that might be interested, and sometimes they don’t. So, there’s a lot of work around succession.”

Lean manufacturing
“In very general terms, [Lean manufacturing] provides a system that companies can use as a guide to make themselves better, to improve in all areas,” says Terry. “It [involves] determining your current state and then your future state of where you want to be, and sets a direction to start making changes to get there. It doesn’t mean every change results in a positive result,” but every result is evaluated to determine the next step of improvement. “You’re continuously trying to move toward that level you want to be at.”

Lean manufacturing requires everyone’s input and participation. “The process itself works on engaging folks in an organization at all levels,” Terry says. “You need that top leadership… but you also need the folks that work on the floor in that organization. A lot of times, they are the subject matter experts in their area, and you need that information in order to assess both the current and future state of where you want to be. I think that’s a good thing about Lean manufacturing; in order to work and to be successful, you need to engage everybody.”

Training and guiding manufacturers in the principles of Lean is a key IMC goal. “Our Lean program is very thorough and broad,” says Davis. “Lean itself is really [about] identifying and eliminating waste. So our program is heavy on teaching people to be able to see what is waste, what is value added, what is not value added within their own work environment. We’re really working on teaching people to fish instead of handing them fish. And so the people who are doing the work get trained on how to recognize waste, good flow, quality, and value within their own work environments, and then are able to work on the problems themselves.”

Success stories
Diamondback Automotive Accessories, Inc. is an excellent example of a business utilizing IMC’s services to achieve continuous improvement. The Philipsburg, Pennsylvania-based company manufactures load-bearing pickup truck covers and accessories, primarily for outdoor enthusiasts. The business was experiencing rapid growth—25 percent growth in 2020 followed by 45 percent growth in 2021.

But, along with this impressive expansion came a new challenge, picking the correct parts for shipment.

To solve the problem, IMC’s Continuous Improvement team led an effort that included onsite guidance to reduce picking errors, and off-site coaching utilizing a number of Lean tools such as A3 thinking, PDCA cycles, DMAIC projects, FEMAs, and Coaching Katas.

This effort improved manufacturing communications, enhanced data visualization, deployed new equipment, improved labeling, and changed or improved processes. Within one year, picking errors dropped from 2.29 percent to 1.29 percent. Now, the company is all set to achieve their next target goal, which is an error rate of under 1 percent.

Another success story showcases IMC’s IT expertise. NuVisions Center works to improve the lives of people with vision, physical, or mental impairments and educates the public about vision loss. The Lewistown, Pennsylvania-based organization currently employs 44 people with disabilities across various industries. In order to keep an existing employment contract, the organization needed to achieve a higher level of cybersecurity. Compliance requirements for government contracting can be challenging for small companies with limited resources, especially since these requirements continue to evolve. NuVisions Center did not have in-house IT support, making it even more difficult for them to meet the new requirements.

IMC provided professional assistance, guiding the company through the process every step of the way. As a result, NuVisions Center successfully achieved the new cybersecurity requirements, saving an employee contract and retaining three jobs for their workforce.

Looking ahead
Going forward, “we have a lot of plans,” says Gilbert. A key goal is to reach more manufacturers and increase IMC’s impact within the communities served. “Manufacturing is a very important sector to Pennsylvania,” he points out. “So, some of our goals are not financial per se, but more about the impact that we create by helping companies, helping manufacturers, and then also from our own internal outlook, how can we deepen not only that impact, but our penetration?”

The team has determined that “six months ago, we were at about a 40 percent penetration rate, and now we’re at about a 55 percent penetration rate,” Gilbert shares. “[This is] measuring, of course, that we’re reaching more people, we’re talking to more people, we’re giving more and more people advice and training.”

Already an important pillar of support for Central Pennsylvania’s manufacturers, IMC is well positioned to broaden its reach. With a dedicated team ready to offer expert guidance, training, and more, the Center is sure to help many more manufacturers and communities enjoy a bright future.

