Success Story
Details
This company specializes in Rubber Plastic Mold (RPM) casting of precision aluminum and zinc alloy products. They service customers in a wide variety of technology industries such as biomedical, telecommunications, computer peripherals, guidance and navigation
From 2003 through 2005 the company suffered from continued shrinking market share due to increasing low cost castings from China. As a result, 2005 aluminum casting sales decreased 4% and employment decreased 16%.
The company, with assistance from the University of Southern California’s Western Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (Western TAAC), became certified as trade impacted by the US Dept. of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) in August of 2005.
Western TAAC and the company’s management developed a strategy to specialize in the manufacture of more complex, high quality cast metal parts, capable of quick turns from prototype to high volume production, while expanding and diversifying its customer base. This strategy focused on continuing to improve its manufacturing technology, efficiency, and cost competitiveness, enhancing its quality image, upgrading its supporting IT capability, and improving its sales, marketing and promotion capabilities.
The company has finished its 6th year in the implementation phase of the TAA Program, and has successfully implemented the upgrade of its Internet based web site, one information technology training project and two quality management system development project. Since beginning its public/private sector partnership with the TAA for Firms Program, sales increased 110% to $8.3M, employment increased 77% to85 employees resulting in 37 new jobs, the company was profitable again for the 5th consecutive year, and productivity improved 18% to $97,675 sales per employee.