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How to Overcome the Manufacturing Skills Gap Reshoring: Everything Manufacturing Execs Need to Know Lean in the Digital World
Additive Manufacturing Is Revolutionizing The Aerospace Landscape
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Contents
FEATURES
Leadership Reshoring: Everything Manufacturing Execs Need to Know
8 20
26 People & Skills How to Overcome the Manufacturing Skills Gap
Top 10
Manufacturing Startups
14
Technology How additive manufacturing is changing the aerospace landscape
Lean Lean in the Digital World
32 5
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Contents
64
Association: FEMIA
56
L umotech South Africa
46
SMS Electronics
Company Profiles
92 84 TT Group
The Delfield Company
EUROPE 46 SMS Electronics
AFRICA 56 L umotech South Africa
America Latina 64 Association: FEMIA
108
Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals
100
74 Airbus Helicopters
CANADA
Acton Air
84 TT Group
USA 92 The Delfield Company
Australia Airbus Helicopters
74
100 ActronAir 108 Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals
7
LEADERSHIP
Reshoring: Everything Manufacturing Execs Need to Know The idea of reshoring manufacturing needs is appealing to many manufacturing executives. Manufacturing Global gives manufacturers a checklist to ensure everything runs according to plan. Written by: Deana Cacus
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Leadership Rising transportation costs and energy prices, wage inflation and demand for shorter lead times have prompted many U.S. and Canadian companies to consider reshoring the production of goods bound for domestic markets back to North America. This is good news for many, as it allows companies to focus on growth and productivity within their home base. It could have a host of other benefits, the most obvious being an increase in job opportunities for North American workers. Onshore
manufacturing could also lower reliance on foreign energy sources, which could ultimately lead to further interest in renewable and alternative energy sources. And bringing operations closer to headquarters could allow companies to address increasing consumer interest in higher quality small batch goods. These are all sound reasons to return home. But the transition can be a difficult one, and the decision to reshore should not be made without taking the following into consideration. Where costs are concerned,
Reshoring can provide a host of opportunities that can wide ranging benefits for the local and national economies at large, providing jobs and reducing dependancy foreign energy sources
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September 2014
R e s h orin g : w h at e x e cs n e e d to k now
focus on the total, not the unit Both direct and indirect expenses should be calculated when evaluating offshore and onshore locations. According to IndustryWeek, experts believe that by focusing on unit costs instead of the total cost of ownership (which includes transportation costs, intellectual property risks and inventory carrying costs) manufacturers are overestimating their potential sales from offshore operations by 20 to 30 percent. For further research, the Reshoring Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., offers an online tool that calculates 29 cost factors to accurately determining total costs of projects. Understand the domestic labor market Businesses were not prompted to move their operations overseas solely due to the cost initiative. Quality and supply of labor are additional factors in the success of most reshoring projects. Plant closures and an aging workforce have decreased the amount of skilled manufacturing workers worldwide. Within the States, the
Harry Moser, President of the Reshoring Initiative
shortage is furthered by pressures to pursue a four-year degree when a two-year technical degree may suffice. Some communities offer comprehensive technical training programs that produce well-trained and highly skilled workers. These are the geographical areas to focus on when considering reshoring. Utilize government incentives In alignment with their support for projects that contribute to the economy, local, state and federal governments have actively supported the comeback of American manufacturing. For example, the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Make it in America 11
Leadership Challenge is a current initiative providing $40 million in grants to support reshoring projects. The aim of the Challenge is to encourage foreign and domestic businesses to build and/or expand their operations in the States. Up to 15 financial awards will be made to accelerate growth and job creation. Many cities and states also offer incentives (including free or low-cost pre-employment training) to support manufacturing operations. Conduct research to see which programs could be beneficial to your company. Incentives are a small part of the equation and should not be what drives a project to a specific location, especially if it doesn’t meet the company’s operating requirements. Analyze transportation costs Transportation costs, including the delivery of raw materials and the shipment of finished products, make up a huge portion of the cost of goods sold in the United States and can vary depending on location. Considering the current shortages of truck drivers and equipment and growing global concern for sustainability, it may be wise to investigate other means of transportation, particularly rail. 12
September 2014
Assess demand Locally produced goods are in high demand thanks to retailer’s campaigns to encourage Americans to opt for goods made in the U.S.A. But this “return to our roots” effort is not universal, and miscalculations can lead to losses. If reshoring helps your company cut costs, then it seems like a measure worth considering. But if your company is banking on consumers’ enthusiasm to buy American, remember that price and quality are usually the determining factors in making a purchase, not simply the location of the source. Look into utility services and rates Solid, cost-competitive electrical power is essential for most manufacturing operations. Power prices can vary significantly by location and can mean millions of dollars annually for heavy users. Water quality and availability and wastewater treatment capacity are important to operations like food processing. With rates and available capacities varying between locations--and sometimes even sites within the same area--it is important to conduct research on
‘Rising transportation costs and energy prices, wage inflation and demand for shorter lead times have prompted many U.S. and Canadian companies to consider reshoring the production of goods bound for domestic markets back to North America’
offshore versus onshore utility rates.
The reshoring initiative is a non-profit dedicated to bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US. www.reshorenow.org
Don’t forget about taxes State and local rates and structures vary across the U.S. and Canada. Carefully assess the potential cost of corporate income taxes and taxes imposed on all of your business expenses including production equipment, facilities, machinery and inventory. These costs could ultimately make a considerable difference in your manufacturing budget. 13
TEC H NO LO GY
How Additive Manufacturing is Changing the Aerospace Landscape Additive manufacturing is big news. Manufacturing Global uncovers exactly how its changing the aerospace sector for good Writ ten by: Deana Cacus
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TE C H NO L O G Y Everyone is talking about 3D printing and how it will revolutionize our world, particularly in the realm of manufacturing. From toys to jewelry to prosthetic limbs, additive manufacturing is creating thousands of opportunities for individuals and businesses to easily manufacture products that address their needs. But 3D printing isn’t a novel concept for all manufacturers, as some firms have been utilizing the technology for years. For the aerospace sector, where small reductions in weight can mean large savings in fuel costs, the ability to create lightweight, cost-friendly components is transforming the industry. US-based aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has created the first working aero-engine to use additively manufactured parts. The PurePower PW1500G contains 24 such parts, from simple brackets to complex central engine components that were designed to withstand high temperatures. The PurePower engine powered a Bombardier CSeries plane successfully through a 2013 test flight and is scheduled to enter into service in 2015. The concept of additive 16
September 2014
Caption the of image The first to flight PurePower PW1500 manufacturing involves using lasers to fix layers of powdered metal into a digital mould. It has been around in various incarnations for over thirty years. Stereolithography was first commercialized in the States in the 1980’s. The 90’s brought new developments in 3D printing methods such as laser sintering, as rapid prototyping became more common. In the early 2000’s, when engineers began realizing that these technologies could be applied to manufacturing, the
C h an g in g t h e A e rospac e L an d scap e
0G
Engine of PurePower PW1500G term additive layer manufacturing (or ALM) was officially coined. P&W’s Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine is revolutionary for the industry. The first series of P&W engines that utilizes powder-bed additive manufacturing, it now has more than 5,000 engine orders and commitments, including options. Geared Turbofan engines use a reduction gearbox to connect the fan at the front end of the engine to the low-pressure shaft. The cooling mechanism enables the turbines
to run at higher speeds than more conventional turbofans. Built-in advanced cooling technologies help prevent damage to the device’s metal components, leading to a reduced fuel consumption of up to 16 percent and a 75 percent reduction in noise output. Using this method, designs can be made in a fraction of the time required by traditional techniques and changed at the touch of a button. There is minimal waste involved, which leads to a reduction in costs. ALM reduces consumption of raw materials 17
TE C H NO L O G Y
3D printing in action
“For the aerospace sector, where small reductions in weight can mean large savings in fuel costs, the ability to create lightweight, cost-friendly components is transforming the industry� by up to 50 percent compared with traditional techniques such as forging or casting. These are significant savings, given the costs involved with aerospace-grade metals. ALM is also more adaptable than other methods and can therefore be used to produce more detailed designs. The weight savings on components are also substantial. The ratio between the weight of the raw 18
September 2014
material used to make a part and the weight of the finalized part can be up to 20 to 1. Using ALM can reduce the ratio to less than 2 to 1. P&W has used ALM to make more than 100,000 parts and prototypes to date, including casting patterns, tooling and test rig hardware. Since its inception, more than 2,000 metal prototypes have been made for use in developmental engine programs.
