Renewable Energy/Clean Te c h n o l o g y S u p p l y C h a i n Pre-Assessment Program Final Project Report

Prepared by: Advanced Manufacturing Institute 510 McCall Road Manhattan, Kansas 66502 November 2011

Contents
Executive Summary............................................................................................................................3 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................6 Project Goals .....................................................................................................................................8 Deliverables and Value to the Company and to the Region .................................................................9 Methodology ...................................................................................................................................10 Selection of respondents ............................................................................................................................ 10 Questionnaire development ....................................................................................................................... 10 Contacting the companies .......................................................................................................................... 11 Company Pre-Assessment .......................................................................................................................... 11 Post-visit follow-up ..................................................................................................................................... 12 Report Organization .................................................................................................................................... 13 Report layout and question mapping ......................................................................................................... 13 Section I Geographic Details ..........................................................................................................15 Map showing survey respondents across Kansas ....................................................................................... 16 Section II General Company Operations Information .....................................................................17

Section III Company Qualifications and Existing Products/Markets .................................................20 Section IV Manufacturing/Operation Functions, Capabilities, & Capacities .....................................22 Section V Quality Control System...................................................................................................24 Section VI Skill Set Certification, Training & Labor Requirements ....................................................25 Section VII Wind............................................................................................................................26 Section VIII Analysis and Recommendations .................................................................................28

Appendices ......................................................................................................................................30 APPENDIX A APPENDIX B APPENDIX C APPENDIX D APPENDIX E APPENDIX F INTRODUCTION LETTER .............................................................................................30 AMI BROCHURE FOR FACILITY VISITS ..........................................................................31 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR FACILITY VISITS.........................................................................32 SAMPLE RESPONSE LETTER SENT AFTER COMPANY VISIT ............................................35 WIND CAPABILITIES PROFILE PROCESS ........................................................................39 COMPANY LIST BY COUNTY ........................................................................................40

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Renewable Energy/Clean Technology Supply Chain Pre-Assessment Program Final Project Report
Executive Summary
This project was undertaken to assist the south central Kansas region in developing a better understanding of the interest, capabilities and capacity of regional manufacturing companies in terms of their readiness to pursue renewable energy markets (wind, solar and biomass). The purpose of the study was to provide business development pre-assessments to manufacturing companies seeking to 1) increase their connectedness to emerging renewable energy markets, 2) improve their operations and 3) increase their competitive advantage. Realizing that a number of the targeted companies may not have specific interest in renewable energy markets, but still may be seeking to diversify their current markets served, on-site preassessments were conducted that included, where appropriate, discussions of increasing connectedness to other emerging markets, existing markets that may be new to a specific manufacturer and other Kansas companies seeking new suppliers. As companies were contacted and later visited, their labor training needs were also reviewed in an effort to assist the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas to assess possible future training needs to better serve the regions manufacturers. In general, many companies considered themselves self-sufficient and could not identify external training needs. Those that reported training needs listed quality control and lean manufacturing as primary external training needs. Additional skills that required improvement included engineering design and job-specific skills training (e.g. machining, sheet metal work and assembly). At company site visits, questions were answered regarding each companys potential entry into the wind power supply chain. Many companies initially indicated an interest in supplying to the utilityscale wind industry (57% of the companies visited). Utility-scale wind turbines are defined as larger than one megawatt (MW) capacity and are typically installed in large groups within a utility wind farm as opposed to community-scale wind turbines which are

A total of 114 companies were interviewed by phone for the project and of those 56 participated in pre-assessment visits. The biggest recurring challenge reported by a majority of the companies was shortage of a welltrained workforce. Many companies claimed their core competency as having the ability to produce high quality products. Many companies are looking for new market opportunities and more than half (57%) were interested in the wind Industry.

A majority of companies reported:

Their workers are required to have skills certification. Quality control is the skill area that most requires constant improvement to remain competitive. There is a shortage of well- trained employees.

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typically between 100 to 1000 kilowatt (kW) capacity and are typically installed as a stand-alone turbine or in a small group of turbines to provide power for a community or industrial facility. However, after AMI personnel visited their facilities and reviewed the requirements for supplying to that industry sector, many companies determined that the utility scale wind market may not be a good fit for their company. Reasons for this included undersized equipment, lower margins for wind work compared to aerospace work, no interest in machining ductile iron (the primary material machined for wind components) and lack of a continuous improvement and 5S programs. At the conclusion of each on-site pre-assessment, a follow-up letter was sent that described potential improvements to operations and facilities. These suggestions were both general in nature and wind-industryspecific. If a company indicated an interest in supplying to the wind industry, additional information was provided to assist them with pursuit of that industry. In addition, general capability information that was collected during the project may be used to populate a future online Kansas Department of Commerce searchable database of Kansas manufacturers. Please note the companies visited as part of this project represent a sampling of companies from the 14 county region in south central Kansas, and results obtained may or may not represent manufacturing as a whole within the 14 county region.

Regional Overview
For this project, initially 114 companies (as selected by regional economic development partners) were interviewed by phone and 56 agreed to a pre-assessment visit while 58 declined a pre-assessment. Total companies contacted Total companies visited Total companies declined a visit 114 56 58

The following table shows number of companies visited for preassessments by county. County Sedgwick Reno Butler Cowley Harvey Number of companies visited 22 5 1 0 6 Number of companies declined a visit 36 5 0 0 2 Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 4

McPherson Sumner Marion Rice Kingman Greenwood Harper Chautauqua Elk Total

5 3 3 3 1 3 3 1 0 56

4 0 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 58

The following table shows an overview of the major findings by county. Looking for new market opportunities Seeking Technical Assistance Seeking Assistance with Finance Seeking skilled workers Seeking insights about markets Seeking Marketing & Sales Help Seeking local suppliers 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 4 2 1 8 2 26

Butler Chautauqua Greenwood Harper Harvey Kingman Marion McPherson Reno Rice Sedgwick Sumner Grand Total

