Sheet Metal Stamping Simulation

Rockford Toolcraft has avoided laying off any of its over 260 workers and has added 15 workers and hours of overtime since January.

Without tool and dye makers and metal stamping there would be no cars, no airplanes you would still be riding a horse."

You might ask why a successful company like Rockford Toolcraft would want to change the way its does things

Metal products are taken all over the world. We're more in a global situation which when you put the word global in front of it means lower cost."Jerry Busse says because he has to, in order to stay competitive. When times got tough several years ago he knew "wait and see" was no longer a business option. So he looked for new opportunities.

" it used to be I was after high volume parts hundreds of thousand per year or millions that work has seemed to disappear now people are after smaller amounts of parts in a quicker time frame."

The tool and die shop cuts and bends metal used in many different sectors including automotive and farming. In an environment of declining prices and shrinking volumes, Rockford Toolcraft has managed to stay busy, the biggest growth is in agriculture.

"The farm implements are very much in demand and that's the hot market for us right now."

But this "success story" goes well beyond carrying out day-to-day operations. Busse thinks the key to successful manufacturing today is keeping customers needs in mind.

" We make extra effort to please them so they will come back and buy more from us that's always been our strategy from day one."

A strategy he hopes will help the manufacturer maintain its lead for years to come.