For many manufacturers, cell manufacturing— also referred to as micro-cells— is one of the best ways to increase the velocity and flexibility of their production lines. “It’s literally a micro assembly line within a company’s particular product that increases their efficiency,” explained Troy Wilson, Product Manager of Table Products at Cincinnati Incorporated.

I had the opportunity to speak with Tim Pribula, Director of Operations at Sunrise Machine & Tool and he shared with me his thoughts on their recent purchase of the CL-955c Fiber Laser Cutting System and its integration into their operations.

You have to admit, as far as the manufacturing industry goes, there are plenty of challenges. Demand for finished parts is high, but raw materials are hard to find as supply chain issues continue. Lead times for sheet metal parts are officially next-to-impossible to deal with. Manufacturing companies feel like their businesses are being held hostage by things beyond their control. In short, that’s a huge issue. It’s no wonder that machine shops all across the country are looking for any way possible to get some of that control back.

When we met with RC Industries in July 2019, the company had 160 employees working three shifts. They’ve overcome plenty of adversity in that time—much like all of us have—and managed to keep headcount the same while increasing revenue 24%. What are the reasons for that success? We caught up with Chris Curtis, Owner of RC Industries, to talk about it.

In 1999, United Alloy (UA) was founded in Janesville, Wisconsin. That same year, the company welcomed its first Cincinnati Incorporated machine, a 135-ton press brake.

Step foot in the Cincinnati Incorporated facility in Harrison, Ohio and you’ll see a whole lot of manufacturing goodness. A multitude of machines out on the floor, plenty of hard-working people doing what they do best and lots of showroom, office and classroom space.

More than any other fiber laser cutter on the market, the CL-900 brings a better cutting speed and lower operating cost. And when you add our High Performance Package (HPP) to the machine, the gap between you and your competitors will widen even further.

Opening for business in 1962, Spradlin Brothers Welding has grown from humble beginnings in a two-car garage to a 25,500 square foot state-of-the-art facility. Based in Springfield, Ohio, the shop handles a wide variety of work ranging from prototypes to production runs for industries including crane manufacturing, foundry equipment, oil and natural gas, and even a super store chain (manufacturing components for their buildings). “Our biggest goal is to keep satisfying customers with our work,” said President Jeff Spradlin. The success of this philosophy can be seen in the fact that the company has maintained relationships with some customers for over four decades.

Huron Fabrication, based in Cudahy, Wisconsin, prides itself on taking complex projects from concept to completion for a wide range of industries. According to CEO Erik Schimelfenyg, “It’s not about being in the middle of the manufacturing process, it’s about being at the center of creating something great.” This includes everything from elegant residential bridges to rocket engine components to military-grade armor fabrications. Whatever project is on the production line at Huron, you’ll find equipment from Cincinnati Inc. (CI) at the heart of it.

E.K. Machine Company started out 50 years ago as a small machine and fabrication shop. Since then, they have grown into a full-service supplier of quality steel components and assemblies to the agriculture, construction, food processing, oil/gas and transportation industries. The company also depends on the finest technology for quality, speed and productivity. That’s where CINCINNATI enters the story.