1 1 3 3 6 1 3 5 5 3 22 3 56

1 1 2 2 6 1 3 4 3 3 21 2 49

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1

0 0 2 0 2 0 1 1 1 1 2 1 11

0 0 3 1 2 0 2 2 1 2 4 0 17

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 4

1 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 6 2 15

Has Interest in wind 1 1 2 0 6 0 1 2 3 3 11 2 32

Respondents

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Renewable Energy/ Clean Technology Supply Chain Pre-Assessment Program Final Project Report
Introduction
This project was undertaken to assist the south central Kansas region in developing a better understanding of the interest, capabilities and capacity of regional manufacturing companies in terms of their readiness to pursue renewable energy markets (wind, solar and biomass). The purpose of the study was to provide business development pre-assessments to manufacturing companies seeking to 1) increase their connectedness to emerging renewable energy markets, 2) improve their operations and 3) increase their competitive advantage. The pre-assessment process enabled AMI to overview the general wind industry in a one-on-one manner and served as a screening process to sort potentially viable manufacturers from those whose likelihood to successfully compete in the renewable energy industry may be very limited. For those companies that were potentially viable suppliers to the wind industry, they were recommended to consider making an investment in a complete GLWN Wind Capabilities Profile which will enable them, through an in-depth process, to identify 1) potential parts to manufacture, 2) operational gaps that need to be closed and 3) prospective customers based on their capabilities and readiness. As companies were contacted/visited, their labor training needs were also reviewed in an effort to assist the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas assess possible future training needs to better serve the regions manufacturers. In general, many companies considered themselves self-sufficient and could not identify external training needs. Those that reported training needs listed quality control and lean manufacturing as primary external training needs. Additional skills that required improvement included engineering design and job-specific skills training (e.g. machining, sheet metal work and assembly). Realizing that a number of the targeted companies may not have specific interest in renewable energy markets, but still may be seeking to diversify their current markets served; on-site pre-assessments included, where appropriate, discussions of increasing connectedness to other emerging markets, existing markets that may be new to a specific manufacturer, and other Kansas companies seeking new suppliers. In addition, general capability information that was collected during the Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 6

project may be used to populate a future online Kansas Department of Commerce searchable database of Kansas manufacturers.

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Project Goals

Initially, the project was originally scoped with an emphasis on assisting south central Kansas companies who were interested in supplying components to the utility-scale wind-power industry. The scope of the project was expanded as the project progressed based on initial interview responses. The following overall goals were developed: Answer any questions that manufacturers have regarding potential entry into the wind power supply chain Increase connectedness to emerging markets, including new business development Reduce/eliminate wasted time pursuing non-viable markets Recommend improvements to increase competitive advantage Recommend suggestions to improve existing operations Assist the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas in assessing possible future training needs to better serve the regions manufacturers Increase supply chain connectedness to other Kansas companies Collect preliminary information to assist the Kansas Department of Commerce with creation of a future online, searchable database of Kansas manufacturers. This database could be used to connect Kansas manufacturers better with each other, and to provide another means for marketing services outside of the state.

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Deliverables and Value to the Company and to the Region

The value to the company for the pre-assessment engagement came in the form of learning more about wind industry opportunities, potential cost savings, free operations improvement recommendations, tips and ideas, as well as another contact in their rolodex for engineering and business support. The primary deliverable to the companies was a Preliminary Visit Assessment 1-2 page report covering, at a minimum, the topics listed below (See Appendix D for a sample report). 1. Learning about wind opportunities During the pre-assessment engagement the project team discussed with company leadership about the manufacturing requirements of utility grade wind and middle scale wind. During this face-face meeting, the team was able to answer more specific questions and provide greater value than at a workshop or on a phone call. 2. Potential cost savings Getting into the wind industry is an expensive endeavor; not only the monetary costs, but the cost of resources and committed time. Contacting OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) purchasing agents is extremely difficult and getting the purchasing agents to respond to e-mails and phone calls is even more difficult. The project team was able to provide companies with additional information, allowing them to make the decision to continue to pursue the industry or to forgo utility scale wind and focus their energies on other areas of their business. 3. Free 3rd Party Advice/Perspective The project team also provided operations improvement ideas and information to the companies during business development meetings and while walking through their facility. 4. Coming out of the pre-assessment engagement, AMI also looked to determine if moving to the next engagement level (A GLWN Wind Capabilities Profile Assessment, see Appendix E) is warranted from an investment perspective. 5. Networking AMIs value statement far exceeds that of just a supply chain partner for the wind industry. The companies now have another potential resource to call on to assist them with engineering, business and manufacturing issues. 6. The region, upon completion of the grant award, is being provided with a summary report of all companies contacted, visited and the outcomes of those interactions.

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Methodology
The following steps were followed throughout the project to perform all pre-assessments.

Selection of respondents

To initiate the project, AMI met with each county/community economic development leader to discuss the project, develop a contact strategy and finalize the company list. This ensured that the right companies and right contacts were obtained for companies specifically interested in seeking new opportunities. Based on GLWN/AMIs collective understanding and insights of the general supply chain needs of the wind industry, AMI worked with regional economic development leaders to preliminarily identify and categorize the pool of potential wind industry manufacturers in the following 14 Kansas counties: Butler Cowley Greenwood Harvey Marion Reno Sedgwick Chautauqua Elk Harper Kingman McPherson Rice Sumner

AMI began with a preliminary list of prospective manufacturers filtered by NAICS codes and, in collaboration with the county and community economic development leaders, created a preliminary ranked list of prospective manufacturers to develop a contact strategy. This list was used for each respective county in order to initiate contact and schedule an introductory call/pre-assessment meeting. AMI also developed a single marketing brochure (print and electronic) that briefly described the regional initiative, recognized regional partners, conveyed engagement information, and provided relevant links to industry information. This marketing piece was provided to regional partners for distribution (see Appendix B for the brochure) and was also made available to companies during site visits.

Questionnaire development

A standard set of questions was developed by AMI to be asked during each plant visit. These questions were created based on AMIs knowledge of wind supply chain requirements and labor training needs of the Wichita Workforce Center. Appendix C lists these questions.

