QUOTING: A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS By Hallie Forcinio, contributing writer, The American Mold Builder uccessful quotes depend on good information and Srequest communication, but strategies behind responding to a for quotation (RFQ) vary. Some companies respond to all requests, others are more selective. Accede Mold & Tool Co., Inc. (Rochester, New York) and Westfall Technik Inc. (Willernie, Minnesota) shared information about their processes.
ASSESSING THE OPPORTUNITY At Accede Mold & Tool, virtually every request for quotation (RFQ) is accepted. “We look at the quoting process as a marketing opportunity,” says Camille Sackett, vice president of sales and project management. The company specializes in complex injection molds, such as two-shot molds, stack molds, spin stacks and rotary cube molds. The RFQ also may point out the need for new technology. In that case, the company might undertake an R&D project. Although Sackett looks at every RFQ, she notes: “We only focus on Class 101 pilot and production tools. If an opportunity comes in that doesn’t require complex actions or specifies a different product Class, we try to connect them to the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) or another mold builder. We want to keep the business in the United States and don’t want contact with Accede to be a dead end.” For Westfall Technik, an in-house “filter” document helps gather information and analyze the risk involved for projects outside its usual scope. The decision to respond to an RFQ depends on a combination of factors – the right customer paired with the right part or the right cavitation or the right molding machine requirements. “For us, the ‘perfect opportunity’ comes in the form of a thorough RFQ from a customer or potential customer that . . . values a well-engineered and documented mold design, which can be executed to 0.0001 inch day-in and day-out,” says Justin McPhee, vice president and general manager at Westfall Technik Inc. “The key for each company is to define what perfect means. . . . look at your most profitable jobs to help find your perfect customer,” he advises. “Perfect customers” often have the highest capture rate, which means the moldmaker and its customers are on the same 12
the american MOLD BUILDER | Issue 2 2021
page and less back-and-forth communication is required. “Our goal is to win the work and provide the customer with a great solution,” says McPhee. He adds, “If you are quoting everything that comes across your desk, it is likely that neither of those things will happen. By being selective, we can put more focus and detail into the quotes that we do provide. The additional amount of detail put in at the quoting stage helps ensure that the quoted delivery [lead time] is not used up trying to get answers that could have been worked out during the quoting phase. We all have experienced a situation where the delay in getting information or approvals does not move the final delivery date.” QUOTE PREPARATION Quote preparation time varies from a few hours to more than a week, depending on the complexity of the project, whether the quote is budgetary or actual and the number of outsourced components. “If an existing customer needs a 32-cavity mold, the quote might take four hours because we can pull learnings from similar projects,” says Sackett, who prepares each quote in collaboration with company President and Owner Roger Fox, with input from Brett Lindenmuth, vice president of operations, and Adam Filippetti, vice president of engineering and technology, if needed. Quotes must consider material availability and price volatility. At the moment, lead time is the biggest challenge, so communication with suppliers, customers and the internal team is key so everyone understands the timing. Sackett continues, “If we are doing a turnkey program and bringing in an injection molding machine, it’s 22 to 30 weeks to deliver the machine.”
