August 2020 Volume 2

INDUSTRY NEWS & CALENDAR

Superior Die Set: Manufacturing Mold Bases for Ventilator Parts During COVID-19 Pandemic

Superior Die Set has had to adjust operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but CEOMartin Girga said the company has not been as negatively impacted as other manufacturers. The Oak Creek-based machining manufacturer is recognized as an essential business during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the various industries it services, which include supporting the tooling industry, metal forming and forging, as well as injection molding. As a result of that designation, and since many of the projects that Superior Die Set gets contracted to design, such as parts for upcoming car models that are expected to be released in the upcoming months, business is not screeching to a halt. “We are feeling less of an impact than probably a typical company out there that doesn’t play in this market that we are in today, in terms of tool and die shops. That’s favorable to us. That doesn’t mean that we may not get impacted later down the road,” Girga said. He said SuperiorDie Set expects more of a slowdown in the third and fourth quarters. According to Girga, companies reliant on supplies from foreign-made goods may be experiencing supply-chain issues. Because Superior Die Set makes what they sell, the company is able to control its own supply chain much more efficiently, Girga said. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the company has also seen an increase in orders for components that are being used to manufacture ventilators. The company’s order from Accro Tool and Manufacturing in Burlington was received in the late afternoon on March 27. Accro Tool andManufacturing is a mold builder that produces molds used in the production of plastic components; it was an order for a custom mold base for a part used on a ventilator. The typical lead time on a mold base is five to seven work days. The Superior Die Set team delivered the mold base in less than two days. According to an email from Accro, because Superior Die Set was able to produce the part so quickly, Accro accepted delivery of the mold base on March 31, allowing for a quick turnaround of their final tool on April 3. “We’ve acted on this promptly, realizing that this is a good thing for our company and to rally our troops around this, to be able to help society and people that are sick,” Girga said. Superior Die Set has about 170 employees in Milwaukee, according to Girga. The company recently consolidated its Greendale facility with its Oak Creek headquarters. It also has operations in Poland. Girga said the pandemic is impacting all of its global sites, but noted that the Poland operations are still operating at full scale. Girga said that since February, the company has had an epidemic

Modern Foundations for Forging Hammers and Presses Girga said the company is taking the appropriate steps to avoid downsizing, which includes all executives taking a reduction in salary. He said the company is also taking steps to maintain high productivity and company profitability. “My idea right now . . . is the business while it’s slowed down, it’s still healthy enough for us that we want to make sure we’re retaining employees as much as we can,” he said. Girga added that by taking advantage of the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), Superior Die Set is positioned for success. ■ plan in place. So far, none of Superior Die Set’s employees have gotten sick. “We acted very quickly,” Girga said, noting that 90% of office employees are working from home. It not only protects the people that are working from home; it also protects the people that need to continue to work the shop floor and continues to support the industry that we serve,” he said.

gerbusa@gerb.com www.gerb.com/forging Call: 630-724-1660

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2020 19