C h an g in g t h e A e rospac e L an d scap e
P&W is using the titanium and alloys it already uses on its engines, modifying the additive manufacturing process to create properties more consistent with its current materials. This process involves a number of steps. First, an engineer prepares a build file. A 3D CAD design is created for each part and then split into layers about 0.1mm thick, which are then grown in a bed of metal powder. The powder is then melted by a laser or electron beam that follows the shape highlighted by the initial CAD design. The chamber space is lowered and concealed with another coat of powder before the process is repeated. When the components have grown, any leftover powder is cleared from the component and re-used to make another part. ALM does have its limitations. Scale can be an issue, as casting techniques produce high volumes cheaply. But as the investment in technology continues, the efficiency and cost savings of ALM are increasing. The flexibility and cost-savings delivered by ALM will revolutionize the aerospace industry in the future. Further research is being
conducted, such as at the University of Connecticut Research Center, where researchers are looking into how to improve and optimize the ALM process for specific parts and alloys. Researchers are focusing on powder size and purity, the number of times it can be used before it requires cleaning, the process parameters of power input and laser speed. Pratt & Whitney have big plans for ALM and expect the technology to play an increasingly broad role in its manufacturing process, where it can support their overall goal to make products that are both greener and more efficient for their growing customer base.
How the PurePower PW1000G engine works
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Le a n
Lean in the Digital World W ritten b y : A b i g a i l P h i ll i p s 20
September 2014
21
Lean Lean principles is the name given to a group of production techniques developed by Japanese manufacturing companies to maximize customer value while also conserving resources. Lean production methods have also been described as aiming “to combine the flexibility and quality of craftsmanship with the low costs of mass production.” These principles have begun to play a key role in a variety of industries beyond manufacturing that are now faced with adapting to the quickly evolving technologies and markets of the Internet age. As companies transition from the industrial economy to the digital one, lean philosophies are influencing nearly every aspect of
‘As companies transition from the industrial economy to the digital one, lean philosophies are influencing nearly every aspect of their business’ 22
September 2014
their business. Lean’s core concept of maximizing customer values while minimizing waste feels quite appropriate to our times, as there is an increasing need for organizations to better understand what customers truly value. Additionally, companies need to organize their work activities to efficiently develop and deliver the right products and services and continuously improve customer value and efficiency based on actual marketplace feedback. This “pull” approach is markedly different from the “push” approaches of the past. Within the industrial economy of the past, firms were mostly organized around push approaches, which seemed to be the right way to organize the fast growing industrial-age companies and industries. While public and private institutions were experiencing major changes, those changes were relatively small and predictable. The biggest challenge was to manage the growing means of production in the most efficient way possible. Institutions embraced topdown organizational structures to help scale their production of goods and services. This served them well
H e a d lin e
For companies utilising digital technologies, it is an efficient method to engage with customers and provide superior value at competitive costs in a relatively consistent world where the same actions yielded the same results, and models could make relatively accurate predictions. But the push economy is disappearing amid our complex and ever-evolving world. The current world, with its vast array of components and their intricate patterns of interconnectivity, exhibits all the properties of dynamic, complex systems, including unpredictable and seemingly counterintuitive behaviors. A company that wants to stand
apart from its competitors can do so through one of two key ways: by providing a superior customer experience or by offering the lowest prices. For companies that aim for the former, digital technologies are the best means of engaging with customers and providing them a superior value at competitive costs. At the same time, providing such a superior experience to increasingly empowered digital customers is getting harder. New innovations are hitting the market faster than ever, 23
Lean brand loyalty continues to decrease and growing competition is continuing to shift power from the institution to the individual. Consumers have more options than ever before in virtually every category of products and services as well as in the channels used to acquire them. Additionally, customers are taking full advantage of all the information they can now easily access to search for and identify the best possible values. Access to so many options puts pressure on businesses. A few leading, cutting-edge companies can keep up, but the vast majority of companies are trailing behind. While working harder to become more efficient and predictable, they continue to try to implement new technology into old business models. This strategy may have worked well in the environment of the industrial economy, but it will not succeed in the ever-changing digital economy. Companies need to focus more attention on their own digital transformation to better keep up with their increasingly digital customers. To help them do so, we are seeing lean principles applied to the management of existing 24
September 2014
‘Companies need to focus more attention on their own digital transformation to better keep up with their increasingly digital customers’
With an evolving economy, moving from a conventional industrial model to a more flexible and efficient digital model, companies need to rework their approach to business to maximise the new technologies
L e an in t h e Di g ital W orl d
institutions as well as fresh startups. The Lean Management Enterprise, a recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute, lists four lean management disciplines practiced by the best performing organizations they’ve worked with over the years. “Delivering value efficiently to the customer,” is the first discipline. “The organization must start by understanding what customers truly value - and where, when, how, and why as well,” the report states. It then adds three additional management disciplines: 1. “Enabling people to lead and contribute to their fullest potential:” enable employees to own their individual development without leaving them to discover it alone. 2. “Discovering better ways of working:” the entire enterprise must continually think about how today’s methods of working and managing could be improved. 3. “Connecting strategy, goals and meaningful purpose:” maintain an evolving vision of what the organization is all
The Lean Management Enterprise, report by the McKinsey Global Institute about, which shapes strategies and objectives in ways that give meaning to your daily work. Lean philosophies emphasize the concept of continuous improvement, an ongoing effort aimed at achieving incremental changes that, over the long term, will significantly improve products, services and processes as well as the overall management of the organization. This eternal cycle of exchanging, experimenting and learning perhaps best accounts for the growing importance of lean principles in the digital economy. 25
P e o pl e & S k ill s
How to Overcome the Manufacturing Skills Gap Manufacturing Global asks: How can companies large and small overcome the manufacturing skills gap? W r i t t e n b y: D e a n a C a c u s
The severe shortage of highly skilled manufacturing workers is an increasing issue as manufacturing output expands and many of today’s experienced machinists, engineers, CNC operators and test technicians are reaching retirement age. Companies of all sizes need to become more proactive in addressing skills gaps and planning for the future. 26
September 2014
Industry leaders should partner with schools, government agencies, and nonprofit associations to keep the pool of skilled workers growing. But the process doesn’t end there. Manufacturers need to take aggressive action both inside and outside of their factories to foster a viable workforce for today and tomorrow. Since many manufacturing jobs
require only a high school education and on-the-job training, companies should build their visibility in high schools, promote manufacturing career opportunities and launch recruitment efforts. The education system overall must recognize the value of training students for these types of careers as well as understand how substantially these jobs can support the economy.
Small manufacturers should partner with community colleges and vocational programs to assure that the pool of skilled candidates continues to grow. Corporations should also collaborate more often with education partners and the government on programs that are geared towards developing specific skills. If effective public-private 27
P e o pl e & S k ill s
Car manufactuting production line partnerships do not currently exist in their regions, manufacturers should commit to building them, applying the best practices of successful programs that exist elsewhere. Public agencies such as local governments should also heavily analyze the availability of specific manufacturing skills in their region. If the labor pool cannot sufficiently support both the current 28
September 2014
needs of existing production facilities, they are unlikely to support investments planned for the future. These communities need to support training programs and offer financial aid or loan forgiveness to people who enter college or vocational programs geared towards obtaining manufacturing skills. Educational and supporting organizations need to be aware of
How to O v e rcom e t h e M anufacturin g S k ills Gap
‘Since many manufacturing jobs require only a high school education and on-the-job training, companies should build their visibility in high schools, promote manufacturing career opportunities and launch recruitment efforts’ the hiring needs of manufacturers in their communities and link the worker supply chain at colleges and vocational schools with those needs. Hybrid educational systems that teach technical skills as well as critical thinking and leadership are ideal, as all are valuable tools in manufacturing operations. But recruitment alone doesn’t solve the problem, as there are still countless factory workers worldwide who lack the advanced skills and motivation to be truly valuable employees. And this isn’t entirely their fault. One common issue with manufacturers is that they aren’t investing in their current employees.
