Aerospace Manufacturer Experiences Exponential Growth with ShopVue MES Solution
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- ShopVue
Tech Stack
- Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Cost Savings
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
Use Cases
- Manufacturing System Automation
- Factory Operations Visibility & Intelligence
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Exotic Metals Forming Company LLC, founded in 1966, is a world-class designer and manufacturer of innovative and technically demanding sheet metal fabrications for complex military and commercial aerospace applications. Headquartered in Kent, Washington, USA, Exotic is a family-owned organization committed to being the best complex sheet metal aerospace company. The company has won over 40 Quality, Performance, or Supplier of the Year awards in the last 25 years and is an FAA, EASA, and CAAC certified repair station. Exotic has the unique ability to fabricate spare parts to customer specifications and provide FAA PMA spare parts under OEM license. Over the past 15 years, Exotic has experienced explosive growth, expanding its manufacturing space from under 200,000 sq. ft. to over 900,000 sq. ft. and increasing its workforce from 450 to over 1,400 employees.
The Challenge
With explosive growth, Exotic Metals Forming Company LLC faced several challenges, primarily in recruiting and retaining quality talent in a highly competitive market. The company operates in a thriving area with major tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft nearby, making it difficult to attract and retain skilled employees. Additionally, the workforce was underdeveloped, with two-thirds of employees having worked for the company for less than five years. The manufacturing industry demands highly trained and skilled employees due to challenging manufacturing tolerances, making it crucial for Exotic to overcome these recruitment and retention challenges.
The Solution
Exotic Metals Forming Company LLC selected ShopVue as its full-suite Manufacturing Execution System (MES) provider to address its challenges. The company implemented five key modules: Comprehensive Time and Attendance, Shop Activity/Labor Management, Direct Machine Interface, Graphical Sequencing, and Management Reporting. ShopVue provided Exotic with real-time visibility, flexibility, and control over its manufacturing processes, allowing management and shop floor employees to access critical information at their fingertips. The system replaced outdated green screens and paper processes, improving recruitment and retention by modernizing the work environment. ShopVue's experience in manufacturing and exceptional support were key factors in Exotic's decision to choose the solution. The implementation of ShopVue allowed Exotic to manage over 1,400 employees and 16,000 monthly production orders efficiently, providing real-time visibility into production and machine states.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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