1) What is your company niche and what does your company do that is
notable, unique
or different?
(ie, technology, innovations)
Accu-Mold, Inc. specializes in “gift wrapping” plastic around and in other materials called over molds. We over mold stampings, die cast, plastic and even rubber. We design and build tools to 500-ton clamp capacity. We also build hot runner systems. We have a full service Mold and Die Mending shop with a Laser and TIG welder for “minimally invasive mold and die surgery”. The Laser solves about 80% of the issues encountered with current TIG steel addition. No heat sink is produced and it can do
 deep ribs (most things in line of sight) without “hogging out”; plus it can Laser next to thin ribs without folding over. It makes for much easier and less invasive EC’s and repairs. We recently purchased a German Laser welding machine that is specifically meant for laser welding molds and dies. It’s very precise and allows us to reach areas of dies we could never reach before. It’s phenomenal. In many cases it will reduce repair time to one-fifth of what it was previously with other welding technologies.
In addition, Accu-Mold is part of a new way of doing business called the United Tooling Coalition (UTC). UTC is a collection of complementary tool and die shops working together to secure assembly projects (such as auto instrument panel assemblies) that we normally would not get individually. The State of Michigan sponsored a lead consultant who was hired to develop a new business model to help UTC members compete globally. The Center for Automotive Research, based out of Ann Arbor, MI, developed our vision and the “adaptations” we needed to make to prevent the “Dinosaur Age” from repeating itself. See
www.toolingcoalition.com. We (companies in the coalition) get together on projects that maybe neither of us could get on our own because we each specialize in something different. We’re stronger together than apart in some cases, so this is our answer. It all started 15 months ago as the result of a response from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, who earmarked a $750,000 grant and invited Tool & Die shops to come together to develop this strategic plan to help the Michigan Tool & Die industry remain competitive in a global market. Today, a core 10 shops remains and each has contributed almost $14,000 each in addition to the state grant to help start and run the UTC. The investment helped fund services from the Center for Automotive Research and the business model, as well as program certification, intense training (lean manufacturing training, activities-based costing training, and more) to get everyone on same page with how projects are handled for the customers we would get. |
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2)
When and how did you get into the industry, what attracted you to
it? |
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I left a big corporation and purchased Accu-Mold from two retiring mold makers/owners in 1997. Leaving security and taking on risk is exciting to me. I had no previous background in tooling, only creative product development, and I knew that tooling was an exciting and viable field to go into. I got lucky because I happened to meet two great guys in the business who simply wanted to retire.
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3) Relate a notable "best time" for your company. |
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The second year I owned the company was the best. There was some cadence to the industry. There was enough business that there were no big gaps between busy times. It was also a worse time in the sense that it was harder to find skilled labor. Now there’s no cadence.
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4)
Similarly, relate notable challenges that your company has overcome. |
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In about 2001 is when we noted a significant drop in activity at Accu-Mold. Before that there was only a leveling. Our customer and business base has changed by 80% in the last two years. We are now focusing on specialty molds and providing excellent service. We also have a great alliance with a Chinese firm called Triwell Asia for when our customers want global pricing but local support. We’ve joined hands with our customers when they truly need global pricing and when our partner can truly provide it and it’s worked out very well.
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5) When you are working on projects with your customers, what aspects
would you like
them to
better recognize?
We hold over 22 patents that we have developed for our customers to help them differentiate their products. We focus on changing the part to make it unique, easier to tool and moldable. We are very involved up front. We often times make low volume parts justifiable to tool with part changes and creative tooling. We understand the functionality and what customers are trying to achieve and can reduce the tooling charge and allow even low-volume projects to go forward. We get involved in the engineering; we love to figure out better ways of doing a job.
6)
List newly acquired technology,
machinery or key personnel.We recently purchased the laser welder I mentioned earlier, an ultra high speed (40,000 RPM) graphite machine and a large Sinker EDM that is the most state-of-the-art so that we can run lights out, like with most of our machines. |
7) Has your company recently expanded? Plans to expand or form
partnerships/alliances? |
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Our alliance within the UTC is our latest strategic move at Accu-Mold.
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8) Are you involved in any industry organizations or educational
programs related
to the trade? |
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In addition to the UTC we are also a member company of the AMBA.
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9)
What do you think about changes occurring in the industry due to
globalization?
How has it
affected the way you do business? |
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We haven’t seen anything yet. I feel like this is similar to the late 1800s when we were mainly an agricultural economy and then the industrial revolution came about and changed everything. Generic manufacturing is gone forever. High end research, specialty manufacturing (like fuel cell technology, medical and biotech, for example) and service industries will replace it. Automation is another industry that might stay here if we can become more efficient at it.
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10) What will the industry look like in 3 to 5 years? |
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Fifty percent of us [mold makers] will be gone. The other 50% will be stronger because they will be involved in higher end projects, specialty services and will have adapted to the new market.
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Additional Background Information |
 Number of years in business: 28
Current number of employees: 15
Current square footage: about 11,000 square feet
Additional locations: none at this time
Website:
www.accu-moldinc.com
Primary contacts:
Dave Martin (dave@accu-moldinc.com)
-
or-
Ed Paterala (Edward@accu-moldinc.com)
Phone: 269-323-0388
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