Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010 - (Page 70)
Assembled Products, a division of Jason Inc.
www.aproducts.com / HQ: Buffalo Grove, Ill. / Annual sales: $65 million / Employees: 275 / Products: Assemblies / Steve Carollo, vice president: “We are a low-cost option for companies that don’t want to go to `low-cost countries’ with their manufacturing.”
additional resources and investments to enhance manufacturing capabilities available to its customers, Carollo says. AP produces mechanical assembles for the small gas engine, electrical, automotive and industrial markets. These include producing rope starters for small gas engines such as those found on lawn mowers, as well as fabricated filter tubes, wire forms and stamped assemblies. Recently, the company has worked on developing products for the emerging smart meter industry. “Our focus is on providing value at the most effective delivered costs possible, this process begins with our engineering department,” says Joel Kaslewicz, director of sales and marketing and a degreed engineer.
Assuring Quality
After the design phase, AP works with customers using advance product quality planning (APQP) and preproduction approval process (PPAP) to ensure the effectiveness of the product design. The company also uses the kaizen approach to continually improve process. Carollo believes strongly in the lean manufacturing philosophy. “Lean manufacturing now is critical for survival in the economy; we need to continually look for better ways to manufacture any item,” he says. “Lean is really a way of life now and no longer optional.” AP’s manufacturing capabilities include large punch presses capable of using state-of-the-art electronic die monitoring, which uses little manual labor. The company’s automated operations include spot welding, riveting, hardware insertion, bowl feeding, toxing, clinching, electrical verification, mechanical testing, dimensional auditing and product cycle testing. AP provides manufacturing services including stamping, wire forming, die casting, plating, heat-treating,
ap focuses on engineered component and assembly solutions for its manufacturing customers.
Problem Solvers
assembled products says its business is driven by individualized engineered solutions. by jim harris
Assembled Products (AP) doesn’t see itself as a product-driven company. The Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based company’s focus is on engineered solutions – working with customers during product development to reduce costs and maximize the manufacturability of their components and assemblies. AP engineers will look at a customer’s product design and the number of components in the product, and work to redesign it using fewer 70
manufacturing-today.com SUMMER 2010
components. AP’s assembly lines are automated to tailor to the needs of each individual product it produces for clients, says Steve Carollo, vice president and general manager. AP also operates a facility in Shanghai, China, and has a sister company, Metalex, in Libertyville, Ill. Both companies make up the Jason Components Group owned by Jason Inc., a major manufacturer that operates more than 40 facilities worldwide. Jason Inc.’s reach provides AP
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
Contents
Washington
Global Strategies
Continuous Improvement
Smart Pricing
Supply Chain
Business Value
Moving Forward
Westmark Products
Byrne Dairy
Ultrafryer Systems Inc.
Wil-Rich LLC & Wishek MFG LLC
American Precision Fabricators
Aqua Products Inc.
Bennington
Black Diamond Equipment
Columbian Home Products
Control Devices LLC
Endustra Filter Manufacturers Inc
Heil Trailer International
Assembled Products
Order-Matic Corp.
Professional Building Systems Inc.
Smart Start Inc
Bosal International
Ausco Products Inc.
Brodart Company
Cambrex Corp.
Chapin International Inc.
Cleveland Gear Co.
Consolidated Precision Products
Control Flow Inc.
Douglas Autotech Corp.
Fetzer Architectural Products
The FNA Group
Fourslide Spring and Stamping Inc.
G.A. West & Company
Great Lakes Power Group
Grimm Brothers Plastics
Legends Furniture Inc.
National Tube Supply Co.
Optex Systems Inc.
Sunburst Electronics
V.E. Enterprises Inc
W. Soule & Company
Manufacturing Tomorrow
Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
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