The manufacturing industry has seen rapid changes in the supply chain over the past year that will continue to shape American manufacturing long into the future. In the years to come, North American machine shops will benefit from a reduction in outsourcing overseas, therefore creating an influx of production work for both large manufacturers and small machine shops. However, as many customers already know, bigger doesn’t always mean better.
In the U.S., many, if not most, machined parts are produced by small machine shops. Census Bureau data says facilities with 19 employees or fewer represent 82% of businesses classified as “machine shops.” There are distinct benefits to working with a small machine shop for production work that cannot be matched by a larger enterprise. Two such advantages are the greater attention to detail and stronger customer relationships that a small CNC machine shop can offer. Other benefits include:
Learn more about the benefits of working with a small machine shop like Fair Haven Machine for production machining.
High-volume precision machined parts with customization are difficult to find for a reasonable price; large companies that require high-volume parts often turn to large machine shops to get jobs completed. It makes sense that the larger the machine shop, the more parts that can be made at a faster speed, right? This is actually not the case. Turning to a small machine shop for production work can be beneficial in many ways.
At many small machine shops, production work is on par with their larger competitors, and communication is actually easier because the customer is able to talk with machinists first hand. This allows the customer to get quoted fast, express interest in customization, identify tight tolerances, or include finishing needed for any of the parts. In large machine shops, customers often find that backlogs are common, and turnaround times can be unreasonable to even start the job because of the number of jobs presently running. While searching for the right company to get your high quantity job completed correctly, on time, and for a fair price, consider working with a small production machine shop like Fair Haven Machine.
Accountability is one of the biggest benefits when utilizing a small machine shop for CNC and prototype machining. Rarely are there miscommunications because the job is often one-of-one being produced in a particular time frame. Only a select few people relay the job details from the customer to the machinists, which means less confusion of the job at hand. Less confusion means parts are machined exactly to the customers’ specifications with less scrap and higher rates of efficiency.
When large companies need thousands of parts, small machine shops also offer the benefit of accuracy, which benefits the customer and the manufacturing process as a whole. Working with a small production machine shop rather than a large enterprise manufacturer not only allows for greater attention to detail, but it also helps to boost the economy outside of major cities and creates jobs in suburban communities.
When working with a small machine shop for large volume or short volume production runs, the work is more personal. At Fair Haven Machine, each and every one of our employees is invested in making high-quality machined parts because it is our passion. We are grateful to have dedicated individuals on our team that grow and prosper within the machining industry. This gives us confidence when taking large production work. Fair Haven Machine brings to bear all of the benefits of working with a small CNC machine shop: lower cost, faster turnaround, customization, and flexibility with a level of expertise and comprehensive experience that is unmatched. Contact Fair Haven Machine today to request a quote.