“I’ve been working as a temp for a manufacturing company for over two years now,” a California factory worker who declined to be named told me. “At the end of each year, they lay me off for 90 days and then bring me back as a temp again. That way, they can keep using me without having to pay for health benefits or give me any stock options.” The company that he works for has reportedly been doing this to employees for years, and apparently they are not the only company to employ this system. After acquiring useful skills and industry knowledge, many factory workers tire of their temp status—and of the lack of access to benefits and job security—and leave the industry altogether. Although excellent manufacturing employees
Teaching Apprentice To Use Milling Machine
29
P e o pl e & S k ill s are created in the process, they aren’t properly retained. And when companies don’t incentivize them or even guarantee their return, these employees are bound to leave for other opportunities. Investing in internal training programs that further factory workers’ education can add to their skill set and make them additionally valuable to the company. Extensive training will not only give them the expertise needed to complete the job, it will also ensure their viability as an employee and strengthen their position at the company. Capable employees lead to better production, and a talented workforce is necessary for a business to remain competitive.
Learning to use cutting machine
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September 2014
‘By understanding the threat of the qualified labor shortage and investing to galvanize the current workforce and cultivate the next generation of professionals, the industry can ensure that a skills deficiency will not derail the global manufacturing resurgence’ Whether young manufacturing workers are new recruits or retained employees, they need guidance and mentorship. Matching younger talent with experienced employees in the matter of an apprenticeship model is a good way to ensure that skills are taught and retained even after initial training has been completed. Millennials are a very different breed from the Boomers they will soon be replacing. It has been projected that by 2020, Millennials will make up nearly
How to O v e rcom e t h e M anufacturin g S k ills Gap
Repairing electronic components 50 percent of the U.S. workforce. Manufacturers need to focus on promoting their companies and the industry as an increasingly innovative environment, and Millennials need to be shown the role they can play in bringing the industry into the future. The technical skills that Millennials acquire simply through being raised with advanced technology can be
an enormous asset in the factory environment and can give them a competitive edge in the job market. By understanding the threat of the qualified labor shortage and investing to galvanize the current workforce and cultivate the next generation of professionals, the industry can ensure that a skills deficiency will not derail the global manufacturing resurgence. 31
TO P 1 0
Top10
Manufacturing Startups
While the large multinationals dictate the global notoriety of trends, we take a look at the fresh-faced startups not only punching above their weight to meet these trends, but adding a little innovation of their own Written by: Deana Cacus
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top 10
10
Nest Labs
Former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers founded Nest Labs in 2010. Nest Labs specializes in home automation devices that are selflearning and sensor-driven. The first product they manufactured was a thermostat that could program itself based on user preferences. The thermostat employed sensor technology to
detect when the home was vacant in order to lower energy use. Earlier this year, Google acquired the company for $3.2 billion. The company has grown from Fadell and Rogers to over 400 employees. In June, the company-which still operates under the name Nest Labs--announced that they would buy startup Dropcam for $555 million. www.nest.com
Nest thermostat that programs itself
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September 2014
M anufacturin g S tartups
The new DODOcase folio
09
DODOcase
This San Francisco-based tablet cover company was founded by Patrick Buckley and Craig Dalton in 2010, launching alongside the iPad. The pair began their business by cutting bamboo frames on CNC machines at TechShop, a community-based
workshop and prototyping studio in San Francisco. Though the company now has a 10,000-foot factory for the construction of their sleeves, each DODOcase is still made by hand. Within the first month, orders went from 10 to 900 a day, and the company has expanded from six employees to 25. www.dodocase.co.uk 35
top 10
NODE+ CO2 sensor
08
Variable Technologies
A former developer of sensor technologies for NASA and the Department of Homeland Security, Dr. George Yu developed his idea for the NODE wireless sensor platform for smart devices. His team began to focus on how NODE could be used to aid businesses in their supply chain processes. With Variable’s API, mobile app 36
September 2014
developers and agencies have also developed solutions for emerging market opportunities utilizing NODE modular sensors in the manufacturing industry as well as monitoring, transport and logistics. NODE+chroma has become a leader in digital color referencing and color library management across multiple industries around the world. www.variableinc.com
M anufacturin g S tartups
07
3D Robotics
Chris Anderson quit his job as editor-in-chief of Wired magazine to focus on his startup, which makes flying drones. Through a UAV platform, the company’s drones capture aerial imagery for enjoyment and data analysis, enabling mapping, surveying and 3D modeling. The venture capital-backed startup has grown to employ 180
people in North America and has over 28,000 customers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Berkeley, California and operates engineering facilities in San Diego and manufacturing in Tijuana, Mexico. 3D’s technology is currently used across multiple industries around the world, including agriculture, photography, construction, search and rescue and ecological study. www.3drobotics.com
Multicopter
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top 10
06
Blink/Steady
Created by Benjamin Cohen, Stuart Heys, and Mark Sibenac, the Blink/Steady campaign launched in April on Kickstarter and very quickly met its goal. XXX Blink/Steady is a multisensor bike light that uses an accelerometer that can sense
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when the rider is moving and a light sensor that knows when it is dark enough to turn on. The company makes each piece by hand using locally sourced materials and labor, operating out of a repurposed knitting factory in Brooklyn, New York. www.blinksteady.com
M anufacturin g S tartups
Oculus Rift
05
Oculus VR
Brendan Iribe and Palmer Luckey founded their virtual reality tech development company in 2012. The Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset that enables the player to be immersed in the virtual world. The process uses a 360-degree camera that captures all angles of the simulation. The Oculus headset displays
the motion and follows the wearer’s motions. In March, Facebook announced that it was buying Oculus VR for $2 billion, less than two years after the Irvine, California based startup launched its successful Kickstarter campaign. This was an impressive feat considering that the Oculus Rift headset is still in development. www.oculusvr.com 39
top 10
The New Matter MOD-t 3D printer
04
NewMatter
Pasadena’s NewMatter was founded in 2013 by Steve Schell and business partner Bill Gross, who also happens to be founder, chairman and CEO of Idealab. The startup specializes in 3D printers, which they are able to sell for a considerably lower cost than most due to a system they dreamed up that requires fewer 40
September 2014
parts and less assembly than their competitors’ printers. The company launched a successful Indiegogo campaign in May and now sell the printers through their website. NewMatter also launched an online store where users can buy and sell 3D-printable designs. The New Matter Store features customizable models and limited-edition items created by renowned designers and artists. www.newmatter.com
M anufacturin g S tartups
03
Thalmic Labs
Founded in 2013 by mechatronics engineers Stephen Lake, Matthew Bailey and Aaron Grant, this Canadian startup raised $14.5 million in Series A funding to develop the technology used by Myo, a wristband that uses biometrical signals to track and interpret movement. The wristband provides accurate, gesture-based control of computing devices
including desktop computers, smartphones and tablets as well as a range of other possible devices. After two years of development, the Myo is ready to manufacture and ship to customers worldwide. Over the past year, Thalmic Labs has become a serious contender among hardware startups and was even named Techvibes’ 2013 Startup of the year. www.thalmic.com
Myo gesture control armband
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top 10
02
Plethora
San Francisco’s Plethora markets itself as “The Full-Auto Factory of the Future.” The startup, founded by Nick Pinkston and Jeremy Herrman, aims to make hardware more accessible to businesses. The pair put the expertise of a manufacturing engineer into software to give real-time feedback to customers and quickly manufacture and deliver parts. Users can send Plethora CAD files of what they need made and the company will manufacture the parts as soon as the following day. Initially, Plethora is only offering CNC milling services but hopes to expand into other manufacturing and finishing processes in the near future. www.angel.co/plethora
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September 2014
M anufacturin g S tartups
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top 10
Matterfab 3D metal printing
M anufacturin g S tartups
01
Matterfab
Matterfab launched with hopes to reduce the cost associated with metal 3D printing through machines that house a highpowered laser that welds metal together. Co-founders Matt Burris and Dave Warren have been working on their prototype in Lemnos Labs in San Francisco
and hope to ship test units of their printers in January. A statement on the startup’s website reads “Our goal is to build a platform that can replace traditional manufacturing and surpass it, unleashing innovation, imagination, and an ability for anyone to create and shape their world, making designers the new manufacturers.� www.matterfab.com 45
