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Radio Interview with
WestPaw Design & MMEC
Below are select stories from Montana companies that have partnered with the Montana Manufacturing Center on the road to success. Let MMEC help you on your journey into continuous improvement.
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Big Sky Woodcrafters
www.bigskywoodcrafters.com
“We tend to think we can do it ourselves here [in Montana]. I was one of those," Big Sky Woodcrafters co-owner Kathy Barta said. But not any more. A cost of goods study done by MMEC several years ago to provide Kathy with a financial management tool made her aware of how minutes turn to hours, turn to days and push up costs. Faced with competitive pressures, more would need to be done…MORE Montana Boatbuilders
www.montanaboatbuilders.com
“When we first got started my wife and I were the only employees doing everything, building, bookwork and brochures. Suddenly we had a waiting list and had to hire and train. In production mode overnight, we found that we had no idea how long processes took us or what amounts of material or tools we were going through,” says Montana Boatbuilders owner Jason Cajune. MMEC/UTAP took on the monumental task of evaluating the company’s processes from milling raw wood and making finished pieces to composite fiberglass lay-up, and coating and finishing work…MORE
Red Oxx Manufacturing
www.redoxx.com
Just as Red Oxx Manufacturing of Billings was having its PR5 Safari Beano carry-on bag tested against a competitor’s at the Army Natick Soldier Center testing lab in Natick, Mass., the PR5 received “Gear of the Year” recognition in the spring 2004 issue of Outdoor Buyers Guide. Together, the trade magazine testimonial and positive hard test data arranged through MSU TechLink and MMEC have made for a powerful marketing tool.…MORE
Semitool
www.semitool.com
Semitool received its ISO 9001:2000 Certification, on December 31, 2004, recommended by the American International Registrar Corp. after an intensive eight-day audit of its quality systems found only four minor non-conformances. Montana Manufacturing Extension Center assisted the company with implementation over a two-year period with extensive training, pre-assessment, simulated audits, and helping interpret the standards to the specific Semitool operation…MORE
Unibest, Inc.
www.unibest.us
Positive marketing indicators turned the attention of UNIBEST, Inc. to automating a 10-step capsule assembly process for manufacturing a revolutionary soils testing capsule developed by owner Earl Skogley a retired MSU soil scientist. He enlisted the help of MSU engineering students in a Senior Design Project to explore the feasibility of mechanizing and sought assistance from the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) for preliminary design and project management assistance as automation took shape....MORE
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