The Fabricator - November 2013

bit more subtle. For instance, CTECH

Manufacturing in Weston, Wis., is like Chirch Global in that it does perform metal fabrication. But unlike Chirch, it has automated cutting and panel bending that can fabricate large workpieces extremely quickly, efficient for products like storage cabinets, including its major product line of portable tool drawers used in the racing industry.

“They’re very complementary to us,” Chirchirillo said. “They have a waterjet, they have panel bending. And we work together on projects where it makes the most sense.”

A Collaborative Group

The network of firms employs 1,400 people working in 1 million square feet of manufacturing space and has an annual revenue of about $225 million. Individually, each company is much smaller. But as Chirchirillo explained, as a network, they can act big. For instance, the group contracts out as one entity to an electrical and facilities maintenance firm.

But the network wasn’t formed
to be a buying group. Instead, it was
formed to allow member companies
to tackle work that they otherwise
couldn’t. Company owners meet
quarterly to discuss the current state
of business and future opportunities.
To coordinate daily, everyone in the
network—management, sales, engi-
neering, and operations—commu-
nicates using a web-based platform.
Quality and sales teams from all
companies meet regularly to discuss
potential collaborations. And there
is one nondisclosure agreement that
covers every company in the net-
work.

In the contract metal manufacturing world, a sales engineer works with his estimating team to bid on a project. If they win, engineering works with the drawing files, material is ordered, machined components are subcontracted, and away the fabricator goes.

A salesperson for the Chirch Global Manufacturing Network handles a potential order a little differently. Say a sales engineer finishes talking with a company that’s launching a new machine design. That machine has some parts that may be best produced with sheet metal, while other elements require precision machining, castings, and tubular parts. Still other parts require plastic components, electromechanical assembly, and powder coating.

That salesperson could recommend the design resources of Sterling Engineering and collaborate with the sales staff at Telefonix for the cable and electromechanical assembly; C&L Supreme for the machined components; Chicago White Metal for the castings; Pereles Bros. for the plastic injection molding; Chirch Global Manufacturing for the fabrication; MP Metal Products for the roll form-

The network of
firms employs
1,400 people
working in 1 million
square feet of
manufacturing space
and has an annual
revenue of about
$225 million.
Individually, each
company is much
smaller, but as a
network, they can
act big.