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After targeted companies were identified in each county, economic development leaders sent an introductory letter to the companies in their county (reference Appendix A). This letter explained the goals of the project and AMIs role. If a company was interested in a pre-assessment, a meeting was scheduled and a confirmation e-mail was sent to the company and their associated economic development leader. The economic development leader was also invited to accompany AMI on the visit if interested. Each pre-assessment visit took approximately 1-1/2 hours to complete. The company representative first answered the survey questions, and then a brief tour of the facility was conducted. A short meeting was then held after the tour to answer any final questions the company had regarding the project.

Contacting the companies

AMI contacted targeted prospective manufacturers (Appendix F) to gage their preliminary awareness/interest and schedule an on-site meeting where more information was shared about the wind industry, questions were answered, and a pre-assessment was performed. This pre-assessment engagement included questions poised at two areas:

Company Pre-Assessment

Wind Industry Readiness General Company Operations

The wind industry component of the pre-assessment engagement focused on the needs of the industrys OEMs with regard to:

Financial and Operational Stability Quality Control System Management Operational Functions, Capabilities and Capacities Facility Cleanliness and Lighting

The pre-assessment served as a preliminary look at the company through the eyes of the OEM and what they require to be a preferred supplier in the wind industry. The company was to be pre-assessed based on the needs of the utility scale (1 MW and higher) wind OEMs. This pre-assessment also led to evaluation of the company for middle scale (100 KW to 1 MW) wind. While the middle wind market is not yet defined and is moving slower than the demand for utility scale, Kansas manufacturers are well poised to compete in this market, which is why it was included in the study. The general company operations component of the pre-assessment engagement focused on a preliminary evaluation of the companys general manufacturing performance with regard to:

Operational and throughput issues Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 11

Current internal projects and status Company culture

The topics that were addressed during an assessment led to additional questions that begin to get at the heart of the needs of the company allowing the project team to fully understand and grasp the needs of the company instead of just throwing inappropriate solutions at them. The general company pre-assessment questions were largely derived from the company overview and facility tour. More specific questions based on the companys current industries and products were developed during this phase.

Post-visit follow-up

The pre-assessment was a preliminary look at the company through the eyes of the OEM and what the OEM requires to be a preferred supplier in the wind industry. It should be noted that each company was preassessed based on the needs of utility scale wind OEMs (1 MW and higher). The pre-assessment may also have led AMI to evaluate the company for middle scale (100 KW to 1 MW) wind. The value to the company for the pre-assessment engagement has already been described briefly on page 9. Apart from the benefits already described in the previous section as noted above, the company received additional benefits as follows: A preliminary visit assessment 1-2 page report covering, at a minimum, the topics listed in the previous section. A copy of the visit assessment for each company was also provided to the economic development leaders for each county. A sample report is shown in Appendix D. Resource access AMI provided another potential resource to call on to assist companies with engineering, business and manufacturing issues. AMI also offered ideas and information to companies during the on-site meeting and as AMI staff walked through their facility. Go/No-go decision for next engagement level. Coming out of the preassessment engagement, AMI looked to determine if moving to the next engagement level (a GLWN Wind Capabilities Profile Assessment) was warranted from an investment perspective.

Potential viable suppliers to the wind industry; recommend making an investment in a complete GLWN Wind Capabilities Profile which will enable them to identify 1) potential parts to manufacture, 2) operational gaps that need to be closed and 3) prospective customers to market to, based on their capabilities and readiness. Companies with no interest in the wind industry will be included in a future pilot supply chain development program. Specific near-term opportunities will be followed up on a case-by-case basis. Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 12

Report Organization

The project findings report is divided into eight sections. All information collected and reported in each of these sections has been reported in the aggregate form in order to ensure the privacy of each participant. Section I describes briefly the demographic and geographic details of the respondents. Section II describes the capabilities of respondents. This section aggregates information on core competencies of the companies, the biggest recurring problems faced, major hurdles to growth and outsourcing patterns of the companies. Section III summarizes a brief description of company qualifications and existing products and markets. Section IV overviews the manufacturing/operation functions, capabilities and capacities of participating companies. Section V characterizes the quality control systems of pre-assessed companies. Section VI describes the skill set certification, training and labor requirements of the companies in the region. Section VII was completed for only those companies that were interested in the wind industry and describes briefly their qualifications to enter the wind industry. The last section, section VIII provides an analysis of the finding and recommendations for follow up with participating companies. The questions in the survey are mapped to different sections of the report based on the report layout (sections) and question mapping chart described as follows.

Report layout and question mapping

Section I Section II

Section III

Section IV

Section V

Demographics General company information Biggest recurring problem Core competencies Looking for new market opportunity Major hurdles to growth Outsourcing Interest in Wind Company qualifications and existing products/markets Aerospace and automotive work Staff qualifications Job shop or production shop Primary source of sales lead generation or component sourcing Manufacturing/operation functions, capabilities & capacities Maximum part size processed Maximum weight processes Materials processed Product integration Facility cleanliness/lighting Quality control system Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 13

Section VI

Section VII

Section VIII

In-house quality system CMM capabilities Skill set certification, training and labor requirements Current certifications Skill improvement Labor shortage Wind 5S Continuous improvement External machine shop or fabrication resources Comfort with ductile iron Analysis and Recommendations

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Section I

Geographic Details

This section briefly describes the demographics and geography of the survey respondents. The section describes the companies and the industry they serve and are currently in. The project was undertaken in the following 14 Kansas counties: Butler Cowley Greenwood Harvey Marion Reno Sedgwick Chautauqua Elk Harper Kingman McPherson Rice Sumner

For this project, initially 114 companies were contacted and 56 agreed to a pre-assessment visit while 58 declined the pre-assessment process. Total companies contacted Total companies visited Total companies declined a visit 114 56 58

The following table shows number of companies visited for preassessments by county. County Sedgwick Reno Butler Cowley Harvey McPherson Sumner Marion Rice Kingman Greenwood Harper Chautauqua Elk Total Number of companies visited 22 5 1 0 6 5 3 3 3 1 3 3 1 0 56 Number of companies declined a visit 36 5 0 0 2 4 0 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 58

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Map showing survey respondents across Kansas

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Section II

General Company Operations Information

Biggest recurring problem

The most frequently reported recurring problem is finding a trained workforce with good work ethics and willingness to work in an industry requiring technical knowledge. Other reported concerns were the current downturn in the economy and the uncertain future of industry. In addition, there were concerns about increasing global competition, especially from China, and difficulty in finding and expanding the customer base. Lack of capital, both in the long and short term, was another problem reported by many companies. Note: Word Cloud Diagrams such as the above are used throughout the report. The diagram indicates key words that participants used in their responses. The size of the word indicates the frequency of the word use. Larger words were used more frequently.

