J&N Brings Laser Cutting Inhouse

J&N Metal Products LLC, Brazil, IN, has been on the fast track since opening its doors in July 2006. At that time, company president Jordan Brown expected to work out of his basement for six months to a year, and perhaps buy a laser-cutting machine in two years. But the firm did better than expected and before eight months passed, J&N moved to a new building, had seven employees and purchased a Super Turbo-X Champion hybrid laser-cutting machine from Mazak Optonics Corp., Schaumburg, IL.

Ordered in January and delivered in March 2007, the machine was operational immediately, helping the company manufacture different types of aerospace assemblies and panel assemblies, as well as a variety of industrial parts.

“From July to December, we had outsourced $55,000 worth of laser work,” Brown says. “But the biggest problem we ran into was lead time. Customers want their prototypes in days rather than weeks.”

J&N since has eliminated 99 percent of its outsourcing, including all of its laser outsourcing. “The new laser machine saves us and our customers 25 to 40 percent on costs, plus we’re saving on transportation,” Brown says.

Although J&N started out making parts for military helicopters, it quickly has been able to diversify, thanks to the Champion.