It’s award season. Of course, for those in the movie business, there’s the Oscars at the end of the month, but for those in the quality profession, you can still earn some recognition in the pages of this magazine. From the Quality Leadership 100 to our Plant and Professional of the Year awards, the next three months feature some top companies and people.
The Quality Leadership 100 recognizes dozens of top-performing plants for their dedication to quality. This year the top five companies were: DCX-CHOL Enterprises Teletronics division, Manitowoc, Top Tool Co., Dependable Stamping Company Inc., and C. Thorrez Industries. These companies were all committed to quality, whether they were a staff of 35, or a location with 400 people.
If you’re wondering how the results are tabulated, the analysis varies slightly from year to year. This year companies were evaluated on continuous improvement and internal quality programs in place; contribution of quality to profitability and shareholder value; average number of hours monthly that employees receive quality training; scrap and rework as a percentage of sales; warranty costs as a percentage of sales; and registration to various standards such as ISO 9001.
The BNP Media Market Research Department conducted the survey for Quality.
1. DCX-CHOL Enterprises
Teletronics division
Los Angeles, CA
www.dcxchol.com
According to the company website, “DCX-CHOL Enterprises will provide products and services that meet all requirements. We will assure customer satisfaction through continuous performance improvement. Our vision: to achieve and maintain a reputation for being a leading manufacturer of electrical, electronic and electro-mechanical interconnect systems, test sets and equipment. Our values: to pursue our work with integrity, excellence and continuous improvement.”
2. Manitowoc
Manitowoc, WI
www.manitowoc.com
“It’s easier to say than do,” he continues. “It’s understanding that you don’t have a single cost-benefit ratio. Essentially you have a star, providing the best safety, quality and reliability, performance, ease of use, and the ability to serve our customers when they need help, quickly and with the right answers. This results in helping our customers achieve their return on investment.”
To get this ROI for customers, the company has used Lean and Six Sigma in its newly launched Manitowoc Operating System. MacIntyre says, “The secret to success is predicting good quality and delivering it. This is what we are engaged in today. We still have much to learn, and our leadership is right there helping with hands-on effort and focused commitment.”
This approach has worked out well for the company. In 2013, the company introduced 52 new products, and had net sales of $4 billion, according to Manitowoc’s 2013 annual report. In addition, the sales per employee totaled $302,100 for that year, the second highest level in the company’s history.
3. Top Tool
Blaine, MN
www.toptool.com
If you are a longtime reader of QualityMagazine, you might recognize the name Top Tool. Top Tool Co. consistently manages to appear on our QualityLeadership 100 list, and in 2013, the company also was Quality’sPlant of the Year. Since then the company has continued to improve. In the last year, the company started an apprenticeship program and recently purchased some new capital equipment, including multiple new stamping press innovations that have received praise from both operators and customers. In addition, the company was also named a finalist in the 2014 Manufacturing Awards by Minnesota Business magazine.
Sales Manager Duane Kari says success at the company is a group effort. For other companies looking to improve, he suggested, “Put a plan in place, report the metrics and keep trying to improve it.” He also says learning from others who have already been there—such as consultants—can be helpful. In addition, Top Tool makes managing risk a priority and does training at all levels of the company.
“We’re excited about a lot of new projects in the works that have the potential to double our company, so there’s a lot going on,” Kari says. “We’re excited about what’s going to take place here at Top Tool tomorrow and in the future. “
4. Dependable Stamping Company
Euclid, OH
www.dependablestamping.com
Dependable Stamping Company, a family-owned business, has been around since 1946. Today the company manufactures parts for industries from aerospace to appliances, trucking to telecommunications. Curt Gasser, the quality manager, came to the company several years ago with almost twenty years of experience in aerospace parts, so he understands the need for tight tolerances. To achieve these tolerances, the quality program relies on in-process inspections, which saves time during final inspections. “I’m of the mindset that if you have the time to fix the part after it’s done, why not fix it in the beginning?” Gasser says.
