Metals Manufacturing and R&D
Superior Joining Technologies would be hard-pressed to weld together a successful future anywhere else. Specialists in micro TIG, laser welding, and micro welding, its customers operate in a diverse array of industries: JL Clark/CLARCOR, Panduit (electronics), Morgan Schaefer Systems, Smiths Aerospace, Inc., and Monogram Systems, a subsidiary of Zodiac are just a few examples.
“We definitely occupy a niche in the manufacturing world,” said Teresa Beach Shelow, Vice President and co-owner of Superior Joining Technologies. “Going into that niche was a strategic decision, not an accident. Likewise, locating in Rockford was a strategic decision. In point of fact, that may have been the best decision my husband Thom and I ever made.”
The firm outsources specialty work that is outside of their area of expertise: EDM, machining, multi-axis laser cutting, finishing/coatings, and other processes. Its ability to utilize Rockford’s broad base of manufacturing support companies to accomplish these tasks has allowed Superior to keep its staff size low and its margins high.
“Honestly, I’m not sure there’s another location like Rockford in the world. It’s not just the depth of manufacturing support here - it’s the fact that because of Rockford’s relatively low costs of doing business, these processes are available at high value prices. We pass on the savings to our customers.”
The firm has many manufacturing partners in the Rockford Region, but the identity of one of its most important partners might surprise you…
“The Rockford Area Economic Development Council has been very helpful to us and a great partner,” Beach Shelow said. “I cannot say enough about the positive impact they’ve had on our company. RAEDC’s Continuous Improvement training program, to be specific, has improved our efficiency and profitability. We’re producing more work with less people than we ever have in the past. Our customers are obviously satisfied - to the point that we’ll be adding more skilled people in the near future.”
Beach Shelow also cites the Manufacturing Alliance of the Rock River Valley (MARRV), a flexible manufacturing network, as an increasingly influential membership organization for area manufacturing companies looking for competitive advantages in a quickly consolidating business world.
If you’re looking for a site to locate a manufacturing firm, chances are good that joining the Rockford region could be the best strategic decision you’ll ever make, too. Please contact Janyce Fadden at 815 987 8118 or jfadden@rockfordil.com. She will be happy to help facilitate your search and provide all the data you need.