The post Supporting Central Pennsylvania’s Manufacturers<p class="company">Innovative Manufacturers' Center</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

A history of growth
Incorporated in 1995, Curry Fluid Power is the first spinoff of Curry Supply which was established in 1932 and is owned by the Ritchey family. Originally named Central Hydraulics, it offered an inventory of hydraulic hoses, belts, and other components that supported both in-house and customers’ parts needs.

“Curry Supply Company manufactures service trucks like water trucks and mechanics’ trucks, lube trucks, and more, so Curry Fluid Power was a spinoff of that, which was hydraulics, fluid power, and the parts division. We started in a small barn with a couple of people, and the main customers back then were local guys,” says Vice President Ryan Stoltz.

As well as supplying parts, Curry Fluid Power repaired hydraulic cylinders, pumps, motors, and valves. As the services multiplied, so did demand, and in 2008 the company expanded into a larger facility in East Freedom, Pennsylvania, where it operates to this day.

“We found that a lot of the cylinders and things needed parts made, so we added a machine shop to make those parts and then that turned into manufacturing new components and cylinders,” says Stoltz.

This move enabled growth in capacity through the addition of a fully equipped machine shop, but it was still not enough to satisfy demand. The following year, a new facility was opened in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, just south of Pittsburgh and close to the Marcellus Shale formation, a booming sector that Curry was well-equipped to support.

In 2016, further growth took place with the addition of 32,500 square feet of space to the company’s machining and repair shops. In the following years, its operational footprint expanded to Phoenix, Arizona to better service its market presence across North America and globally.

“We’ve kind of become a one-stop shop, so we have the manufacturing and the repair and all the components that go with it. So when somebody comes to us, they don’t need to go anywhere else for their fluid power needs. They can call us and no matter what it is, we can help them out and do what they need us to do for them,” says Stoltz.

To further deliver on this commitment across the company’s footprint, the third location, which was added in Phoenix, Arizona, enables the team to respond even quicker.

As Stoltz explains, “Based on our inventory and where the customer is, we’re able to pick and choose where we ship product from, so we can get them what they need within a few days’ freight anywhere in the U.S.” The result? New customers, more quotes, and unlimited potential for growth, he says.

Evolution and adaptation
Throughout its evolution, Curry Fluid Power has continued to add capacity and size to sustain its growth. With three pillars to its operation, it has a strong foundation to grow on.

“Manufacturing, repair, and distribution—they’re the three pillars of our business. We’ve just continued to add machines, add people, get into new customers, and really diversify our total product offerings,” says Stoltz. “On the distribution side, we sell all the components that go with it: the hoses, the fittings, the adapters, any other hydraulic components.”

With three stocking locations, a large inventory, and expansive in-house expertise, customers can depend on Curry Fluid Power for same-day shipping and unmatched service whether they’re looking for a part, repair, or manufacturing support. The company’s machine shop can design, reverse engineer, and manufacture OEM cylinders and other components; provide testing and quality control processes; and repair cylinders, pumps, motors, and valves.

As a Danfoss Authorized Service Center, Permco and Youli Valve Master Build Center, and member of both NAHAD (The Association for Hose and Accessories Distribution) and the Hose Safety Institute, Curry Fluid Power offers expert service supported by modern facilities and a deeply rooted commitment to success.

“All our facilities are very modern, so that helps attract and retain employees. All our machines are new and well maintained,” Stoltz says, a significant contributor to the company’s success.

A culture driven to succeed
Talent attraction and retention are a big part of Curry Fluid Power’s secret sauce. It has become a place to grow a career, and this fuels the passion and drive that show up throughout its staff.

Now 40 years old, Stoltz has spent 24 years with the company, moving up through the ranks and, he says, growing his commitment to the company’s success. “We all feel like owners in some sort of way even though we’re not. We’re all invested in the company, and it feels like ours,” he says. “We’re young and hungry as far as the culture goes. We have a lot of young guys, people who want to grow and see the company grow. It’s a family-owned company which keeps us all close, and we like to promote from within.”

This sentiment was shared by Vince Heaton, Production Manager, who referred to the ownership team and their “fearlessness” in including employees in the company’s success through open feedback loops and a decision-making process that puts stock in its employees.

