Page 36 - MetalForming February 2015

Mercury Products added this rebuilt 1000-ton press, along with a rebuilt 60-in.- wide-capacity feed line with 7.5-hp motor and five-roll straightener, to its Mexico plant in mid-2014. The press rebuild included a clutch/brake overhaul, new counter- balance rods and seals, rebuilt slide overloads, a crown rebuild, upgraded controls and the addition of light curtains.
...contributes to the competitive advantage sought after by this IL-based metalformer looking to make its mark in Mexico, providing stampings, fabricated assemblies and more to the truck and construction markets.
BY BRAD F. KUVIN, EDITOR
rebuilt equipment.”
On the “new” side of the firm’s
recently expanded equipment list we find additional CNC tube benders and a 3D printer that “helps us stay at the front end of new programs being devel- oped by our customers,” says Mercury vice president of sales and marketing Eric Schwochow. “Using the 3D print- er, we can produce prototypes and part samples in two weeks or less, often in one day, and also use the printer (a Stratasys model with 16- by 16-in. work surface) to fabricate check fixtures. It’s become a real competitive advantage for us.”
The Competitive Advantage South of the Border
Like other opportunistic metal- formers, Mercury followed its customer base into Mexico, establishing a 70,000- sq.-ft. plant in Saltillo. It more closely resembles the business model of the
Executives at Mercury Products take a very thoughtful approach to adding manufacturing capac- ity and capabilities as they work to keep up with growing demand. Based out of a 95,000-sq.-ft. plant in Schaum- burg, IL, Mercury’s roots lie in serving the heavy-truck market with low- to mid-volume, highly complex stamp- ings, fabricated-metal parts and assem- blies. It also provides plenty of value- added processing, including polishing, welding and assembly. In 2000 the firm opened a second plant, this one a 50,000-sq.-ft. facility in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, targeted toward high- er-volume, low-SKU work for the auto- motive market. And, in 2009 it added a
third plant, in Saltillo, Mexico. Vertical integration defines the com- pany’s growth platform, and so it’s com- mitted to being a one-stop shop for customers. That philosophy has led Mercury’s executives to invest in a wide variety of equipment and processes, including laser cutting, press-brake forming, robotic welding and metal
stamping.
“We’re growing so fast, and that
creates many needs when it comes to capital equipment and adding capac- ity,” says Keith Briggs, Mercury’s vice president of operations. “So while in certain cases we have bought new equipment, we also look to capitalize on opportunities to bring in used and
34 MetalForming/February 2015
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A Rebuilt
1000-Ton
Press