SMS Electronics
Looks to Innovate its Way to Another Queen’s Award Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Rosie Rowe
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SMS Electronics
After winning the Award for Export in 2012, the pioneering company is now spearheading solutions in fields from GPS and smart metering to HD video conferencing and medical device sterilisation
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September 2014
S
MS Electronics continues to diversify and develop solutions across a range of sectors and, having won the coveted Queen’s Award for Export in 2012, is targeting the Award for Innovation. Among its exciting ongoing projects are x-ray sterilisation for medical equipment, human GPS tracking systems, smart metering for utilities companies and high-definition video conferencing. These innovations showcase the company’s diversification from telecoms since 2002 when its management team created SMS after buying from Siemens the world class manufacturing facility in Beeston, Nottingham, in the UK. Managing Director Mark Goldby, having worked at predecessor Siemens for 13 years, has been part of the journey from the very beginning. “Our impressive technical pedigree runs back through several decades and our predecessor companies; the likes of GPT, GEC and Plessey were all here,” he said. “These were fantastically innovative companies and we brought our skills and technical knowledge through those organisations to become SMS Electronics in 2002. It has been a very interesting journey in terms of acquiring new skills, new equipment and new processes.” SMS, also named as the fastest-growing exporter in 2011, now operates across medical, utilities, military, sciences, security and industrial sectors, offering a full range of services including
M anufacturin g
Customised test equipment
procurement, board assembly, test, product integration, asset management and end of life support. Game changing In the medical arena, the company is developing a low-energy x-ray sterilisation machine for vital equipment needed on the frontline of service delivery, providing an alternative to using high volume plants in select parts of the UK by allowing manufacturers to sterilise themselves on-site. SMS is leading the consortium working on the project, which has received backing from the
30-35 Number of jobs created by new Technology Strategy Board backed projects
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Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and will see a further 30-35 jobs created when the product becomes commercial following the 18-month evaluation and prototype programme. “We are putting flexibility and agility into the supply model that medical device manufacturers currently use,” Goldby added. “If you look at some of the areas around the world that really struggle with sterilisation issues, whether it’s dirty water or dirty implements, there is huge demand. “There are also thoughts of being able to develop a more portable unit or something that could be trailer based and driven into an area; this is one to watch.” Diversifying SMS Electronics’ repertoire expands into many other areas. For instance, it is selling thousands of human GPS tracking devices into care homes and police forces around the world, helping to keep them informed on where people of interest are at any given time. It is a second generation, sleeker model, building on the older solution which comprised a bulky tag that could only be connected to a local base like a cordless house phone. In the utilities sector, the company is deploying smart metres for providers to use on their own networks, as homeowners do with their own energy and water consumption. “The information is collected by various nodes at strategic points in the network and is collated by
Key Personnel
Mark Goldby Managing Director
Graham Shaw Operations Director
Andrew Maddock Supply Chain Director
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SMS Electronics
Dedicated repair facility
“The market has matured somewhat now and is in an interesting state of transition, especially with the explosion of cloudbased services” 52
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a central database, which monitors and presents the data in a recognisable way,” Goldby said. “These companies have a lot of regulation and targets to meet so it is vital their networks, some of which are very old, are monitored constantly to get the best out of them.” Another area of rapid growth over the past five years, with the advent of high-speed broadband, is high-definition video conferencing and SMS has manufactured the global market-leading
M anufacturin g
product over this same timeframe. Goldby added: “Low bandwith and high pixilation used to be the norm so this brought a new level of user engagement. The market has matured somewhat now and is in an interesting state of transition, especially with the explosion of cloud-based services. “There are new players and technologies coming forward all the time so it will be a challenge for this product to stay ahead.�
Repair of fine pitch components
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SMS Electronics
Chassis manufacture of highly complex circuitry
Recovery and renewal of customer’s assets
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September 2014
Emerging Electronics Staying ahead is what SMS’s biannual Emerging Electronics event, held for the second time earlier this year, is all about. Bringing together suppliers, partners and customers, it gives industry experts a flavour of what tomorrow potentially holds, while also giving SMS the chance to showcase its facilities at Beeston. After being fully subscribed and receiving very encouraging feedback again, it is in the diary for 2016. Goldby is equally passionate about being a part of his hometown Nottingham’s recent surge in business, especially in the clean and green tech fields, underlined by the company’s commitment to invest £1 million in upgrading its site in return
EUROPE
for extending its lease by 10 years. “We have a great geographical location within the UK and the Midlands,” Goldby said. “There is an international airport, freight terminal, great rail and road links which are being improved as we speak. There are also many large infrastructure projects going on in the East Midlands – Nottingham is a great place to do business.”
Company Information Industry
Manufacturing headquarters
Nottingham, UK
Rise of the apprentice Developing a flexible culture and incorporating every employee into the SMS journey lies at the heart of future plans, and could ultimately help see the ambition of winning a Queen’s Award for Innovation realised. Its 150 full time staff are trained and re-trained through the company’s in-house training centre, with 8-10 new apprentices being lined up for the coming year. In its fourth year, the apprenticeship scheme is a long term asset developer, and the future lifeblood of the company. Goldby concluded: “The quality of individuals applying is outstanding, and is coinciding with the majority of UK universities maximising their tuition fees. “We are having to compete with the likes of Rolls Royce, Bombardier and Toyota in the East Midlands region to attract the best, but if you can get some good talent and give them a clear vision of what they can expect from the company and what we expect from them, then you can develop some real assets.”
founded
2002 em p l o y ees
150+ revenue
£30 million products/ se r v i c es
Electronics assembly
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Lumotech Strengthens Market Position by Diversifica and Natural Geography Written by: Sam Jermy Produced by: Sharon Long
ation 57
Lumotech South Africa
Operations inside Lumotech
The automotive and commercial lighting manufacturer is diversifying its product range and leveraging its uniqueness in being the only producer of headlights and taillights in South Africa 58
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L
umotech South Africa, supplier of automotive products to global car giants Volkswagen, Toyota and Ford motors, is once again preparing for a growth phase after seeing revenue rise 100 percent in the last three years. The company’s products within the automotive range include headlights, taillights, spotlights, signal lights and specialised plastic injection mouldings and Lumotech is currently the only manufacturer of headlights and taillights for the automotive industry in the whole of South Africa. Based in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, the Lumotech firm commenced operations in 1957 and has been wholly owned by parent company Metair Investments since 1993. It currently
M anufacturin g
Lumotech staff assisting with the light creation
supplies three of the seven motor manufacturers in South Africa for the original equipment market. Managing Director Wolfgang Ropertz said: “Automotive lighting is the major portion of our business. Then we have the commercial side where we develop our own low-energy streetlights, and we have won some tenders on that locally; we export too. We also have warehouse lighting under the Envirolight brand, so we are really developing our commercial side.” Being the only indigenous manufacturer of headlights and taillights for the local motor manufacturers is a definite advantage because it means the lights can be tuned to the body that is being built locally by the motor
“We can assist the local motor manufacturers to tune the lights to exactly their specifications” – Wolfgang Ropertz, Managing Director, Lumotech
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Lumotech South Africa manufacturers within South Africa, instead of imports being designed that may differ slightly in body structure tolerances. It is therefore a relationship that is mutually beneficial. Ropertz explained: “If the light is imported it would be built to suit those tolerances but it may not be the ideal build for the local body. “That is one of our big selling points because we can assist the local motor manufacturers to tune the lights to exactly their specifications and tolerances within the body work.” Another benefit is the elimination of risk in the supply chain, and the obvious reduction of transportation cost when manufacturing
Ford Ranger RCL
RY INE ll H AC l fu X M ssiona ier of E E P I l TH TRY pp rofe a p ice su Y TO INDUS R v ser HINE ARTS C MA PHIC A GR
PRINTING CONVERTING IPEX specialize in DIGITAL FINISHING
FINISHING solutions to the PRINTING,
Rubber is our Business Rubber Injection Moulding, Metal Pressings, Tool Room, Internal Laboratory Supplying the automotive industry with rubber and metal pressings, both OE and aftermarket.
