Dear Abby, our company has an idea for a widgity wackety do dag (an awesome metal product that will sell for millions) that I really need to put into production. We do not know exactly where to start this time around. Usually, we start with China, but we decided to go a different route this time around...What should I do?
Sincerely,
Scrambling Project Manager
Dear Scrambling Project Manager,
I have four words for you:
End-to-End Manufacturing
You are going to want to find an end-to-end manufacturer (E2E). To put it simply an end-to-end manufacturer will help you and your company take your product from idea all the way to delivery. A good E2E manufacturer will be your saving grace.
At Brixius Manufacturing, Inc. our 6 stages in end-to-end metal manufacturing are:
Planning
Design
Prototype
Manufacturing
Delivery
Project Review
6 Benefits of End-to-End Manufacturing
1. Personal Attention- You will have a point of contact that gives you their full attention. Need an email answered, or a phone call to review a concern? Your point person will be there for you to address any needs you may have, and to ensure the manufacturing of your product goes smoothly. You will never be left wondering what is going on with your project.
2. Cost Saving- E2E manufacturers can offer large cost-saving options that others can not. During the planning stage, the manufacturer will be able to suggest tips such as material choices, design ideas, and manufacturability that will help keep the cost of your product low. Throughout the manufacturing stage, work is done in-house, and outsourcing markups do not become an added cost.
3. Quick Turnaround- You will find that delivery comes much sooner with E2E manufacturing, work can flow efficiently through the process, and everyone has an in-depth understanding of the project. E2E eliminates common production problems such as material delays, print questions, and general clarifications.
4. Ultimate Control- Want to increase your order size or control inventory delivery? Make a last-minute change to the design? That can all be planned for and adjusted throughout your project. E2E Manufactures can be much more flexible because of their involvement in the entire project.
5. Transparency- Being involved in the manufacturing process from end-to-end allows you to see the whole process. Transparency is hard to find when your product has multiple locations it is being worked on. Instead at an E2E manufacturer, you will know the people who are working on the project, you will know what the facility looks like, and you will know the steps they are taking to ensure things run smoothly. Transparency puts your mind at ease and is the first step to building a great partnership.
6. The Project Review- This stage in the process is often overlooked. When in reality it is a key part of future success. A project review allows the customer a chance to voice concerns or praises about how the process went and allows the manufacturer to make suggestions about the product in the future. For example, maybe a decision was made to go with a specific bend angle, however, in production bending did not go quite as smoothly as desired. In the project review, this would be a great time for the manufacturer to suggest a design change to improve the product's manufacturability. The project review ensures that the next project goes even better than the first.
Not all companies need help through every stage in E2E, some already have prints created, while others do not need a prototype. At Brixius Manufacturing, Inc., we help you create your perfect product no matter where you are in the process.
Feel free to check out our capabilities at https://www.brixiusmfg.com/capabilities
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