In addition, the company became ISO 9001:2008 certified in July, and has landed several new accounts because of that. “If you follow the ISO standards it’s definitely going to bring your quality way up,” Gasser says. He also tries to incorporate lean manufacturing into the company’s processes. Some of their work involves using tooling from customers that is up to 70 years old—older than the company itself—and this ability to do things that other companies can’t has helped them gain customers. But of course, the processes all depend on people, and to that end, Dependable Stamping has tried to keep employees motivated with reward programs and attendance bonuses. As he says, “I truly believe that somebody who feels good about what they’re doing does it 10 times better than somebody who doesn’t.”
5. C. Thorrez Industries
Jackson, MI
www.thorrez.com
The company, which is registered to ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001, has been around since 1919. Thorrez is a third generation, and the company has fourth generation involved too. “We’re there six, seven days a week,” Thorrez says. “We’re all heading in the same direction. It takes a lot of hard work.”
Besides the hard work, another reason for their success has been the feedback given. The company shares the goals, profits from the day before, and sales objectives. They have end of the month goals, as well as on a per-day basis. They will also give employees feedback on the activities of the day before. And the company then shares its success with employees, with bonuses and higher wages.
Today the company primarily serves the transportation industry, including both automotive and heavy-duty truck. But in the past, they have worked with office furniture, appliances, and recreational camping products. During his grandfather’s reign, the company made bullets for World War II.
“It’s just an evolution,” Thorrez says. “You have to be flexible in finding new customers and solving the needs they have out there. I can’t wait to find our next new customers. There are new customers every time you look.”
Rank Company Location WEBSITE
1 DCX-CHOL Enterprizes, Teletronics Division Los Angeles, CA www.dcx-chol.com
2 Manitowoc Cleveland, OH www.manitowoc.com
3 Top Tool Co. Blaine, MN www.toptool.com
4 Dependable Stamping Company, Inc. Euclid, OH www.dependablestamping.com
5 C. Thorrez Industries Jackson, MI www.thorrez.com
6 Selco Products Reno, NV www.selcoproducts.com
7 Sea Air Space Machining & Molding Solon, OH www.seaairspace.com
8 Winona PVD Warsaw, IN www.winonapvd.com
9 Littlestown Foundry, Inc. Littlestown, PA www.littlestownfoundry.com
10 iCONN Systems Lombard, IL www.iconnsystems.com
11 Gooch and Housego Highland Heights, OH www.goochandhousego.com
12 Industrial Tool Die & Engineering Tucson, AZ www.itde.com
13 Abbott Laboratories Abbott Park, IL www.abbott.com
14 Metal Technologies, Inc. Ravenna, MI www.metaltechnologies.com
15 Plexus Corporation Neenau, WI www.plexus.com
16 Clinkenbeard, an M2M Group Company Rockford, IL www.clinkenbeard.com
17 Wireless Technology, Inc. Ventura, CA www.gotowti.com
18 Honeywell Aerospace Tempe, AZ www.honeywell.com
19 Ford Motor Company Livonia, MI www.fordmotorcompany.com
20 Alcon Houston, TX www.alcon.com
21 NASA AFRC Edwards AFB, CA
22 Philips PLS-NA Fall River, MA www.usa.lighting.philips.com
23 Twin City Fan Industies Minneapolis, MN www.tcf.com
24 Elixir Industries Douglas, GA www.elixirind.com
25 Applus RTD Manchester, CT www.applusrtd.com
26 Proven Process Medical Devices Mansfield, MA www.provenprocess.com
27 Columbia Precision Machine Corp. Burnsville, MN www.columbiapmc.com
28 Kreis Tool Elgin, IL www.kreis.com
29 Bosch Tool Corporation Chicago, IL www.boschtools.com
30 Med-Logics, Inc. Athens, TX www.mlogics.com