PACKAGING & CONVERTING INDUSTRIES
www.ipex.co.za
Johannesburg Phone: +27 (0)11 493 7816 Fax: +27 (0)11 493 2389 info@ipex.co.za
Durban Phone: +27 (0)31 701 0260 Fax: +27 (0)31 701 0294 info@ipex.co.za
Cape Town Phone: +27 (0)21 535 1515 Fax: +27 (0)21 535 1513 info@ipex.co.za
www.baytool.co.za | baytool@baytool.co.za Tel: +27 41 4873222 | Fax: +27 41 4872606
AFRICA
locally. Lumotech prides itself on being highly skilled in injection moulding techniques, and as the lighting for original equipment customers is a visible item that needs to be aesthetically pleasing, the firm has been developing its name as a brand that can be relied upon. Continuous improvement As well as being a major supplier in the original equipment market (OEM), to the likes of VW, Toyota and Ford, Lumotech also sells small spotlights through a technical aid agreement with Hella Germany into the aftermarket for replacements. Another major strategic focus is on the commercial range of products which includes energy-efficient streetlights and warehouse lights marketed under the Envirolight brand. Its LED and CFL street lighting has seen some pleasing initial success, but the product Lumotech has in production is currently classified for B-class, suburban roads. Andrew Meikle, Director at Lumotech, said: “Therefore we have actually finalised the design of an energy-efficient streetlight for the main roads and motorways which will increase our product portfolio and obviously give us the opportunity to compete in more projects. “Continuous improvement is part of our philosophy, so we are always working to try and improve our productivity. We have to become more competitive, that’s always the
“We have actually finalised the design of an energy-efficient streetlight for the main roads and motorways which will increase our product portfolio and obviously give us the opportunity to compete in more projects” – Andrew Meikle, Director, Lumotech
Toyota Hilux CHL
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Lumotech South Africa
Aerial shot of Lumotech headquarters
“The majority of our suppliers are from overseas from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, China all over Europe and also some from the USA, mainly because most of the material we use is quite specific and it is a very technical raw material” – Wolfgang Ropertz
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drive for us. Going forward, we are working to localise some existing products. We have a number of projects in the pipeline.” The Lumotech strategy is to grow as a supplier while simultaneously increasing its product spectrum in the non-automotive commercial side, so with the development of new products and widening of the range, the strength of the business increases as a result of increasing the scope. Market matters Currently Lumotech has 410 employees; in recent times this has fluctuated because of volume changes and some projects have come to an end, but now the firm will be growing again as
AFRICA
it goes into the next phase of development. Ropertz said: “We will be increasing our staff; it all depends on our manufacturing volume and what’s going on with the motor plants, and our core structure is in line with that. But because we are introducing new technologies as well, we will be employing more. “The majority of our suppliers are from overseas from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, China all over Europe and also some from the USA, mainly because most of the material we use is quite specific and it is a very technical raw material. Obviously we have local suppliers too and things like lenses for tail lights, we will be localising in the future.” Since 2008 Lumotech’s capital expenditure has been in the region of R100 million. It has invested substantially in new equipment; mainly injection moulding machines and metalising machines. The growth strategy is to get more work from the remaining four motor manufacturers in South Africa. It has already targeted two and is fine-tuning cost to tool up. “We have a five year strategic plan in place to get the business for the models of what we are producing, wherever a production cycle is coming to an end and the model is running out. “We must also get the business to lead to one new model, headlights and taillights while increasing our non-automotive business. Potentially, we could see our turnover increase by 25 percent,” concluded Ropertz.
Company Information Industry
Manufacturing headquarters
Uitenhage, South Africa founded
1957 em p l o y ees
411 revenue
Not Disclosed products/ se r v i c es
Light manufacturing
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MEXICAN ASSOCIATION OF AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES Written by: Luis G. Lizcano, General Director; Pamela Arellano, Assistant
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latin am e rica
E
stablished in November 2007, FEMIA® has over 65 members generating over 5.0 billion U.S. dollars of products and services exported in 2012, growing nearly 24 percent. Based on industry figures, the 2013 conservative growth potential is 13 percent.
FEMIA is a nonporfit organization recognized by the Federal Government. It covers the Mexican Republic, and its purpose is to bring national and foreign corporations within this sector to provide synergy and leverage from lessons learned. Based on a 20 percent average growth in aerospace companies since 2004, FEMIA® with the support of the Mexican government, has created the “Pro-Aereo” Program, Pro-Aereo is a National Strategic Aerospace Industry Initiative having key strategies, milestone and goals through 2020 as outlined below: Key Strategies: 1. Promotion and development of internal and external markets, defining our niches and creating the instruments to support our con continuous growth.
Eloscan
“We work closely with aerospace associations in other countries and regions GIFAS, ADS, AIA-USA, AIAC, Aerospace Ontario, AAE, TEDAE, LBD” w w w. f e m i a . c o m . m x
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M E X ICAN A S S OCIATION OF A E RO S PAC E INDU S TRI E S
Turbine interior
Helicopters
Aircraft interior
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2. Strengthen and develop our aerospace industry capabilities with a linked Supply Chain. Develop local suppliers and encourage cluster development throughout Mexico. 3. The development of the necessary human assets of the industry, with well defined technical and training programs and education-industry links. 4. Development of the necessary technology including specialized clusters, new areas of technology, R&D labs and development of new materials. 5. Development of the public-private programs required to assist the growth of the industry, with an institutional frame, Governmental leadership, incentives and financing,
latin am e rica
Turbine interior
international covenants and including infrastructure, certifications required by the industry, logistics and technical centers. Milestones to be reached: *The establishment of a formal coordination and administrative-management mechanism between industry and government. *Active manufacturing participation in international programs to access new technologies and markets. *To enact the establishment of a formal “buylocal” strategic program. *The establishment and implementation of “industrial cooperation” compensation systems to benefit corportions established in the country.
“Exports from the aerospace industry were higher than in 2013...”
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M E X ICAN A S S OCIATION OF A E RO S PAC E INDU S TRI E S
Welding
*To create specific support and incentive programs for the aerospace sector. *An access to a specific financial line for the aerospace industry. *The Opening of a Proof Testing Aerospace Lab to service the industry. *To design, to develop, to manufacture and to assemble an engine module. *To support the assembly of the first series airplane with 50% local content. * To place our country as the first aerospace service HUB in Latin-America. Goals though 2020: *To be within the 10 largest suppliers of the aerospace industry in the world in exports. *To reach over $12 billion USD in exports a year. *To have over 110,000 workers in the aerospace business. *To reach 50 percent of local content in our raw materials and products in the aerospace industry. Mexican aerospace facts: *Mexico is amongst the 14 largest countries in the world with an active aerospace industry. *Large supplier of OEMs, Tier1 and Tier 2 corporations in this sector, with over 300 suppliers of spare parts, raw materials and specialized machining for the aerospace industry. *We are targeting to get as many producers
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A m e rica L atina
Chemical Processing
of raw materials of the aerospace industry to increase our national content. *Mexico`s (DGAC) and U.S. (FAA) signed the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA), where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognizes the General Direction of Civil Aeronautics of Mexico (DGAC) as an Agency with full capacity to certify. w w w. f e m i a . c o m . m x
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M E X ICAN A S S OCIATION OF A E RO S PAC E INDU S TRI E S
“It is important to know the growth of the aerospace industry� Turbines
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*Mexico joined the Wassenaar Arrangement December 2011, this global multilateral arrangement on export controls for conventional weapons and sensitive dual-use goods and technologies. Mexico will soon be joining the
latin am e rica
Nuclear Supply Agreement, the Australia Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime. *Over 5.4 billion U.S. dollars of export of goods and services in this sector are a result of more than 266 different industrial processes in 2012, with a 24 percent increase. *Mexico has free trade agreements with 44 countries in the world, which gives corporations a virtual free or lower tariff operational environment. *Mexico is the lowest cost country of NAFTA, with great logistic advantages form its unique geographical location, closest to the largest market in the world; enjoying the same time zone and industrial practices. *Mexico has showed extraordinary manufacturing flexibility, proving attractive prototype fabrication abilities
Company Information Industry
Aerospace Country
Mexico se r v i c es
Business representation Number of a ss o c i a t es
65 members Key people
Luis G. Lizcano (general director), Pamela Arellano (executive assistant website
www.femia.com.mx
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Innovation in the Sky: Aerospace leaders in Mexico
Written by: Rebecca Castrejon Produed by: Taybele Piven
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A i r b u s He l i c o p t e r s Conquering flight since 1992 Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace and defense-related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approximately 22,000 people. In 2012, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 6.3 billion Euros, orders for 469 new helicopters and a 44 percent market share in the civil and para-public sectors. Overall, the Group’s helicopters account for 33 percent of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. Eurocopter’s strong international presence is ensured by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries. Eurocopter’s worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents supports more than 2,900 customers. There are currently more than 11,780 Eurocopter helicopters in service in 148 countries. Eurocopter offers the most comprehensive civil and military helicopter range in the world and is fully committed to safety as the most important aspect of its business. In México With clients such as the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico and the Mexican Navy, Eurocopter de México offers manufacturing, sales and after-market service to Central America, the north zone of South America and the Caribbean. Eurocopter expanded its global industrial footprint and enhanced the company’s presence 76
September 2014
latin am e rica
“It is very satisfying to see the AS350 B3e adapt perfectly to the diverse operating conditions of the Mexican terrain” – Serge Durand, CEO of Eurocopter de México
in Mexico in 2013, with the inauguration of a new manufacturing center of excellence in Querétaro, which is expected to produce high-technology aircraft structural metallic components. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto attended the event, along with other key government, local and Eurocopter officials.
