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Flinchbaugh Engineering Receives Supplier Certification from Caterpillar

HELLAM, Pa.--Flinchbaugh Engineering, an employee-owned manufacturer of precision machined metal components that has used its Strategic Cell Migration business model to become a major producer of components for Caterpillar transmissions, has received the Bronze Certification in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Program (SQEP). The Bronze Certification award is given to Caterpillar suppliers for exemplary performance in delivery, quality, process control, and continuous improvement. After two years of dedicated teamwork and continuous improvement, Flinchbaugh Engineering was formally recognized in an award ceremony at Caterpillar Global Purchasing in Peoria, Illinois. The company is one of only 17 suppliers, out of 594 machined-casting suppliers worldwide, to achieve certification.

Flinchbaugh executives Rob Campbell, the firm's vice president business development, and Steve Shank, vice president operations, accepted the Bronze Certification on behalf of the company's 200 employee/owners. Gary Davies, CAT global casting category manager, presented the award with his compliments and appreciation to the entire Flinchbaugh Engineering team, recognizing the high level of effort and commitment required to attain the award.

Flinchbaugh attributes its success to Strategic Cell Migration (www.stratcell.com), the company's unique version of a manufacturing line transfer, where an entire work cell--including machinery, tooling, and test equipment--is transferred from the client's manufacturing facility to Flinchbaugh's campus. According to the company, Strategic Cell Migration leverages lean manufacturing principles and six sigma to create a cost-competitive outsourcing solution for manufacturers of critical and complex high-quality metal components.

In 2003, Caterpillar transferred 35 machines from its Dyersburg, Tenn., facility to Flinchbaugh in Hellam, Pa., where it runs production at a high level of efficiency using lean manufacturing techniques in a high-urgency culture.

Flinchbaugh Engineering has reportedly completed 15 Strategic Cell Migrations for major corporate clients that include Siemens, NTN-BCA, AxleTech and Mack/Volvo, in addition to Caterpillar. Precision metal components produced by Flinchbaugh Engineering (www.flinchbaughengineering.com) are used in various critical applications, ranging from heavy equipment and oil and gas exploration, to wind energy and passenger rail.