15-20% Increased Capacity Result of Ripley Plant Expansion

Steady business growth, a need for additional machinery and insufficient floor space can pose a problem when you are a small manufacturer. This was the situation facing Quentin Bensink, President of Ripley Machine & Tool Company. “We need additional space and we need it quickly if we want to meet current and future volume demands,” said Bensink.

Ripley Machine & Tool Company is a machine shop that serves numerous industrial accounts in the northeast and Texas. The primary activity is the machining of aluminum and iron castings used in the production of valves for air compressors. These components are sold to a single, major OEM account in Erie, PA. Secondary product lines include the production of turnings from bar stock and center-less grinding for a number of industrial customers within the region.

Founded in 1956, Quentin Bensink has owned Ripley Machine & Tool since 1996. During this period the business has grown steadily by providing value-added services and consistent quality to an entrenched group of customers. The company currently employs 24 people including 16 non-union production workers. Manufacturing operations are conducted on a single shift within the one-story facility located in Ripley, NY.

Because the company has realized steady business growth, Bensink projects compounded sales increases of 10% annually for the next five years. It became increasing apparent that the 8,000 square foot facility was inadequate to absorb this rate of business expansion. This situation was further exacerbated by the need to add 2-3 pieces of production equipment. Effective production flow and material handling were already difficult because of the cramped conditions within the facility. Bensink realized that a facility expansion was an immediate necessity if Ripley Machine & Tool was to meet the current and future volume demands of the business.

Insyte Consulting was engaged to assist in the facility expansion and to ensure that the planned addition could be completed within six months.

The first step was to evaluate the product flow through specific work centers to identify opportunities to smooth the overall work flow throughout the shop. This analysis was based on both current and projected volumes for both machined castings and metal turnings. Relationship diagrams were developed between the work centers for the purpose of ultimately reducing move distances. IAdditionally, management wanted to segregate several small product offerings that took excessive floor space in the production area. This analysis helped in the evaluation and confirmation of the square footage expansion required to meet current and future production volumes. Results showed an additional 8,000 square feet was needed, which effectively doubled the production area.

Once the size of the expansion was established, the next step was to develop several high-level layout options. The options were reviewed with the joint team of company and Insyte Consulting participants. Upon selection of the optimal layout alternative, a detailed layout was developed that included both the old and expanded areas of the building. This entire process was completed in several weeks allowing an immediate start to construction activities. Insyte Consulting subsequently supported project management activities during construction by interfacing with architects, construction personnel, riggers, utility companies and other external resources involved in the project.

Upon completion of the expansion, smoother production flow was immediately realized because of the revised layout. This improved material handling activities, particularly when moving work-in-process and finished goods within the facility. Material travel distance was reduced by 34%. The expanded layout also greatly improved inventory control. By eliminating the aforementioned cramped conditions, Ripley Machine & Tool was able to acquire two vertical machining centers and two CNC horizontal lathes. It is estimated that production capacity has been increased by 15-20% as a result of the expansion. This will enable the company to aggressively pursue new business while maintaining or improving service and support to current accounts.

According to Quentin Bensink, “The work performed by Insyte Consulting was not only thorough and comprehensive, but it also enabled us to complete the project quickly and with virtually no disruptions to normal production activities.”