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A i r b u s He l i c o p t e r s “The importance of Eurocopter’s industrial commitment to Mexico is demonstrated by the role of Querétaro’s as the sole manufacturing source for all the aircraft components it will produce,” sats Serge Durand, CEO of Eurocopter de México. Airbus Helicopters employs around 300 people at its facilities in Mexico City, Veracruz and Querétaro. The company has several regional support centers located around the nation offering enhanced maintenance and repair services to clients. Additional facilities are being planned for several other regions around the
“Large quotes usually go at the bottom or top the wide text column, only one per spread, followed by the credit name and position” – Name of person, Company position www.acb-ps.com | acb@acb-ps.com | www.cyrilbath.com | sales@cyrilbath.com
latin am e rica
United States, including the Northeast and Gulf of Mexico. Innovations This 2014, An Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3e helicopter achieved a new record in Mexican aviation history today by landing on the country’s highest peak, the 5,610-meter-high Pico de Orizaba (also known as Citlaltépetl). “It is very satisfying to see the AS350 B3e adapt perfectly to the diverse operating conditions of the Mexican terrain,” says Durand.
Supplier profile
- ACB - Aerospace Metal Solutions
ACB and CYRIL BATH are the world leaders in aerospace metal forming solutions. The Group offer includes: - Design, manufacturing and installation of machines for metal forming (Stretch forming, Elastoforming, Hot Forming, Superplastic Forming, Linear Friction welding…) - Supply of related simulation softwar - Parts manufacturing in its own factories Thanks to its experience as press and parts manufacturer, the Group can provide turnkey solutions starting from simulation, tool design, parts development up to Turnkey workshop Website: www.acb-ps.com
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www.demagruas-hormiga.com.mx
A i r b u s He l i c o p t e r s
latin am e rica
In addition, a level D full-flight simulator will be operational in 2016. Airbus Helicopters has committed to expanding and tailoring its customer support operations for helicopter transport providers serving the growing oil and gas production and exploration sector – for which the company is the leading rotorcraft supplier. This will involve new resources for the EC175’s introduction in the Gulf of Mexico – the world’s busiest area for offshore helicopter activity – including parts and spare supplies available at the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas depot of the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. Expansion Plans The Mexican Ministry of the Navy (SEMAR) is continuing its 2013-18 naval aviation
Airbus Helicopters EC175 aircraft (mock-up scale 1) at Heli-Expo w w w . e u r o c o p t e r. c o m . m x
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www.hexagonmetrology.com info@hexagonmetrology.com.mx
Non Destructive Testing Worldwide Provider EXPERT
México www.boysen.aero
NDT EXPERT México offers services and products global solutions, manufacturing and maintenance, for the aerospace industry in México and Latin America
www.testia.com - contact.mx@testia.com
info@boysen.aero
latin am e rica
modernization and expansion plan through the procurement of 10 Airbus Helicopter AS565 MBe Panthers, two EC225 LP helicopters, and a single Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft, according to SEMAR’s outreach unit (UNICOS). This procurement accounted for a combined MXN 8.651 billion (USD 668 million) investment announced in early July for unspecified aircraft types. This article will continue in the October Issue…
Company Information c o m pa n y
Airbus Helicopters (EUROCOPTER) Industry
Aerospace headquarters
Ciudad de Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico founded
1992 em p l o y ees
300 revenue
“The importance of Eurocopter’s industrial commitment to Mexico is demonstrated by the role of Querétaro’s as the sole manufacturing source for all the aircraft components it will produce”
USD +$95 million em a i l
gloria.illas@airbus.com website
www.eurocopter.com.mx
– Serge Durand, CEO of Eurocopter de México
w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / A i r b u s H e l i c o p t e r s h t t p s : / / t w i t t e r. c o m / A i r b u s H C w w w. l i n k e d i n . c o m / c o m p a n y / a i r b u s - h e l i c o p t e r s
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TT Group
Turning Over a New Leaf
After years as primarily a wholesale manufacturer, TT Grou brands into the spotlight of online retail and distribution Written by: Sasha Orman
Produced by: Sean Bakke
up is taking its Tender Tootsies
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TT G r o u p
Reception
When you have been in business for decades, there may come a time when you find that the status quo is no longer optimum and it’s time to pivot the company in another direction. Canadian company TT Group has found itself in this position several times throughout the years, first growing and expanding from a fun sock manufacturer to a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of several shoe brands including Tender Tootsies that capture value and comfort for consumers. Now TT Group is there again – as the world of retail and manufacturing 86
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has changed, TT Group is changing with it, shifting away from manufacturing and repositioning itself as a retailer and distributor. It’s a new challenge, but through it TT Group is hoping to reach consumers in all new ways. Finding a Presence Online “We’ve never been much into marketing – our brand name’s been around so long, we’ve mainly been just a strict manufacturer sending out good product year after year and relying on that,” says Paul Perivolaris, Vice President and Partner at TT Group. But as
CANADA
Tender Tootsies was founded by Earl Lyons in 1942, and began as a sock company. Here we see a worker inspecting some argyle socks.
the company is shifting into the retail and distribution sectors, marketing is critical – and along with the building of its online store, scheduled to soft launch in early 2015, TT Group is building an online presence through social media. “New media is a much more cost effective way of getting to our customer,” says Perivolaris, noting particular success on Facebook. “Our retail stores are only in Ontario, but we’re a national brand and the only way we can get quickly to the rest of the country is online. We get a lot of calls from people in Vancouver and Quebec asking where they can
get our shoes, and now we’ll have a more direct way to put them in touch with our product. It’s an instant connect for our customers across the country which we like, and a relatively cost effective way of doing it for sure.” Searching for Partnerships In addition to marketing its own house brands, TT Group is also searching for the right independent shoe brands that the company can provide a distribution channel for on their online store. “We’re more looking at different partnerships, more brands w w w. t t - g r o u p . c o m
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to distribute in Canada,” says Perivolaris. “That’s kind of been our growth strategy, as little internal overhead growth as possible and more external partnerships. Our infrastructure allows us to grow fivefold. So if someone’s trying to come into Canada – why start their
Tootsies Exterior
own office, their own warehouse, and their own IT departments to service the same customers we’re already serving?” According to Perivolaris, TT Group is looking for partners with a clear and defined marketing and development strategy already in
TT G r o u p
CANADA
place, so that TT Group can operate simply in the background. “We’re all accounting based brains with a product background, but most of the partners we’re looking for have a really interesting product that they are really passionate about and can go sell it and we process it,” he explains. “That’s what we’re looking for to utilize. Internally, we want to concentrate on Tender Tootsies – it is already the biggest brand in the store, and we want to make it the house brand in Canada. I think we have a competitive advantage there, and that’s what we’re looking at.” Maintaining Relationships When a company has been around as long as TT Group, maintaining strong relationships with partners, suppliers, and clients over the course of decades is critical. At TT Group, those relationships are treated like a personal relationship. “It’s exactly the same philosophy as I have with maintaining friendships,” says Pervolaris. “I don’t talk to my suppliers any different than I talk to my customers or my employees, and we’ve had that core value through our company since our birth. I still work with people who I worked with the whole sixteen or seventeen years I’ve been here now. The buyers I deal with, I’ve grown up with. So we deal with employees the way we deal with everyone else – we’re honest and treat them like human beings. It’s not a huge strategy, we just generally empathize with their situation and hope
Paul Perivolaris Vice President and Partner at TT Group
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TT G r o u p
they do the same for us.”
Congratulation to TT Group Entreprise P.Boucher is a leather importer/exporter. Our customers are shoe/boot manufacturers in Asia,Canada and USA.
