"We constantly upgrade our equipment and roll over our CAD terminals in engineering every 12 to 18 months," Deaton comments. Today, continuous equipment upgrades also are ingredients in Minco's recipe for success. ISO and QS certification were achieved in 1999, which Minneman says was a "tremendous benefit" to the shop for eliminating waste and documenting our processes. In the latter part of the decade, its website was designed-propelling them into the 21st century. In 1995, gas assist tooling and molding technology were added to the company's capabilities. Most suppliers welcome this opportunity to participate without any compensation beyond simply the business opportunity creating a 'win/win' situation for everyone-including the consumer."Įmployment levels increased, and Minco made a number of facility improvements. By having this knowledge base surrounding the activity and working together in the early stages of development, we have seen phenomenal results and success. "The vehicle to take advantage of this opportunity is by involving the major parties of the supply chain: the OEM, designer, moldmaker, molder and resin supplier. "Clearly, during the product design stage is where not only the cost-but also quality and time-to-market-can be most influenced in completing a plastic product application," Minneman says. The '90s saw the development of an early supplier involvement program. It was in the 1960s that Minco developed the extensive, state-approved apprenticeship program that is still strong today. He worked with the local high schools to find talent he could grow for the industry. For the next 20 years growth was steady, but Robert recognized that to truly make Minco successful he would have to dedicate some of his focus to training the personnel he required to support the company's growth plan. In 1954, Robert (Bob) Minneman began his business as a custom moldmaker after serving an apprenticeship himself and working in several custom mold building facilities before starting his own business. These items-while a small percentage of the total mold build activity-make a huge difference in the success or failure of the project. We understand how critical proper venting, balance of fill, et cetera, are to the overall performance of the mold. Gary Deaton, manager of marketing and manufacturing, adds, "This ability distinguishes us from firms that are just moldmakers with sampling capabilities only. "Having this capability on site, in real time, we can determine what works and what doesn't work-from a manufacturer's perspective," he notes. MoldMaking Technology's Top-Viewed Content in 2022 So Far: FeaturesĪccording to President Joe Minneman, while the molding facility "enhances the timely completion of a mold build program" it does not exist to compete with Minco's customers that are also custom injection molders. Operations include product and mold design, mold build, mold repair and maintenance, validation and production-including assembly at Minco's manufacturing facility All Service Plastic Molding (ASPM), which the company started in the mid '80s. Boasting leadtimes of four to eight weeks-depending on the complexity and size of the mold-Minco Tool combines an aggressive attitude with automation and 24-hour operation. Minco prides itself on having a blend of old-world craftsmanship and modern technology to meet its customers' needs. A heavy emphasis on lean manufacturing driven by the company's proprietary product data management (PDM) system-along with highly trained and dedicated employees-has put this moldmaker on the map as a force to be reckoned with. Today, 115 employees in a 45,000 square foot shop contributed to $15 million in sales last year-serving the automotive, medical, sporting goods, office equipment, consumer products and electrical industries with primarily thermoplastic injection molds. (Dayton, OH) has come a long way since it first opened its doors as a small custom moldmaker 50 years ago.
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