Details
This firm is an integrated forge and machine shop capable of furnishing a wide range of high quality forged parts of various materials to customer specifications. The company has developed an established nationwide customer base in the oil refining, mining, paper pulp mill, government, and food processing industries.
In the mid-nineties the firm encountered import injury from larger vertically integrated forging competitors in France and lower cost competitors in the Western Pacific Rim. As a result the firm suffered a 39% decline in sales and a 13% decline in employment.
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 May of 2000
Western TAAC and the firm’s management developed a strategy to specialize in the manufacture of forged and precision machined parts, while expanding and diversifying its customer base. The strategy targets markets where it can capitalize on its ability to produce short run orders of high quality forged products with “Rush Delivery” requirements.
The company has successfully completed the implementation phase of the TAAF Program in February 2009. While active in the program, the company, with Western TAAC assistance, implemented its marketing and production engineering projects. These projects focused on improving its marketing and sales capabilities and reestablishing its large forge operations. Since beginning its public/private sector partnership with the TAA for Firms Program, sales increased 581% to $38M, employment increased 95% to 80, and productivity improved 249% to $475,000 sales per employee.