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Looking Forward to the Future After such radical changes in the TT Group structure, the company is looking forward to the future with optimism and excitement no matter what shape that future takes, whether it’s acquiring a stable of brands to distribute or being acquired into a global company itself. The most important next step is examining how to grow in this new space as a distributor and retailer through further promotion and growth. “Dominating Canada is our
CANADA
Company Information Industry
Manufacturing headquarters
Ontario, Canada founded
1945
goal, and then we can start to expand on our US presence in the future,” says Perivolaris. “We’ve got to reestablish in Canada first, and retail’s going to be a huge part of that but we’re going to do it in combination with wholesale. We’re going to open as many stores as we can, as opportunities come up, and going online is our big first step to see where our sales are coming from and what areas of the country are our strongest. Then maybe fill in some brick and mortar stores there as well. “It’s going to be interesting to see,” he adds. “From a product development point of view we’ve got to be a lot more clever, and just concentrate on building the brand. Without the brand we’re nothing. Tender Tootsies is a silly name, but everyone knows it and everyone likes it, keep it fun and happy and expand on that.”
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https://www. facebook.com/ TenderTootsies
https:// twitter.com/ tendertootsies
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The Delfield Company
Optimizing ingenuity with a focus on tech innovation t
Founded on the east side of Detroit, Michigan, The Delfield a worldwide force in the field of food service manufacturing Written by: Stephanie C. Ocano
Produced by: Jason Wright
d Company has grown to become g
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Regarded globally as one of the largest custom stainless steel refrigeration equipment manufacturers, the Delfield Company is a leader in the foodservice equipment industry. Founded in 1949, the company made its start by making custom refrigeration food storage equipment for restaurants and since then it has grown in both size and dexterity. The company has been sold and shared numerous times over the years and was most recently acquired by The Manitowoc Company in 2008. Becoming a part of the Manitowoc Foodservice 94
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led to some restructuring of the company but allowed for a consistent product mix. In April, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Manitowoc Foodservice with a 2014 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for their continued leadership in protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. Currently participating in six Energy Star categories, including fryers, ice machines, refrigerators, freezers, steam cookers, griddles, and ovens, Manitowoc Foodservice increased its Energy Star qualified
USA
portfolio to 1,254 models in 2013 - an increase of over 35 percent over the prior year. Convotherm was able to increase triple fold due to the newest commercial equipment category addition launched in October 2013 by Energy Star and Frymaster increased by nine models due to the expansion of their product line. “Manitowoc Foodservice has earned EPA’s highest Energy Star award – the 2014 Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award – because of their unwavering commitment to helping consumers become increasingly more energy efficient,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. Most recently, Manitowoc KitchenCare has launched a new technical support phone system in North America. Now, when Manitowoc Factory
“We have personnel dedicated to the lean journey and try to use that in every step of the process”
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See how tomorrow’s solutions are ready today visit www.danfoss.com
T h e De l f i e l d C o m pa n y
USA
Authorized Servicers call 1-844724-CARE or any of the toll-free technical support numbers for Manitowoc brands, calls are answered by the new system. Early data and feedback show that the system is working as planned. Manitowoc nearly has eliminated any wait times for FAS technicians who need help when on service calls. Chain account customers participating in subscription technical support programs for their restaurants and operations teams also are enjoying faster response.
up [and] doing problem solving.” Exhibiting activities that continuously improves all functions involves the cooperation from all employees, from the CEO to assembly line workers, and great employees makes all the difference. Delfield hires pre-screened applicants through a temporary service and works with major schools in the area, such as Central Michigan University, offering internships. On the floor, some of the primary operations are tech welding of stainless steel, assembly work and electrical work. A focus on being lean Hence, the target skills Delfield Increasing production while looks for in employees is welding reducing waste is a feat all and electrician experience. companies attempt and When it comes to such a large Delfield Company has taken work force, communication is key, certain strategies such as lean according to Hale. manufacturing and kaizen into “It takes a lot of communication consideration to achieve such a goal. and we try to work very closely,” said “We’ve had lean here for quite a Hale. “We try to work very closely few years,” said Don Hale, Director so that we’re all on the same page of Operations at Delfield. “We have and are all trying to do the same thing. It’s definitely challenging. It’s a personnel dedicated to the lean very diverse group in a very diverse journey and try to use that in every step of the process to consider those product so there’s a lot of flexibility that we have to have from everyone.” principles while we’re setting things w w w. d e l f i e l d . c o m
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But this flexibility is something that is easily achieved thanks in part to Delfield’s information technology team. “The software that they provide and maintain is a key to our daily operations,” said Hale. New technology unveiled As a company, Delfield has taken acknowledgement of their current technology and has decided to develop and upgrade their systems. Primarily, in the controls.
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“There is a lot of work going on in the controls, mainly with the packages that go out with our units,” said Hale. “We’ve had a lot of development in that area to get smarter, keeping the unit clean and health safe, and out of the hands of the operator and more into the controls of the machine.” Additionally, a new fiber laser cutting machine has been developed – an upgrade from the current CO2 lasers Delfield uses. The advances in the fiber laser allow for a smoother edge in production and with the first one installed at Delfield, Hale expects it to run much faster than the current CO2s. “We’ve had a lot of overtime because of capacity returns and I’m hoping to reduce that overtime through that equipment,” Hale said. With new product launches and the recent release of a new carts and kiosks line, Delfield has a lot in store for the coming year. “We’re looking at a lot of international work that we’re supplying for different chain groups,” said Hale. “We’ve got new product launches going on. Several of them right now that hopefully the market will appreciate and continue to grow.”
Company Information The Delfield Company was founded in a small building on Detroit’s east side in 1949 by Paul DeLorenzo and Thomas Springfield. The company name was derived from the “Del” in DeLorenzo and the “field” in Springfield. Today, Delfield is one of the largest custom stainless steel refrigeration equipment manufacturers in the world.
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ActronAir:
ActronAir Successfully Se Harshest Climates on Eart
ActronAir continues its role as a leading market innova development, manufacturing and strategic partnershi Written by: Andrew Rossillo Produced by: Nick Ledue
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Actron Headquarters
ACTRONAIR WAS ESTABLISHED by Garry Mundy and his two sons, Robert and Kevin, in 1984. They started the company because they believed in ideas, not status quo, leading to innovation at every stage of the company’s history. Today, “ActronAir is a proud Australian owned family business celebrating its 30th year, with a reputation for designing, manufacturing and distributing some of the most energy efficient air conditioning units on the market,” says General Manager Graham Brown. From advanced air-flow technology, energy smart zoning, 102
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sound reduction and temperature control through to the unique louvre grille of their outdoor units, the Company’s innovation-rich offerings and operations continue to drive sales and growth. “Innovation and Customer Service are key elements of our competitive advantage. We continually innovate to create clever solutions specifically designed to meet the harsh Australian climate so that people can live and work in absolute comfort,” says Graham. Fully Integrated Design, Development and Manufacturing Regarded as the quiet achiever
A ustralia
Actron Factory
in the Australian air conditioning industry, ActronAir has evolved into a fully integrated design, development and manufacturing business. The company’s head office and world-class manufacturing plant covers more than two hectares and includes a state-of-the-art Psychrometric Calorimeter testing room. As part of these fully integrated
operations, Graham outlines the top factors contributing to the Company’s steady growth: “First, we provide a quality product designed to meet Australian conditions. We also apply a continual focus on innovation across all parts of the business, especially in product design.” “In addition, we work with key supply chain partners who share the
“ActronAir is a proud Australian owned family business celebrating its 30th year, with a reputation for designing, manufacturing and distributing some of the most energy efficient air conditioning units on the market.” w w w. a c t r o n a i r. c o m . a u
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ActronAir same philosophy of innovation, quality and customer focus. Strategic business relationships play a major role at ActronAir. We work hand in hand to bring innovative ideas to life. Our partner relationships allow us to challenge each other, share ideas, and bring products to market far sooner than the standard industry time frames for producing a commercialised solution,” says Graham.
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1800 810 124 lx-group.com.au
Challenges and Solutions While continued growth is generally a positive, ActronAir carefully monitors their growth to ensure the Company maintains their core beliefs while growing in multiple segments of their industry. In addition, while new ideas are also generally a positive, actually bringing to market all the ideas ActronAir has for innovative product represents a challenge for the Company’s R&D resources. ActronAir’s R&D department continues to do exceptionally well with this challenge of keeping up with a large volume of good ideas, but it is something that requires special attention nonetheless. Graham also added that “The high Australian dollar to the US dollar has been a challenge over recent times. However we continue to thrive and grow despite this.” “Our Business Excellence programme has been a great contributor to us being able to engage the entire workforce in finding new ways of doing things to accommodate the growth we have had over the past few years.
