Makino to Open Six Die/Mold Technical Centers in Midwest
Makino (Mason, OH) announced that it is creating a new customer network to enhance service, support, and training resources for die and mold manufacturers in the Midwest. Each of the six strategically located Die/Mold Technical Centers will operate in partnership with its distributors and provide customers access to the latest die/mold technologies, as well as application consultation and training resources.
The tech centers are scheduled to begin opening in the 2nd Quarter 2000.
"The goal of Makino's technical centers is to enhance customer relationships and deliver more value by extending our resources directly into the field," says Tom Slager, VP-Makino's Die/Mold Group. "Every manufacturer realizes the need to stay competitive, but typically cannot spend an extended amount of time off the shop floor for continuing education. These technical centers allow us to bring global resources to die and mold shops on a local basis, meeting their needs more effectively and helping them maintain a competitive edge."
The new technical centers have been set up with Makino distributors in the following cities:
- Indianapolis, Indiana - Machine Tool Corporation
- Cleveland, Ohio - Methods Machinery
- Minneapolis, Minnesota - Productivity Inc.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Productivity Wisconsin Inc.
- Chicago, Illinois - Reynolds Machine and Tool
- Grand Rapids, Michigan - Wing & Jabaay
Each Distributor Technical Center is certified by Makino to address all aspects of the die/mold machining process and will have a full-time die/mold support team, which includes dedicated die/mold sales, applications engineering, and customer support staff.
Makino Distributor Technical Centers will provide die/mold technology transfer by leveraging a full array of Makino's die/mold tools from RAM sinker EDM and wire EDM machines to graphite milling machines and high-speed machining centers. Each machine will be used to demonstrate the latest applications and address the customer's specific needs.
The latest techniques behind high-performance machining utilizing Makino's new patented SGI.3 (Super Geometric Intelligence) or diffused discharge machining (DDM) can easily be tapped more quickly than ever by die/mold companies throughout the Midwest. Also these centers will have access to Makino's global resources via its company extranet allowing the technical centers to more quickly leverage Makino research developments.
"In addition to distributing our own research findings," says Slager, "Makino wants to make this a collaborative two-way channel where the technical centers help us to learn more from its constant focus on customer applications."
Future plans for the technical center include leveraging the Internet to further enhance this collaboration. Live demonstrations broadcast over the Web from Makino's Mason, OH, facility to the technical centers, as well as Internet-based training and online collaboration tools will ensure the latest die/mold processes and techniques are available to the industry.
Makino is a global provider of advanced machining technology and application support for the aerospace, automotive parts production, and die/mold industries. A worldwide distributor network supports Makino manufacturing and service centers in the United States, Europe, Japan and Singapore.
Makino Inc, 7680 Innovation Way, Mason, OH 45040-8003; phone: 513-573-7200