Heaton says, “When you come to [management] with an idea and you want to try this or that, the answer is always yes. They invest in us, they believe in us, they believe in the company.”

Director of Business Management Frank Spaid agrees. “It’s not a factory atmosphere where you just come in and do your job and leave after eight hours. Just about everybody in the company is involved in some way shape or form as to the outcome of it.”

The employees on the shop floor are empowered to make decisions. From the leadership perspective, “the people that are close to the problem get the chance to fix the problems. I think that’s allowed us to move faster, think faster,” explains Heaton, confirming that this approach gets the job done and done well for customers.

Eyes on the future
As most companies know, growth presents both an opportunity and a challenge, and that holds true for Curry Fluid Power. While the opportunities are endless, the team must ensure it has the capacity and resources to satisfy demand.

“We have to be able to increase capacity, improve our processes, and get faster and more technological, and personnel is always tricky. Not a lot of people are going into machining and welding and those kinds of trades anymore, so one of the hardest things is finding new personnel and retaining them. That’s a challenge,” says Stoltz.

Curry Fluid Power has planned a remodel that will add 20,000 additional square feet of space to house machinery. The company has added staff as it has grown and will continue its quest to acquire additional facilities or operations to sustain its expanding footprint. Curry Fluid Power is also investing in further improving the working conditions for its employees, a testament to the concern of the company’s ownership for the people who have served it so well.

Highly valuing relationships and respecting its people, Curry Fluid Power shows every day what makes it the partner of choice for parts, repairs, and the manufacture of fluid power solutions for customers in North America and around the world.

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Heading toward its seventh decade in business, API was founded in 1962 by a block manufacturer that started this company to fabricate concrete lintels. From there, the company expanded, changing hands thrice before Steve Kenepp, President and CEO, purchased the company in 2015. API has a long history of precasting, with precast/prestressed concrete building components for parking garages being made in its facilities in the 1980s.

The company went on to make building components for air traffic control towers, airport terminals, and stadiums commercially. Its steel shop opened in 1983, and a new plant followed a few years later. Today, its facilities span 30 acres, with about 14,000 square feet of fabrication area, including a form fabrication shop and steel fabrication shop. Everything happens here, with the exception of galvanizing [for steel components], which happens off-site.

No stranger to change, API is also a company that strives to evolve. Now, it is moving toward design-build and design-assist projects by customer request. Collaborating with owners, developers, and designers, the team helps establish budgets, schedules, and efficiency. The company is comfortably equipped for product development and process improvement, which drives innovation for the company and industry.

To this end, investment in technology has allowed API to incorporate cutting-edge methods with modern materials to deliver a service that keeps customers in the loop and engaged with modeling software in ways that were not possible in the past. A recently acquired computer numerical control (CNC) machine also expands its form building capabilities. The CNC machine is also used to process foam insulation for insulated panel production. API will also soon employ projection lasers in its casting process.

“Laser projection will help us increase the tolerances in our products. It will also help improve the efficiency and construction time,” says Kenepp. “I’m pretty excited about that. It will enhance our production capabilities and help with efficiency.”

Certainly, precision goes into every project and currently, the team is collaborating on a design-assist brick cladding project with Mount Nittany Medical Center in Pennsylvania. The medical center is currently constructing a new patient tower at its existing premises on Park Ave, State College, Pennsylvania. Moreover, there is a series of data centers among the company’s upcoming projects.

For Kenepp, API’s success rides on the quality of his team of around 80 people, many of whom have been with the firm for decades, often straight out of school, some joining as many as 30 and 40 years ago. While entire families and multiple generations work here, people’s tenures remain impressive too. Even the Vice President of Operations has been with the firm for over 50 years, and the Operations Manager started working here during his high school years.

“The people come before the business. It’s really neat to have a group of people that have worked together for so many years. They’re very dedicated people. [In this business], people are our most valuable assets,” Kenepp says.