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Improving processes in all areas of the business has certainly helped the Company to do things better and faster to meet the growing customer needs,” explains Graham. New Product Lines Over just this last year alone, ActronAir has launched three new product lines: Hercules is the most advanced range of variable capacity reverse cycle packaged units ever engineered in Australia. With a capacity range of 140kw, 170kw and 195kw, the units are the size of a 20ft shipping container. “We are extremely proud of the performance that Hercules delivers, in particular the energy savings it can provide, and this something that the industry has acknlowedged - it recently won the ARBS industry award for Product of the Year, and was a finalist at both the AIRAH and Endeavour awards,” says Graham. The ESP Platinum (Energy Smart Performance) series is a range of variable speed split ducted air conditioners that are up to 75 percent more efficient than conventional fixed speed
technology, and up to 50 percent more efficient than conventional inverter technology. “Our ESP line has been at the forefront of energy efficient products for many years. This range was recently extended with the release of the Platinum range of split ducted units. Being able to run a ducted unit on just one zone without a “common zone” is a feature that many other brands cannot do,” says Graham. “This feature of variable air flow combined with variable refrigerant flow is a real energy saver for the consumer. We take this one step further with our ESP Ultima product, which gives you the ability to control different temperatures in different zones all at the one time, giving you the ultimate comfort solution.” ActronConnect is the Company’s wireless control system that allows their customers to control their ducted air conditioner from anywhere that has internet connectivity. This product was developed in-house and will work with any smart phone, tablet and computer through the ultra convenient ActronConnect App.
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ActronAir
General Manager Graham Brown
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Market-leading Innovators The working knowledge vested in the company’s principals, combined with 30 years of research and development, has resulted in some of the quietest, most energy efficient air conditioning systems in the world. As long-standing market leaders, ActronAir has adopted additional responsibilities. “As what we see as part of our industry obligation, we spend a lot of time educating our dealers and other parts of the industry in a broad range of topics each year. Last year we held training sessions for more than 400 trade-based customers, and we also contributed product to the TAFE network to help with the apprentice training scheme. [NSW Technical and Further Education Commission, known as TAFE NSW, is Australia’s leading vocational education and training provider.] We also sponsor many industry events and have numerous employees who are active members within industry associations,” says Graham. “What has excited me the most is seeing the company grow and increase our brand penetration across multiple segments of the HVAC industry. Seeing innovative products being released to market and then having this recognized through industry awards is very gratifying. I am also happy to have been able to see numerous employees promoted to more senior roles to become part of the future of the business.”
Company Information Industry
Manufacturing headquarters
Bella Vista, Australia founded
1984 em p l o y ees
215 products/ se r v i c es ActronAir was established by Garry Mundy and his two sons, Robert and Kevin, in 1984. They started the company because they believed in ideas, not status quo, leading to innovation at every stage of the company’s history. Today, ActronAir is a proud Australian owned family business celebrating its 30th year, with a reputation for designing, manufacturing and distributing some of the most energy efficient air conditioning units on the market.
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Jebsen & Jessen Chem
Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals Maintains Loca Cultural Pulse throughout Growth
Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals continues to expand throug adapting its western way of working and high respect an to emerging opportunities. Written by: Andrew Rossillo Produced by: Wayne Masciotro
micals:
al,
ghout Southeast Asia, while nd integration of local culture
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Coating & Resins
THE JEBSEN & JESSEN Group of Companies South East Asia, a member of the Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise, dates its origins to a trading partnership formed in Hong Kong in 1895. The Group, incorporated in the early 1960s, is today a highly diversified entity engaged in eight core businesses: Cable Technology, Chemicals and NutriLife Ingredients, Communications, Life Sciences, Material Handling, Offshore, Packaging and Technology. Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals distributes Coatings & Resins, Plastic and Rubber Chemicals, 110
September 2014
Performance Chemicals, Food Ingredients, Animal Feed and Health Ingredients, Personal and Home Care, Pharma and Agrochemicals. In its July 2014 issue, ICIS Chemical Business magazine, the top source of market intelligence and analysis of the global chemical markets, announced the annual global ranking of the Top 100 Chemical Distributors, based on 2013 sales. The Jebsen & Jessen Family Enterprise for chemical distribution activities in three locations – South East Asia, China and Europe – recorded total sales of EUR 1.01 billion in 2013. With
this outstanding performance, they remain the World’s 8th largest Chemical Distributor in the ranking of Top 100. Apart from the global listings, ICIS also break out leaders by sales in the key geographic regions of North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East Africa. Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals, with its leading position in South East Asia,
maintains its rank number eight in Asia Pacific . With a focus on South East Asia, the Group has established a firm foothold in the region through more than 50 subsidiaries and associate companies in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, employing approximately 4,300 people.
“I“Sustaining the right size for our Company helps us develop, nurture and maintain long-term relationships with our suppliers and customers.” w w w. c h e m i c a l s . j j s e a . c o m
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J e b se n & J esse n C h em i c a l s “One of the things that makes us unique is that we’re not only working throughout Southeast Asia, but we’re also working in a very Western frame of mind, too,” says Regional Managing Director/CEO Marc Deschamps. “As part of this mindset, the Company represents high technology suppliers who do not wish to set up their own sales force in Southeast Asian countries,” says Deschamps. “We do that for them with our extensive technical sales force and they are very happy we do.”
Building Value through Cultural Respect The core values upheld by the Company are executed through the development and nurturing of premier technology partners, value creation and solution focus for the customers in the region, characterized also through a mindset towards Quality and Excellence, Initiative and a proactive can-do attitude, Change and Learning ability, as well as knowledge sharing and Teamwork.
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“We are committed to working respectfully within cultural boundaries throughout our business operations,” says Deschamps. “We are not the biggest, nor do we want to be the biggest either. Sustaining the right size for our Company helps us develop, nurture and maintain long-term relationships with our suppliers and customers.” In addition, maintaining their current size helps the Company maintain strict compliance measures throughout the course of doing business. Deschamps also commented that, “Beyond capturing organic growth in the region, we are also very interested in M&A and inorganic growth where this makes strategic sense. Such M&A activities and growth projects are constantly on our agenda. 50:50 Joint Ventures are a good example where JJ has been both active and successful in the past. Partnership is the relevant word, not dominance, to make a venture successful.” New Joint Venture: JJ-Muntons This past March, Jebsen & Jessen and Muntons formed a new
Thailand-based joint venture: JJMuntons. The 50:50 joint venture agreement to manufacture specialty malted food ingredients in Thailand positions the new Company, JJMuntons (Thailand) Ltd, to become Asia’s preferred supplier of premium specialty malted ingredients to the food & beverage industries. The new venture is committed to a US$17.5 million plant to be built in Chonburi, Thailand by the end of 2015. This partnership brings together two companies with shared core values across the areas of customer focus, sustainability, food safety, ethical behaviour and environmental responsibility. “We are teaming up for success and growth in Asia. Muntons’ technology and production know-how paired with Jebsen & Jessen’s distribution capability in South East Asia is a winning formula for this joint venture of equal partnership,” says Deschamps. Key growth projects such as the JJ-Muntons joint venture promote the diversification of Jebsen & Jessen’s base capabilities, supporting their strategic shift away from pure distribution. “We invest w w w. c h e m i c a l s . j j s e a . c o m
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J e b se n & J esse n C h em i c a l s
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in production but with a strong consumer focus and branded products. Another example of this strategic shift is our new animal nutrition farm pack, where convenient ready mixed functional ingredients are packed in branded consumer or end-user packs.” explains Deschamps. Key Success-supporting Elements Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals places strong emphasis on human resource development (HRD) to achieve the full potential from its employees. The HRD programme has been designed to develop staff competence, knowledge and motivation, so as to inculcate values of service, fulfill our strategy and deliver results. The Company is also committed to forging dynamic partnerships with customers through personalised service, key account management and innovative solutions while practising responsible care through the execution of our strategic service intent (SSI). Deschamps went on to explain a vital component that helps them stay in touch with how to provide the best services and products possible: “Business management should be done from within an office, but I also plan on being out there with my team, regularly traveling to different countries, keeping a pulse. You have to engage with local cultures. From this, you can derive new projects and find local opportunities and offers for our valued customers in the region”.
Company Information Industry
Manufacturing headquarters
Bangkok Thailand founded
1960 em p l o y ees
300 revenue
$400 Million products/ se r v i c es
Jebsen & Jessen Chemicals distributes Chemicals and NutriLife specialty ingredients through its industry focused business lines Coatings & Resins, Plastic and Rubber, Performance Chemicals, Food Ingredients, Animal Feed and Health Ingredients, Personal and Home Care, Pharma and Agrochemicals.
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