Excellence Exemplified

MoldMaking Technology honors outstanding North American mold manufacturers through its annual Leadtime Leader Awards. We look for shops raising the bar in efficiency, quality, innovation and commitment. And this year's winning shops are no exception.

Our 2014 Leadtime Leader Award Winner Westminster Tool of Plainfield, Connecticut and Honorable Mention Aalbers Tool and Mold of Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada, both stand out for their investment in continuous improvement, efforts in workforce development and passion for their people.

Westminster Tool
With 30 employees and 13,000 square feet of manufacturing space, Westminster Tool considers itself a relatively small operation compared to most mold builders offering concept-to-completion services. However, the company has found a growth niche in medical industry work that jibes well with its own core competencies, yet often isn’t cost-effective for larger competitors. However, getting there required the company to reinvent itself, a process that began around 2009. Through extensive investments in its workforce, Westminster has instituted a bottom-up culture that leverages the strength of everyone in the organization to keep the company on the move. Along with a strong sense of self and strategic supplier partnerships, this culture enabled the shop to expand rapidly into new service offerings while simultaneously improving lead and delivery times. By “bridging the gap” without losing focus on what it does best—and on what’s really important—Westminster Tool earned the title of 2014 Leadtime Leader Award Winner. Read the full story.

Learn more about Westminster's approach to workforce development.

Aalbers Tool and Mold
​Aalbers Tool and Mold is in it for the long term. This 124-employee manufacturer of automotive trim tooling carefully plans every move with the goal of ensuring it will be viable and stable for decades to come. This philosophy is evidenced by a cautious approach to capital investment; strategic expansion into new services and markets; the use of ERP software for extensive data tracking; and heavy investments in workforce development. Notably, the company’s long-term strategy is motivated by a sense of responsibility that goes beyond just the bottom line, as evidenced by investments in environmental sustainability. And, given the success of its long-term strategy so far, the company may well still be around to enjoy the fruits of such investments. The company’s on-time delivery rate stands at 98 percent, and in the past year alone, it has expanded its facility and embarked on multiple new business ventures. Suffice to say Aalbers Tool and Mold has more than earned the Honorable Mention title in this year’s Leadtime Leader Program. Read the full story.

Learn more about some of Aalbers Tool and Mold's recent equipment purchases.

Learn more about Aalbers Tool and Mold's approach to managing its people.