Progressive Components
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Take a Tour of Our 2013 Leadtime Leaders

Winner: Tech Mold (Tempe, AZ) and Honorable Mention: Micro Mold Co. (Erie, PA).

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Take a tour of our 2013 Leadtime Leader Winner and Honorable Mention Shops

And the 2013 Leadtime Leaders Are …

Winner
Tech Mold (Tempe, AZ)

With its 85 employees across three divisions concentrating on upfront collaboration, mold design and build, and mold and process validation; 12-to 20-week leadtimes for complex molds and many other mold types; concerted sales and marketing strategy,  creative use of both employee and supplier resources; solid shop floor management system; delivery improvement; emphasis on quality suppliers; a “grow your own” workforce philosophy; customer mold maintenance training; and a solid concentration on innovation in new manufacturing technologies and processes for themselves and for their customers—including an impressive list of customer case studies (e.g., a unique coining process to redesign a Test Plate to provide greater speed-to-market for new pharmaceuticals; a mold that would rotate into position for the injection and coining processes; a proprietary valve gate actuation system; in-mold serviceability; full central lube; in-mold assembly; quick electrical disconnects; and self-correcting manufacturing) has earned Tech Mold the 2013 Leadtime Leader Winner title.


Honorable Mention
Micro Mold Co (Erie, PA)

A small company with 20 employees, 8- to 14-week leadtimes for complex molds; a sister molding company offering processing capabilities; a partnering approach with customers; innovative job leader role; automated EDM work cells (including a high-speed machining center coupled with a  CNC EDM interfaced with a robot) that helps bring customer products to market (e.g., Alcon handle;  cinch connector and mini insulin pump); value-added sampling services impacting leadtimes; quoting strategy via a new product risk assessment for all new design/build projects improving upfront collaboration; committed sales and marketing efforts; unique employee performance bonus program; “train your own” employee approach (4-year program; 576 hours of night school class work in conjunction with 8,000 hours of on-the-job training; as well as sales & marketing, mold validation and leadership training); and, a strong team mentality have allowed Micro Mold to bring home this year’s Honorable Mention title.

Sponsored by Progressive Components.

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