To keep morale high, an employee engagement committee ensures that everyone has enough time to interact and keep their interpersonal relationships healthy. So that employees remain apprised of the latest developments in the field, the company encourages further training, with support, of course. In addition, leadership respects employees’ personal and family obligations. Holding a firm belief that it is the unspoken mandate of companies to serve the communities in which they do business, Kenepp expresses joy in sponsoring local community events, including high school bands, Little League baseball, and other local charity events doing good for the community.

At API, relationships matter. Serving a 250-mile radius from its plant in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, this architectural precast supplier to the construction industry knows that longevity means doing the right thing consistently and becoming a partner to its customers.

“While we are a manufacturer, our company is as much about the people as the product. We work in more of a family environment here. Culture has a lot to do with what we do,” says Kenepp.

Well known for its high-end architectural panels, the company is proud that most of its sales are of attractive, high-quality custom fabricated components, available in a large selection of custom shapes, colors, and finishes. In addition, it is known for its insulated precast wall panels which are highly sought after for warehouses, data centers, health care facilities, and institutional projects—building types that Kenepp notes are on the rise. The shift toward incorporating this product is driven by modern building demands for energy conservation, reducing building operating costs over the life of a structure.

What does precast concrete offer specifiers and clients and why is it chosen for such a diverse array of projects? Precast meets construction goals of constructability, schedule, and cost, and elevates aesthetic expression. Additionally, designers turn to precast for sustainability attributes such as minimizing construction waste—because components are fabricated off-site—while also reducing impact to surrounding areas. This outstanding building material also delivers excellent thermal performance and fire resistance.

“If you look at long-term durability and resilience of precast concrete, these buildings will easily go from 50 to 100 years,” Kenepp adds, explaining that when precast concrete is replaced, it’s usually to update an overall look rather than because it is structurally unsound. Therefore, performance and longevity are, as a rule, not an issue with this product—these days even less so, as precast elements are continuously improved and developed to protect people and property, as in the case of storm shelters.

Other examples of the latest in precast product innovation include addressing security concerns. Anti-terrorism products are composed of highly engineered precast concrete building components custom-engineered to offer blast loading protection in buildings belonging to the federal government and other buildings requiring safe haven for the general public. “Our connections, reinforcing, and panels are all designed to withstand whatever forces people are looking to protect against,” Kenepp says.

API’s quality speaks for itself, winning numerous awards across many building types over the years. As a PCI-AA-certified architectural precast concrete fabricator, API is capable of delivering the highest level of complexity, crafting uniquely beautiful, sculptural, and effective design solutions.

To illustrate the strength of precast concrete, a boardwalk API built along Long Beach, New York remained undamaged by Hurricane Sandy, even while another boardwalk was entirely destroyed.

“When we installed the last piece of this boardwalk, the people in the community came together in a big gathering to watch. It was amazing. There were a lot of hugs, tears, and all kinds of good stuff,” Kenepp says, smiling and noting how good it feels to return meaning to a community to which such infrastructure gives so much pleasure.

API is also grateful for its rewarding relationships with the small and large contracting partners with which it regularly works. Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Structure Tone, Gilbane Building Company, and Turner Construction are but a few.

The industry, like most others, is changing, and such industry shifts are also impacting how the company works. Building sites are becoming increasingly cramped, and logistics and execution are more precision-planned than ever. As a firm known for being schedule-driven and doing what it takes to secure successful delivery of its projects, API is increasingly trusted by customers to get their jobs done well, on time, and within budget.

While rising costs are turning building trends toward more modular building in high-density urban areas, the demand for API’s work is also growing. The great advantage of its facility comes to the fore as the company can execute high-accuracy work in a controlled environment, giving the team control over aspects like weather that cannot be controlled on traditional job sites. This is why prefabrication means speed. As on-site assembly takes a fraction of the time of traditional construction, earlier occupancy is just one of the pluses that clients appreciate about this discipline.

“Modular construction is a trend that is just going to become bigger and bigger, and customers are yet to come up with anything we can’t build,” Kenepp says. As this team of problem solvers heads into the future, they continue holding to their maxim: if you can draw it, they can build it.

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