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Case Study Questionnaire
An interview with Jerry Seidelman, Sales Manager at American Tool & Mold Corp., Clearwater, FL
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1) |
What is your company niche and what does your company do that is
notable, unique or different? (ie, technology, innovations) |
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Niche marketing is a concept that has been accepted on a limited
basis by ATM through the years. We feel that diversification has
helped us to weather the ups and downs of economic cycles. We also
feel that the innovation that comes with diversification helps
strengthen every market that we service. It is much like the cross
training of athletes. Experience and knowledge built through
association with a variety of industries makes each industry
stronger and keeps new, fresh ideas and concepts flowing.
The linking of thoughts, ideas, experience and knowledge between
American Tool & Mold (Mold Manufacturing) and American Technical
Molding (Injection Molding Division) continually builds a broader,
stronger knowledge base. And that is a powerful tool when used to
support our customers as they search for better quality,
performance and a stronger bottom line.
As we review samples of parts molded and molds built here at ATM,
we are proud of the variety of industries that we do serve. They go
from Aerospace to Packaging, from Automotive to Healthcare, from
Pens and Markers all the way to Caps and Closures. Hot runner
molds, cold runner molds, stack molds and 2-shot. We learn that
with the acceptance of each new challenge we grow stronger and
wiser. There are no easy parts if you don’t pay attention to the
details.
We accept new technologies not as an obligation or as a burden, but
as tools to help us do our job better and faster. During the last 5
years ATM has invested over $8 million towards new equipment and
technology. During the last 6 months alone, almost $2 million worth
of high-speed production equipment and machines that utilize the
latest technology have reached the production floor at both Tool
and Tech. The search for better ways to get things done is never
ending at ATM.
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2) |
When and how did you get into the industry, what attracted you to
it? |
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Our President, Demetre Loulourgas, began his career in moldmaking
almost 5 decades ago. It was the challenge of creativity and the
rewards of perfection that appealed to his mechanically artistic
nature. As ATM grows, he builds the company by searching for and
hiring people with the same love for creativity and desire to
produce something that is nearly perfect.
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3) |
Relate a notable "best time" for your company (can be more than one) |
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Here is one example; it may not be a “best time” situation, but
there is a very special feeling of accomplishment each and every
time that ATM sends another 16, 24 or 32 cavity production mold to
Europe, South America, China or Asia. We are doing this and you
must believe - it is a good feeling to be a trendsetter in reverse.
It would be difficult to think of better times than those at the
turn of this century (Isn’t it tough to think of the year 2000 in
that way?). At ATM, it was a time of change and growth, a time for 
optimism. Can you ever remember a time when the plastics industry
was such a hotbed of activity? ATM had just moved into a newly
renovated facility with almost 150,000 sq. ft. of prime
manufacturing space. We were working on a Global program that would
require almost two years to complete and new equipment was hitting
the production floor helping us to successfully complete this very
large program. It was an exciting and challenging time.
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4) |
Similarly, relate notable challenges that your company has overcome. |
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From Hero to Zero in 12 months. What a change a year can
make. The bursting dot.com bubble, September 11, 2001, the adoption
of Global sourcing by so many customers – all combined to reduce US
manufacturing to a desert wasteland.
But we feel that ATM is better positioned for this challenge
than many of our industry competitors; with modern equipment, the
latest timesaving technologies and a staff that existed as lean and
mean before the term became popular. We have weathered the worst,
and because of Demetre’s vision for what ATM should be, we are
positioned to rebound faster than the customer might expect and
more quickly than competitors are able.
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5) |
When you are working on projects with your customers, what aspects
would you like them to better recognize? |
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We want the customer to know that our focus during the entire
process is to give them and their customers the highest quality
part - from concept to consumer. Both our Tooling and our Molding
divisions work together closely in the effort to optimize every
facet of every program. The customer’s bottom line benefits from
this process while we continue to learn.
As Demetre likes to tell new clients, “When we make you look
good, then we look good”. |
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6) |
List newly acquired technology, machinery or key personnel (in last
year). |
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In February of this year American Technical Molding received
ISO 9001-2000 qualification and by the end of this year intends to
have TS19649 certification. This new ISO standard embraces the
QS9000 standards and will allow ATM to become more directly
involved with automotive suppliers.
 Our most recent acquisitions of machinery and equipment have
focused on speed and efficiency. Speed to cut lead times and
efficiencies to maintain bottom line.
In April of this year, American Technical Molding finalized the
purchase of a new Husky Hylectric 720-ton molding machine with
high-speed packaging capability. With a 130-ounce barrel and a 3.2
second dry cycle time, this machine with stack molding capability
opens a new window of production opportunities. Tech now has 22
molding machines available that range in size from 55 tons to 720
tons.
American Tool is now able to test and optimize any mold that we
build.