31 Capsonic Group, LLC Elgin, IL www.capsonic.com
32 Plas-Pak Industries, Inc. Norwich, CT www.plaspakinc.com
33 Machine Service, Inc. Green Bay, WI www.machineservice.com
34 Radoil, Inc. Houston, TX www.radoil.com
35 Hans Rudolph, Inc. Shawnee, KS www.rudolphkc.com
36 Tecnova Electronics, Inc. Waukegan, IL www.tecnova.com
37 Rockport Roll Shop, LLC Rockport, IN
38 Modern-Tec Manufacturing, Inc. Buffalo, NY www.moderncnc.com
39 Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Co. Milwaukee, WI www.wenthe-davidson.com
40 Amiad Water Systems Mooresville, NC www.amiad.com
41 Enzymatics, Inc. Beverly, MA www.enzymatics.com
42 Wisconsin Metal Products Racine, WI www.wmpco.com
43 TEAM Industries Cambridge, MN www.team-ind.com
44 Applied Test Systems Butler, PA www.atspa.com
45 Giga-tronics Incorporated San Ramon, CA www.gigatronics.com
46 Securaplane Technologies Oro Valley, AZ www.securaplane.com
47 Herndon Products, Inc O'Fallon, MO www.herndonproducts.com
48 Attwood Lowell, MI www.attwoodmarine.com
49 Industries for the Blind, Inc. West Allis, WI www.ibmilw.com
50 dBMEDx Bellevue, CO www.dbmedx.com
51 Northrop Grumman Ogden, UT www.northropgrumman.com
52 Thibiant International Chatsworth, CA
53 CoorsTek Worcester, MA www.coorstek.com
54 Baker Hughes Shafter, CA www.bakerhughes.com
55 Alpha Products, Inc. Chicago, IL www.alphaproductsinc.com
56 Donnelly Custom Manufacturing Alexandria, MN www.donnmfg.com
57 Aero-K El Monte, CA www.aero-k.com
58 ENengineering Warrenville, IL www.enengineering.com
59 Pratt & Whitney Canada Wichita Falls, TX www.pwc.ca
60 Triton Industries Newport News, VA www.triton.us.com
61 Linkbelt Construction Equipment Co. Lexington, KY www.linkbelt.com
62 USA ARDEC Picatinny, NJ www.pica.army.mil
63 Kaba Winston Salem, NC www.kaba.com
64 GMA Manufacturing Tempe, AZ
65 ALCOA Cleveland, OH www.alcoa.com
66 TD Williamson Tulsa, OK www.tdwilliamson.com
67 Parker Hannifin Kings Mountain, NC www.parker.com
68 Afco Products, Inc. Des Plaines, IL www.afco-products.com
69 Anoplate Corporation Syracuse, NY www.anoplate.com
70 ComDel Innovation Wahpeton, ND www.comdelinnovation.com
71 SigmaTron International, Inc. Elk Grove Village, IL www.sigmatronintl.com
72 TE Connectivity Winston Salem, NC www.te.com
73 Harper Corporation of America Charlotte, NC www.harperimage.com
74 Penn Union Edinboro, PA www.penn-union.com
75 Thule Group Seymour, CT www.thule.com
76 Klein Steel Service Rochester, NY www.kleinsteel.com
77 Piper Plastics, Inc. Chandler, AZ www.piperplastics.com
78 Cartel Industries, LLC Irvine, CA
79 Aerojet Rocketdyne Sacramento, CA www.rocket.com
80 Melet Plastics Corportation Fargo, ND www.meletplastics.com
81 Kato Cable, LLC Mankato, MN www.katocable.com
82 MTD Products Valley City, CA www.mtdproducts.com
83 Viega, LLC McPherson, KS www.viega.com
84 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Fort Worth, TX
85 HI TECMETAL Group Cleveland, OH www.htg.cc
86 Honeywell International Minneapolis, MN www.honeywell.com
87 National Machine Company Stow, OH www.nationalmachinecompany.com
88 Rolls-Royce Indianapolis, IN www.rolls-royce.com
89 Ward Manufacuring, LLC Blossburg, PA www.wardmfg.com
90 Markel Corporation Plymouth Meeting, PA www.markelcorporation.com
91 AxleTech International Oshkosh, WI www.axletech.com
92 PTR Tool & Plastics, LLC Meadville, PA www.ptrtoolandplastics.com
93 Greenfield Industries, Inc. Seneca, SC www.gfii.com
94 Dutek, Inc Vista, CA www.dutek.com
95 valspar Chicago, IL www.valspar.com
96 Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation Muskegon, MI www.harborsteel.com
97 Honeywell Muncie, IN www.honeywell.com
98 Rockwell Collins Cedar Rapids, IA www.rockwellcollins.com
99 GTE Orlando, FL www.gtefficiency.com
100 Fiat Chrysler Automotive Auburn Hills, MI www.chrysler.com