Core competencies
A majority of companies reported their core competency as being able to produce high quality products, timely delivery of products and high quality customer service. Some companies had the capability to work with high precision machining, perform precision work, work in plastics, injection molding, welding and turn-quick response jobs.

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Looking for new market opportunity (n=56)

A majority of the respondents (49 out of 56 companies) reported that they are looking for new market opportunities.
Looking for New Market Opportunity
No Yes 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 12% 88% 100%

The majority of companies who reported they are looking for new market opportunities were interested in industries such as wind, aerospace, agriculture related products, and transportation industry.

Major hurdles to growth

Lack of skilled labor force and lack of marketing and in-house sales were reported as being the major hurdles to growth by majority of companies. Other hurdles to growth identified were a lack of in-house engineering services, especially related to product design and support and preparation of design and technical specifications for future products.
Major Hurdles to Growth
Marketing & Sales Knowledge of Market Skilled Workforce Finance Technical Assistance Other 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 2% 47% 50% 22% 8% 35% 31%

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Outsourcing (n=53)
About 51% of companies outsource for various products, material and/or processes outside Kansas. A majority of these companies reported that they were outsourcing the work outside of Kansas because that product, material and/or process was not available within the state. The work being outsourced varies from large machining and turning jobs to special aerospace processes. Some of the companies were using out-ofstate labs for testing, as local labs were not providing the required testing process. Other companies reported higher cost was a factor contributing to outsourcing, along with the lack of knowledge of local sources for various materials and/or processes.

Outsource outside Kansas

No 51%

Yes 48%

49% 49% 50% 51% 52%

Interest in Wind (n=56)

More than half of the companies reported that they were interested in the wind industry. Although the companies were interested in the wind industry, they lacked the information and knowledge about the industry and what it takes to be a part of the wind supply chain.
Interested in Wind
No Yes 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 43% 57% 60%

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Section III

Company Qualifications and Existing Products/Markets

Aerospace and automotive work (n=54)

A majority of companies (48%) reported that less than one percent of their work is aerospace and/or automotive. About 22% of the companies reported they work exclusively in the aerospace or automotive industry, about 16% had between 5%-50% percent of their work in the aerospace and/or automotive industry, and another approximate 16% reported that between 50% 99% of their work is in aerospace and/or automotive industry.
Percentage of Aerospace/Automotive Work
100% 91-99% 76-90% 51-75% 26-50% 11-25% 6-10% 2-5% Less than 1% 0% 20% 40% 6% 6% 4% 6% ~2% ~2% 6% 48% 60% 22%

Staff qualifications (n=54)

About 57% of the companies reported that they had engineering staff on board that hold some kind of engineering degree. The remaining 43% did not report having any degreed engineers on staff.

Degreed Engineers on Staff

No

43%

Yes 0% 20% 40%

57% 60%

Job shop or production shop

When asked if the company considered itself as a job shop or production shop, a majority of respondents (19 companies) said they consider themselves job shops, 15 companies considered themselves production shops, 18 considered themselves as both a job shop and a production shop, and 13 considered themselves OEMs.
Type of Facility
OEM Both Production shop Job-shop 0% 20% 24% 33% 28% 35% 40%

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Primary source of sales lead generation or component sourcing

Word-of-Mouth seems to be the primary source for sales lead generation and component sourcing for small Kansas companies. Along with that, dealer networks and tradeshows were major sources that help companies find new customers and suppliers.

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Section IV

Manufacturing/Operation Functions, Capabilities, & Capacities

Maximum part size processed (n=42)

A majority of companies (75% of the respondents) had the capacity to process parts measuring over a 6 cube size.
Maximum Part Size Processed
Over 6' cube 6' Cube 4' Cube 2' Cube 0% 10% 10% 5% 20% 40% 60% 80% 76%

Maximum weight processes (n=42)

Although a majority of companies could process large part sizes, only about 21% could process heavy parts weighing over 11,000 lbs. The majority of the companies could process parts weighing in the lower weight range (up to 220 lbs.).
Maximum Part Weight Processed
Over 11,000 lbs 2,200 - 11,000 lbs 220 - 2,200 lbs 0-220 lbs 21% 24% 26% 29% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Materials processed
Most companies process steel and aluminum materials, followed by plastics.
Type of Material Processed
Other Composites Plastic Aluminum Steel Cast &/or Ductile Iron 29% 21% 38% 64% 69% 17% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

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Product integration (n=42)

About half of the companies perform product integration at a complex assembly level that involves electrical, hydraulic and other processes. About 31% of the companies do simple product integration and the remaining 19% do not perform product integration.
Product Integration Level
Complex assembly (with electrical, hydraulics, other) Simple assembly 31% 50%

None 0%

19% 20% 40% 60%

Facility cleanliness/lighting (n=42)

About half the companies had clean and well-lit shops, which generally indicate a well-run business. The remainder had varying degrees of cleanliness and lighting.
Facility Cleanliness and Lighting
Lighting 8% 22% 20% 28% 30% 42% 0% 20% 40% 50% 60% Cleanliness

Bad Fair Good Excellent

0%

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Section V

Quality Control System

In-house quality system (n=42)

A majority of the companies (79%) reported the presence of an in-house quality system.
No Yes 0% 50%

In-house Quality System Present

21% 79% 100%

While 33 companies have an in-house quality system in place, only 26 (78% of those with a quality system) reported having certification for their quality system.
No

Quality System Certification

38%

Yes 0% 20% 40% 60%

62% 80%

A majority of firms had quality certifications such as AS9100, ISO9000, ISO9001 and NADCAP.

