A Trusted Extension of the Team by Increasing Capacity During Busy Season

CHALLENGE

A leading fitness equipment manufacturer who specializes in Cardio Equipment, Crossfit Rigs, Racks, Bars, Benches, Cable Machines and more, was challenged with increased demand in the fourth quarter each year. They were struggling to keep up with the growing demand during their busy season and uncovered that welding capacity was part of the issue. To help with the capacity issue, they conducted a search to find a contract manufacturer to increase their welding capacity. They needed a contract manufacturer who could become an extension of their team with the ability to flex with their cyclical demand. It was important that the contract manufacturer would be able to deliver the same high-quality parts and provide other manufacturing and design assistance as well.

SOLUTION

They chose The Metalworking Group (MWG) for the job because through experience, MWG repeatedly demonstrated their manufacturing expertise and proved to be a trusted extension of the team. The manufacturer originally tasked MWG with manufacturing small parts of low complexity, and progressed to bigger and more complex parts over time. After sixteen years of collaborating, they were confident that the MWG would be able to deliver high quality parts with a hassle-free manufacturing process. The manufacturer understood that MWG continues to grow in support of their customers. Whether it is a new project, a spike in demand, a VAVE activity needed to help address cost, or introduction of a new technology, the contract manufacturer continues to provide and look for additional ways to grow and create value for their customers. This gave the manufacturer confidence in their partnership for this project.

APPROACH

In order to be an extension of the fitness manufacturer’s team, MWG developed a plan to manage all aspects of the situation. This included everything from design to delivery, which allowed the customer to focus their internal resources on other projects. This collaborative and comprehensive approach brought together the Senior Leaders, Engineering Departments, Project Managers, and Operators. MWG utilized their VAVE capabilities, Design for Manufacture capabilities, and leading-edge equipment to guarantee an efficient manufacturing process. They manufactured various parts and provided design support and optimization, delivering end-to-end solutions, including:

• Management of 200 SKU’s
• Cost reductions based on manufacturing process changes
• Robotically Welded Assemblies
• Introduction of Stocking/KanBan Programs
• Custom / Returnable Packaging savings
• ~ 24 Inventory turns per year
• VAVE-for Welded Rack Assembly
• Design assistance on Pull Up and Dip Bars
• Capital Investment to Support Growth

In order to increase capacity and efficiency, MWG built duplicate fixtures for the MWG plant, enabling them to truly become an extension of the customer’s team. Because they knew how important fourth quarter deliveries were, the team at MWG did what was needed to ensure parts were delivered on time. This included weekend overtime, just-in-time (JIT) critical courier deliveries provided and in some cases senior leadership jumping in to help.

RESULTS

MWG and the customer partnered to increase welding capacity during the fourth quarter busy season. As a result, 200 parts were managed and the manufacturer was able to increase their capacity. MWG managed the project from beginning to end by implementing a stocking program, creating custom packaging, assisting with design optimization, managing their inventory, and manufacturing various parts. The General Manager stated, “MWG has been a great partner, they consider themselves an extension of us and I think that sums it up perfectly!” The fitness equipment manufacturer and MWG look forward to partnering in the future as they continue to collaborate to increase capacity and deliver quality parts.