Val-Matic Valve and Manufacturing
Val-Matic Valve and Manufacturing Corp. uses advanced technology and lean methods to control the flow of its product demand.
By Jim Harris
Val-Matic Valve and Manufacturing Corp.'s mastery of its namesake products makes it an industry leader. "We are valve experts," CEO John Ballun says.
The Elmhurst, Ill.-based company specializes in manufacturing check valves, quarter turn shut-off valves and air valves for the water and wastewater markets. Its products are found in water plants as well as on pipelines and water mains.
Chris Kelsch
G.H. Tool & Mold
G.H. Tool & Mold Expands its facilities after joining the "Tooling Tech Group" tooling platform.
By Chris Kelsch
Since Gerry and Sue Hellebusch founded G.H. Tool & Mold in 1983, the company has grown to serve the tooling needs of customers in the North American automotive, aerospace, outdoor products, energy and other markets. Dave Graves, who started with the company in 1990 in the engineering department and assumed the role of president in 2014, has seen the company thrive as it has used creative design solutions to benefit a variety of manufacturers. "Our guiding principle," Graves says, "was established decades ago by the company founder. We design and build tools as if we had to run them ourselves."
Kat Zeman
Transform Automotive
TransForm Automotive's innovative forming processes are helping the company grow as it marks its 20th year.
By Kat Zeman
A leading manufacturer of powertrain components and assemblies, TransForm Automotive predicts it will double in size in the next 5 years.
The Sterling Heights, Mich.-based company is observing its 20th anniversary this year. It provides components for major automotive companies including General Motors, Ford, Fiat Chrysler and ZF, a key maker of premium-brand automatic transmissions. Utilizing proprietary stamping, forming, flow forming, machining, laser-welding and assembly processes, TransForm specializes in clutch housing assemblies, planet carriers, drum assemblies and various tight tolerance components and assemblies for transmission production.
"Our advanced metal forming capabilities are being incorporated into transmission design by more and more car manufacturing companies," President Ted Ens says.
Rexa's investment in workforce development was crucial in implementing lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
In Sam Lalos' eyes, one of the biggest mistakes a company can make is filling an open position with someone from outside the company. "Good skilled labor is tight everywhere," says Lalos, the president and CEO of Rexa, a manufacturer of electro-hydraulic actuators. "That's why we believe in bringing people on and seeing a future with the company."
It's straightforward to invest in product development, new machine tools and faster processes. The real distinction, Lalos says, is Rexa's people. "It's easy to look at the payback by investing in machines, but I think human capital is critical to our future," he continues. "I would like to get back to the days where people are hired for lifetime employment."
The company strives to promote and retain its workforce. "The worst thing we can do is to hire somebody, develop them for a one-to-two-year period and have them move on," he explains.
Sentry Equipment
Sentry representative sampling products help customers in diverse industries optimize their manufacturing processes and ensure product quality. By Jim Harris
Sentry products play an essential role in the manufacturing operations of its customers. "We are a manufacturer that helps other manufacturers improve their processes," says Rick Steinke, vice president of operations of the Oconomowoc, Wis.-based company.
The company manufactures equipment to capture and analyze representative steam, water, solid, powder, gas, liquid or slurry samples directly from its customers' process streams. Markets served by the company include power generation, oil and gas, food and beverage, chemical and petrochemical, cement, mining and pharmaceutical. "Whether it's someone producing gasoline or consumer products such as shampoo, ice cream or orange juice, we have the ability to tap into their process stream and capture a representative sample for reliable and accurate quality analysis," Steinke adds. "We help our customers make sure their products are being manufactured within specification and regulations, all while keeping their operators safe and protecting the environment and their plant assets."
The sampling equipment manufactured by Sentry Equipment is installed directly into its customers' process streams. Sampling solutions can be engineered and customized to each customer's specific manufacturing environment. "We can look at their application and tell them the type of equipment we can engineer to perform reliable and accurate sampling in a particular part of their operation," Steinke says. "We have the deep engineering expertise to advise customers the best way to capture a representative sample in any part of their process."
Barbara McHatton
Parlec
Parlec improves its clients' product quality and helps them adapt to their ever-changing manufacturing demands through product innovation and continual refinement of its machine tool accessory products.
By Barbara McHatton
Not content to rest on its laurels, machine tool accessory manufacturer Parlec has been on an upward trajectory in both growth and innovation since its company first began manufacturing sulky wheel hubs in 1948.
Today, Parlec's product line consists of more than 8,000 products that perform tool-holding, presetting, boring and tapping functions for a wide array of industries. "Our products can be found in manufacturing lines that make a diverse range of products from delicate electronics to heavy machinery parts," Director of Product Marketing Matthew Ricotta says. "We're constantly developing new products by listening to what our clients need and want to improve their manufacturing processes."