CMM capabilities (n=38)

A majority of companies (61%) do not have CMM capabilities. The companies who reported CMM capabilities said they have either a laser CMM, Faro Laser Tracker, Flat Sheet Scanner or other CMM.
CMM Capabilities Present

No

61%

Yes 0% 20%

39% 40% 60% 80%

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Section VI

Skill Set Certification, Training & Labor Requirements

Current certifications
A majority of companies (23 out of 40) reported their workers are required to have some form of certification, either inhouse or from an external agency. Seventeen companies reported no need for worker certifications. The word cloud shows the types of certifications used within companies.

Skill improvement
Quality Control was the biggest skill area that the companies said they need to improve followed by lean manufacturing. Safety related skills and general mechanical, electrical and hydraulic maintenance skills improvement need was reported by 11% of the companies. The other areas that companies reported need improvement in their skills set are depicted in the word cloud.
Skills Sets Missing or Need Improvement
Other General Mechanical, Electrical & Hydraulic Maintenance Airfoils & Composite Repair Lean Manufacturing Safety Quality Control 11% 40% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 3% 34% 11% 63%

Labor shortage
Most companies reported a shortage of hard-working employees with good work ethics and a good attitude. The word cloud depicts the main labor skill areas that companies are often in need of. Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 25

Section VII 5S (n=24)

Wind

Only 24 companies responded to this question. Out of those, 20 companies (83%) reported that they do not have a 5S program in place. Only 4 of the 24 companies (17%) reported having a 5S program in place.

5S Program Present
No 83%

Yes 0%

17% 50% 100%

Continuous Improvement (n=26)

A majority of the companies (62%) reported they have a continuous improvement system in place in their company. Another 27% reported that they believe in continuous improvement and are planning to adapt that in the near future. The remaining 12% were not interested in a continuous improvement system at this time.
Company's Cultural Attitude towards Continous Improvement
Not interested in continuous improvement systems Believe in continuous improvement systems and planning to adapt Have a continuous improvement system in place 0%

12%

27%

62%

20% 40% 60% 80%

External machine shop or fabrication resources (n=16)

Only 16 companies responded to this question. Thirteen companies have an external machine shop and/or fabrication resources, and three said they do not have any external resources.
External Machine Shop and/or Fabrication Resources Present
No 19%

Yes 0% 50%

81% 100%

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 26

Comfort with ductile iron (n=10)

Only ten companies responded to this question. Out of these ten companies, seven reported that they were comfortable working with ductile Iron (a primary material used in the wind industry). The remaining three said that they were not comfortable working with ductile Iron.
Comfortable working with Ductile Iron
No Yes 0% 20% 40% 60% 30% 70% 80%

Sales (n=18)
Average Annual Sales (USD)
More than 20 Million 16-20 Million 11-15 Million 6-10 Million Upto 5 Million 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 11% 11% 11% 22% 44% 50%

Employees (n=34)
Number of Employees
More than 320 281 - 320 241 - 280 201 - 240 161 - 200 121 - 160 81 - 120 41 - 80 Upto 40 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 0% 6% 9% 9% 18% 50% 50% 60% 3% 3% 3%

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 27

Section VIII Analysis and Recommendations

During the course of this project, a significant amount of information was shared with regional companies as well as collected for immediate and future use (for example: a pending online, searchable database of Kansas manufacturers). This collected information includes company demographics, general qualifications, manufacturing and operation functions, quality control system, skill set certification and qualifications specific to the wind industry. The most frequently reported recurring problem is finding a trained workforce with good work ethics and willingness to work in an industry requiring technical knowledge. A majority of the respondents also reported that they are looking for new market opportunities in industries such as wind, aerospace, agriculture, and transportation.. Lack of marketing and in-house sales were also reported as hurdles to growth by majority of companies. About 51% of companies outsource for various products, material and/or processes outside Kansas because that product, material and/or process is not available within the state. The work being outsourced varies from large machining and turning jobs to special aerospace processes. A majority of companies (48%) reported that less than one percent of their work is aerospace and/or automotive. About 22% of the companies reported they work exclusively in the aerospace or automotive industry. About half of the companies perform product integration at a complex assembly level that involves electrical, hydraulic and other processes. Nearly half the companies had clean and well-lit shops, which generally indicates a well-run business. The remainder had varying degrees of cleanliness and lighting. While 33 companies have an in-house quality system in place, only 26 (78% of those with a quality system) reported having certification for their quality system. A majority of firms had quality certifications such as AS9100, ISO9000, ISO9001 and NADCAP. As companies were contacted and visited, their labor training needs were also reviewed in an effort to assist the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas in assessing possible future training needs to better serve the regions manufacturers. In general, many companies considered themselves self-sufficient and could not identify external training needs. Those that reported training needs listed quality control and lean manufacturing as primary external training needs. Additional skills that required improvement included engineering design and job-specific skills Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 28

KEY TECHNICAL FINDINGS

A majority of Companies: Consider themselves job shops Reported Word-ofMouth as the primary source for sales lead generation and component sourcing Have the capacity to process parts measuring over a 6 cube size Could process parts weighing in the lower weight range (up to 220 lbs.) Process steel and aluminum materials Need improvement in Quality Control Do not have a 5S program in place

training (e.g. machining, sheet metal work and assembly). At the company site visits, questions were answered regarding each companys potential entry into the wind power supply chain. More than half of the companies reported that they were interested in the wind industry. Although the companies were interested in the wind industry, they lacked the information and knowledge about the industry and what it takes to be a part of the wind supply chain. For most companies that initially indicated an interest in supplying to the wind industry, after AMIs pre-assessment, most companies determined that the utilityscale wind sector was not a fit for them. Reasons for this included undersized equipment, lower margins for wind work compared to aerospace work, no interest in machining ductile iron (the primary material machined for wind components) and lack of a continuous improvement and 5S programs. At the conclusion of each facility visit, a follow-up letter was sent describing potential improvements to operations and their facility (Appendix D). These suggestions were both general in nature and windindustry-specific. If a company indicated an interest in supplying to the wind industry, additional information was provided to assist them with pursuing that industry. It should be noted that the companies visited as part of this project are only a small sampling of companies from the 14 county region and likely do not represent manufacturing as a whole within that region. This fact needs to be kept in mind as the results are reviewed. Of the 114 companies contacted, 56 companies were visited and the remaining 58 companies declined an assessment following a phone interview.

