Even though the Great Recession has passed, manufacturers in many industries are still adjusting to the reality of a downsized market struggling to get back to its glory days. This is particularly true for some automotive Tier 1 suppliers, who have had to master the art of production flexibility to stay competitive. One such supplier makes service parts for door panels of a vehicle model that was discontinued a couple years ago.
“Because the demand for parts has lessened over time, the company needed to remove a full assembly line and use the space for other work,” explains John Lanphear, founder and president of LTW Ergonomic Solutions Inc., which has made adjustable- and fixed-height industrial workstations and workbenches since 1999. “Last year, we were asked to build a custom workstation that, in essence, replaces the old assembly line and helps workers efficiently assemble small batches (five to 10 pieces) of replacement parts.”