 In April and May of this year, American Tool & Mold purchased 3
new pieces of equipment. On the milling side, we brought in a Mikron HSM 600 5-axis machining center
(pictured at the right) with a 36,000 RPM spindle
and 7 pallets. For EDM a new Charmilles Roboform 550 with 8
quick-change pallets was added. And when a bottleneck was
identified in the Wire department, a new Charmilles 4030SI
Twin-wire Wire EDM was flown in to address the issue.
As we tell our clients, ATM anticipates a customer’s need rather
than reacting to it. |
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7) |
Has your company recently expanded? Plans to expand or form
partnerships/alliances? |
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As mentioned earlier, 2000 saw ATM relocate from its’ modern 25,000
sq. ft. plant (located in Clearwater) to an existing facility
almost 150,000 sq. ft. in size just a couple of blocks away. The
new location required extensive remodeling before the actual move
could take place. We were able to prove that time (eight months)
and money (almost $3.5 million dollars) can work wonders.
Those efforts and the financial commitment required to
accomplish such a project produced a workplace we are extremely
proud of. In addition to being the largest mold manufacturer in the
state of Florida, we believe that we have one of the finest
facilities in the Southeast US dedicated to injection molding and
mold manufacturing.
Our present location will allow us to double the size of our
production space as future demand grows.
Prior to the economic downturn, plans were on the table for the
construction of a Class 100,000 Molding Clean Room. After a
long-term delay, those plans are once again being reviewed.
Over the last 3-4 years, ATM has become a charter member of
Global Partnerships and Alliances with numerous international
Fortune 500 companies. In order for ATM to meet our commitment to
these Global customers, we will need to grow. But we cannot grow in
size alone; locations will need to be added around the world. We
will most likely add several small branch facilities while at the
same time searching for compatible “partners” in North America,
South America, Europe and Asia. Aggressive plans yes, but it just
might happen sooner than we can imagine. Global customers are
driving arrangements like this in an effort to achieve product and
package consistency around the world.
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8) |
Are you involved in any industry organizations or educational
programs related
to the trade? |
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In cooperation with PTEC (Pinellas Technical Education Center), ATM
maintains an internal, formal moldmaking apprenticeship program. |
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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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By adopting good manufacturing practices such as “lights-out
manufacturing” and the implementation of leading edge technologies,
robotic take-out, high-speed machining and hard cutting of
components, ATM has been able to impress customers with our
willingness to support their needs by making our goals the same as
theirs.Reduction of the “cost to manufacture” a high capitol
item such as a mold is key to remaining a viable player in this
Global moldmaking market. Injection molding is no different. Look
at the focus on production at the last NPE. Fast cycles, more
cavitation, higher output, more automation, lowest possible part
cost and the list goes on. Our Asian competitors’ workers spend
their lives working for a fraction of what our workers are paid. We
can only compete if we make molds and parts of the highest quality
– faster and with lower labor input. But we must still have pride
in what we do and how we do it. |
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10) |
What will the industry look like in 3 to 5 years? |
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The small mold making shop will always be a part of the
manufacturing pool available to customers that require the lowest
possible price (read below market) and the “fix it while I wait”
type of attention.
But customers that target global marketing for their brands
require consistency of product in every market, competitive pricing
from global suppliers and products of the highest quality.
Only moldmaking shops that co-op their services or grow very
large will be able to support this type of customer. Molding
companies will need to establish new plants in many markets in
order to provide consistent product to their customers worldwide.
M&A fever will most likely be rekindled over the next decade in
an effort to satisfy this demand as everyone tries to have a
presence in every global market.
North American and European companies may not be able to meet
this need - but Asia surely will.
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Additional Background Information |
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ATM is rapidly approaching its 25th year as an injection
molder and moldmaker here in Florida. Our focus has changed over
the years, starting as a local vendor serving local customers, then
expanding our presence in support of national customers, and now
working with Global Customers in Global markets.
Our molding facility is almost 90,000 sq. ft. while our
moldmaking space covers almost 60,000 sq. ft.
Types of Tools Built and/or Run / Industries Served
 There aren’t many types of molds that we don’t get involved
with. Hot runner, Cold runner, 3-plate, Unscrewing, In-mold
Closing, 2-shot and Stack molds. We prefer molds of high cavitation
and we handle their construction as a manufacturing process rather
than as “custom molds”. This type of mold is easier to plan,
schedule and make flow through our manufacturing system.
ATM is also a Custom Injection Molder handling all types of
materials ranging from commodity materials to specialty compounds.
We believe that there is no easy part if you don’t investigate
every detail, evaluate every risk and plan for success.
To find out more about ATM, visit the company’s website at
www.a-t-m.com or
call Jerry Seidelman at 727-447-7377 x 206. |
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