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report 29

Appendices

APPENDIX A INTRODUCTION LETTER

Dear (company contact name), In our continuing effort to support the growth of (county name) Countys manufacturing community, (name of county economic development group), along with a coalition of economic development organizations in South Central Kansas, has engaged the Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) at Kansas State University to conduct Supply Chain Pre-Assessments throughout the region. The purpose of the pre-assessments is to assist interested companies increase their connectedness with other Kansas companies to pursue opportunities in existing or new markets (e.g. wind energy, clean technology, biosciences, and other). This service is being offered to a limited number of manufacturers who are interested in pursuing new growth opportunities outside their existing markets. In addition to evaluating capabilities for new markets, AMI will use company-provided information to connect Kansas companies with each other based on needs, capabilities, and opportunities. Note the pre-assessment details for each company will be confidential, and AMI will request permission to use general capability information to connect individual companies with other prospective suppliers or customers. AMIs pre-assessments will last one hour, and will identify general core competencies/capabilities. During the assessment, AMI will also provide general suggestions for improvement of your companys operations to increase your competitive advantage. Topics to be reviewed during the company preassessment include the following:

General company qualifications and existing products/markets Manufacturing/operation functions, capabilities & capacities Quality control systems Skill set certification, training, and labor requirements Management structures

To help AMI understand your company, please visit http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BC5XARLDS/ to fill out a brief survey (it will take ~5 minutes to complete). Your participation in the survey is voluntary, and all responses will be kept anonymous. In addition, the survey results will not be published or shared with anyone. A representative from AMI will contact you (when) to discuss the potential for a plant visit. If youd like to learn more about AMI, please visit their website at www.amisuccess.com. We at (name of county economic development group) are pleased to offer this opportunity to our manufacturing community, and believe it will be beneficial to all who participate. If you have any questions about this, please contact me. Sincerely, (Name & contact info for county economic development group)

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 30

APPENDIX B AMI BROCHURE FOR FACILITY VISITS

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 31

APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRE FOR FACILITY VISITS

Company: Visit date: Contact name: Phone/e-mail: DUNS:

Section A.

General Questions

1. What are your biggest recurring problems with sustainability of your existing business? (ones you might need assistance with) 2. What are your core competencies? 3. Are you looking for new market opportunities? Yes In what industries? 4. What are your major hurdles to growth? (e.g. Technical Assistance, Finance, Skilled Workforce, Knowledge of Market, Marketing & Sales) 5. Do you outsource outside of KS that youd prefer to have in KS? Yes No Why are you outsourcing outside KS? 6. Interested in wind? Yes No If Yes, complete Section F. No

Section B.

General company qualifications and existing products/markets

7. Can you give me general company literature along with list of your shops machine/process capabilities? 8. What percentage of your work is aerospace and/or automotive? 9. Do you have degreed engineers on staff? Yes No

10. Would you classify yourself as a job-shop or production shop? Job-shop b. Production shop c. Both d. OEM

11. Who are your major competitors? What are your primary sources of sales lead generation or component sourcing? (e.g. Globalspec, Thomas Register)

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 32

Section C.

Manufacturing/operation functions, capabilities & capacities

12. What is the maximum part size you are comfortable processing? 2 cube 4 cube 6 cube Over 6 cube 13. What is the maximum part weight you are comfortable processing? 0 220 lbs 220 2,200 lbs 2,200 11,000 lbs Over 11,000 lbs 14. What materials do you commonly process? Cast &/or ductile iron Steel Aluminum Plastic Composites Others 15. How much integration of your products do you perform? None Simple assembly Complex assembly (with electrical, hydraulics, other) 16. Observe facility cleanliness/lighting Cleanliness Lighting Excellent Excellent Good Good Fair Fair Bad Bad

17. Material Handling (in-process & between processes) WIP Setup reduction Quality system (process checks, poka-yoka, other) Safety KPI postings 5S

Section D.

Quality control system

18. Do you have an in-house quality system? Yes No

19. Does your quality system have certification? Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 33

Yes No If so, what type of certification? (ISO, AS, etc.) 20. Do you have any CMM capabilities? (portable, laser tracker, gantry for wind) Yes No

Section E.

Skill set certification, training & labor requirements

21. What certifications do your workers currently have? 22. What skill sets would your company like to improve on or are missing? Quality Control Safety Lean Manufacturing Airfoils & Composite Repair General Mechanical, Electrical & Hydraulic Maintenance Other (Open ended) 23. What type of labor is your facility short on?

Section F.

Wind (only if company is interested in being evaluated for Wind)

24. Do you practice and/or have a 5S Program in place? Yes No

25. What is the companys cultural attitude towards continuous improvement like Lean Manufacturing? Have a continuous improvement system in place Believe in continuous improvement systems and planning to adapt Not interested in continuous improvement systems 26. Do you have external machine shop (or fabrication) resources? Yes No Distance and their respective capabilities? 27. Are you comfortable working with ductile iron in your machine shop? Yes No

28. Average annual sales? ($10 million typical minimum for wind) 29. How many employees? (40 typical minimum for wind)

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 34

APPENDIX D SAMPLE RESPONSE LETTER SENT AFTER COMPANY VISIT

Dear John Doe, Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with me last week regarding your workforce training needs and company qualifications. I also appreciated the opportunity to tour your shop. It was good to see the following things youre doing that positively affect your business:

