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Encompix Manufacturing Software and B&K Profiled in InMFG Magazine
Since 1952, B&K Corp. has been designing and building assembly
and test systems for the automotive industry. Six years ago the
firm was purchased by a German organization, IWKA, which is an
international network of nearly one hundred mid-sized companies.
B&K is currently part of the IWKA Powertrain Manufacturing Group
and customers include Harley Davidson, Nissan, General Motors,
DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, Allison Transmissions and
many other automotive top tier clients. B&K does not manufacture
simple products; in fact the products are quite complex, taking
six months to a year to produce. The price tag for complete
system ranges from half a million dollars to $2.5 million.
Recently, the company received its largest order, worth over $20
million. The Saginaw, Michigan facility manufactures the test
equipment, and the Fenton, Michigan location builds the assembly
equipment and completes the overall system.
B&K CEO, Scott Orendach, noted the increasing challenge of
global competition, "The marketplace has become far more global.
We are dealing with competitors in Europe and in Asia. Our
customers are looking for suppliers that have common
manufacturing practices all around the globe, so we are now
facing some pretty serious competition. We have currencies
working both for us and against us. All of these things put
pressure on B&K to address its cost issues, and standardize and
modularize its products."
B&K identified that the new system allowed the business to move
towards standardization. B&K was especially pleased with "The
Item Master" in the new ERP system, "It plays a central role in
this initiative. We used to have a cultural problem with our
engineering department towards standardization and modular
design. We also needed to control our raw material costs and
purchasing; we can now look at historical pricing so that we
know when we're are getting the best buy."
Encompix has filled the manufacturing software requirements of
Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. The company name
reflects the commitment to developing business application
solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and
job-based manufacturing.
Encompix www.encompix.com Roger Meloy 513-733-0066
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