Implementation of continuous improvement techniques, including set-up reduction of your forming dies Aggressive implementation of lean manufacturing, 5S, setup reduction, cellular manufacturing, and continuous improvement. ISO 9000, ISO 13485, ISO14000, AS9100, ASQ, ITAR, Nadcap & NCCER certifications ASTM Amusement Ride Safety certification HAZWOPER certification SEA (Supplier Excellence Alliance) member AWS and ASME certified welders Black Belt certified employees ASNT NDT level II certified inspectors NEMA certified electricians Tracking of raw materials and their associated certifications throughout their processing in the plant Power-sweeping of your floors on a regular basis to keep the floors clean Implementation of an off-the-shelf computerized information system to improve scheduling & tracking of work in the shop Use of touch-screens with your computerized information system in all shop work areas to improve efficiency & reduce paperwork Use of overhead cranes and rolling carts to optimize material handling of beams & pipes in your shop. Good overhead lighting & building ventilation (your walls & ceiling were very clean for a weld shop!) A very clean & orderly shop with good overhead lighting & building ventilation Participation in the ISNetworld database to increase visibility for existing & potential customers Participation in the PICS database to increase visibility for existing & potential customers KPI postings for your employees Implementation of a good safety program

During my visit, we briefly discussed lean manufacturing, 5S and setup reduction. Here are some resources to consider regarding those topics:

A book I recommend for setup reduction is A revolution in manufacturing: the SMED system by Shigeo Shingo. It illustrates many good techniques for setup reduction that you could implement in your shop. The book discusses setup reduction for changing dies; however, many of the techniques & tools can also be used for machine setups in general. After youve read that book, let me know if you have any questions about setup Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 35

reduction that I can answer. Benefits of improving your setup reduction for machines include time & cost savings for setups, increased responsiveness to customer orders, removal of process bottlenecks, ability to decrease economical lot sizes, and reduction of work-in-process within the plant.

Another book I recommend is Lean manufacturing for the small shop by Gary Conner (published by SME). Also FYI, attached is a short presentation on lean manufacturing that you might find interesting. The goal of lean manufacturing is to reduce/eliminate the 7 deadly wastes, which include: o Defects o Overproduction of things not demanded by actual customers o Inventories waiting further processing o Over-processing (e.g. relying on inspections instead of improving the process) o Transportation and handling of goods o Motion of employees o Waiting for an upstream process to deliver

To help reduce clutter in your shop, you might want to further investigate implementation of 5S techniques. There are 5 primary phases of 5S: sorting, straightening, systematic cleaning, standardizing, and sustaining. Many resources are available on the Internet to illustrate 5S; however, here is a quick summary of 5S: Sorting: Eliminate all unnecessary tools, parts, & materials in the plant. Keep only essential items and eliminate what is not required, prioritizing things and keeping them in approachable places. Everything else is stored or discarded. Straightening or setting in order / stabilize: There should be a place for everything and everything should be in its place. The place for each item should be clearly labeled or demarcated. Items should be arranged in a manner that promotes efficient work flow. Workers should not have to bend repetitively to access materials. Each tool, part, supply, or piece of equipment should be kept close to where it will be used. Sweeping, shining, cleanliness, systematic cleaning: Keep the workplace tidy and organized. At the end of each shift, clean the work area and be sure everything is restored to its place. This makes it easy to know what goes where and ensures that everything is where it belongs. A key point is that maintaining cleanliness should be part of the daily work not an occasional activity initiated when things get too messy. Standardizing: Work practices should be consistent and standardized. Everyone should know exactly what his or her responsibilities are for adhering to the first 3 S's. Sustaining the discipline or self-discipline: Maintain and review standards. Once the previous 4 S's have been established, they become the new way to operate. Maintain focus on this new way and do not allow a gradual decline back to the old ways. While thinking about the new way, also be thinking about yet better ways. When an issue arises such as a suggested improvement, a new way of working, a new tool or a new output requirement, review the first 4 S's and make changes as appropriate. Safety: A sixth phase, "Safety", is sometimes added. While it is reasonable to assume that a properly planned and executed 5S program will improve workplace safety, some argue that explicitly including this sixth "S" ensures that workplace safety is given at least a secondary consideration.

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 36

Also during my visit, we briefly discussed the issue with smoke & oil fumes in your plant. You mentioned that you have to replace your building insulation every few years because of deterioration caused by smoke & fumes. In a nutshell, here are some steps Id recommend you take to reduce the amount of smoke and oil fumes in your shop: Close all the doors in your building to prevent air from flowing into the building, and then measure your internal building pressure using an inexpensive manometer. One end of the manometer should have a long hose attached that goes outside, and the other end should be open to the atmosphere in the shop. If you detect a negative building pressure, listed below are some steps you can take to resolve the problem. Review the fan curves for your exhaust fans to see how the exhaust CFM changes with static pressure. The pressure you measured in step 1 can be used with these curves to see how efficiently the fans are operating. If the pressure you measured in step 1 is larger than the maximum static pressure the fans can overcome, then the fans are running (wasting energy) but not exhausting any air. Install additional makeup air capacity to reduce the negative building pressure when all the doors are closed. Sizing of this equipment should be based on the expected CFM of your exhaust fans with the addition of the makeup air. Ideally, your building pressure should be zero to maximize the exhaust capacity of your exhaust fans.

While I was at your facility, you mentioned that you were interested in pursuing the utility-scale wind industry as a potential component supplier. Attached for your information is a wind manufacturing supplier handbook that you may find useful. As you continue looking at the wind industry, you might want to keep in mind the following websites as you search for potential customers in that industry: GLWNs interactive WIND supply chain GIS map at www.glwn.org The list of exhibitors from the recent AWEA Windpower annual expo show at www.windpowerexpo.org. You may also wish to attend this show in May 2012 to learn more about your potential fit for the wind industry.

As we discussed during my visit, some major challenges your company may have to overcome to be considered as a supplier to the wind industry include the following: Creation of an in-house quality system (ISO9000 certification or compliance) Implementation of lean manufacturing and 5S AWS D1.1 certification of welders Lease/purchase of a portable laser CMM to validate part dimensions Overhead cranes under roof capable of handling large fabrications (5 ton minimum; the wind industry prefers use of permanent bridge cranes inside a facility instead of using mobile cranes) The pricing structure of aerospace parts versus that of the wind industry (much lower margins) The long process for becoming a qualified supplier in the wind industry (typically takes 12-18 months for this) Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (www.gwedc.org) Wichita Workforce Center (http://workforce-ks.com/) KansasWorks (www.kansasworks.com) for posting jobs in the state of KS

For workforce issues, keep in mind the following resources that are available to assist you:

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 37

As a side note, AMI recently created an online questionnaire with supplemental questions for the KDOC database. It should take only 5 minutes or so for you to complete these additional questions. When you get a chance, please click on the following link to those questions: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BC5XARLDS/ If you have any future needs for engineering or manufacturing assistance, please keep AMI in mind as a potential resource. Thanks again, and have a good day! Sincerely, Rick Windholz AMI Senior Engineer

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 38

APPENDIX E WIND CAPABILITIES PROFILE PROCESS

The Wind Capabilities Profile Process developed by GLWN and performed by AMI is an additional and separate phase from the work performed as part of this project, and is included as reference only. If a company elected to have AMI perform a Wind Profile for them, the process flow for a wind profile is outlined below:
Pre-Assessment Completed Wind Profile Scheduled out 3-4 Weeks Profile Agreement/ Contract sent to Company Company signs and returns agreement to AMI AMI generates Invoice to company for $5,000

AMI onsite for profile visit

AMI receives questionnaire min. of 1 week prior to Profile visit

Questionnaire completed by company & returned to AMI

AMI sends company the questionnaire

Company sends AMI monies for profile

Half Day for Profile Visit

AMI leaves company with information & data

AMI generates final report and sends to company

AMI has finalization conference call to discuss report

AMI offers to work with company to overcome gaps

No

Gaps too large to overcome? Yes AMI offers to work with company to improve business operations

No

Strong wind candidate

Yes

OEM purch agent contacts given

The GLWN Wind Capabilities Profile Assessment is an integrated data collection/half-day on-site process that asks the company deeper and more pointed questions about their manufacturing operations. It is based on a proprietary Pre-Visit Assessment Tool, listed in the above flow-chart as questionnaire, developed by the Great Lakes WIND Network with input from five (5) major wind OEMs as well as input from AMI. The questionnaire asks questions regarding the financial stability, quality systems, management, capabilities, capacities, and many others. The purpose of the Wind Capabilities Profile is to identify any potential gaps that exist that would need to be addressed before a potential wind OEM visit.

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 39

APPENDIX F COMPANY LIST BY COUNTY

Companies Contacted and Visited Butler D-J Engineering Prokleen STM Plastics (Seeber Thermoforming)* Vornado Air, LLC Chautauqua Beeson Mfg. Economy Manufacturing* Elk Kelly Manufacturing Greenwood ABZ Manufacturing Gator Manufacturing* Invena* Midwest Mill Modernization* Schlotterbeck Machine Tool 21 Harper Celco* Cox Machine* Harper Industries* Prairie Belting Harvey BMG of Kansas Full Vision* Industrial Metal Fabrication* Mackey & Sons* Manufacturing Solutions Martin Machine & Welding* Millennium Machine* Unruh Fabricators* Kingman Cannonball Engineering FabPro Karatzis* Neville Welding Marion Circle D Corp Hillsboro Industries* Marion Die and Fixture* Marion Manufacturing*

McPherson Aero Transportation Products (ATP) American Maplan* Central States Marketing & Mfg. Femco* Ferguson* Mid Kansas Machine* Mid West Industries Moridge Manufacturing Welco Services* Reno Airgas Collins Bus Corp Eaton Electrex* Haven Steel Products* J&J Drainage Midwest Iron and Metal Shield Agricultural Equipment* Superior Boiler Works (Superior Holding Inc)* TSW Products Rice Farley Machine Works Hoelscher Inc.* Jims Machine Shop* Lyons Manufacturing*

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 40

Sedgwick AAR Composites Burnham Composite Structures Carlson Company CECO* Center Industries* Central Plains Steel* Century Instrument Corp Chance Rides* Cox Machine Cratetech D&H Machine & Tool Fiber Dynamics* Fiberglass Systems* Global Engineering & Technology Harlow Aerostructures ICM* Ipeco iSi Environmental* JMT Industries* Kansas Gun Drilling KMG Tool & Machine Leading Edge Aerospace Lee Air Leonard's Metal Inc (LMI)* Manufacturing Services Martin Interconnect Services Martin K Eby Construction McGinty Machine Company* Metal Finishing Company* Metal Improvement Company* Metal Pros Mid-Central Manufacturing Milling Precision Tool Corp MPM Inc MPM LLC (on GWEDC list)* Nance Manufacturing Nex-Tech Aerospace Nex-Tech Processing North American Aviation* Perfekta Plastic Fabricating Company Powdertech* Precision Pattern Premier Processing* R&R Aerospace* Rapid Processing Solutions Rickman Machine

Senior Aerospace Composites* SFB Plastics SONACA* Tect Aerospace* Terracon Triumph Structures Universal Avionics Vermillion Inc. WASI Wichita Sheet Metal Supply* Wilko Paint Sumner Kansas Plastics* Kiser Manufacturing* Pro Machine Engineering* * Companies visited for the pre-assessments

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 41

AMI: The Advanced Manufacturing Institute at Kansas State University provides innovative engineering and business solutions. Comprised of experts in engineering, product design, manufacturing and business, AMI offers assistance with business planning and research, engineering and economic development to help entrepreneurs and businesses be more competitive in the marketplace. If you have a new product, new service offering or are entering a new market, AMI can help you allocate resources, better understand the market you are competing in and plan your strategy. AMI provides design and engineering services to help develop products, validate product performance, optimize equipment design and improve manufacturing efficiency. AMI also offers economic development services to help companies and communities identify business growth opportunities including new business ventures, products and services. For more information call 800-292-4186 or visit www.amisuccess.com.

GLWN is an industry-led organization of manufacturers and suppliers whose mission is to increase the domestic content of North Americas wind turbines and to grow the supply chain for the wind industry. GLWN works with wind turbine OEMs and developers, identifies critical needs and connects manufacturers and suppliers with new customers. Launched in 2007 as the Great Lakes WIND Network GLWN is now a global network comprised over 1,500 suppliers to the wind industry.

Supply-Chain Pre-Assessment Final Report Appendix 42