AdvancTEK • December 14, 2023
Pioneering Excellence: The Crucial Role of Innovation in Manufacturing
In the dynamic world of manufacturing, innovation is the driving force that propels businesses forward. It’s not just about manufacturing new products or coming up with fresh ideas; it’s about creating value for each and every customer. With a robust global network, expansive capabilities, and a steadfast commitment to collaboration and innovation, AdvancTEK stands at the forefront of the manufacturing industry. Read on to discover how innovation is ingrained in every part of our business, from taking projects from concept to production to navigating challenges to deliver unparalleled value to our customers.
A Global Network of Solutions
AdvancTEK’s network spans 30 facilities across ten countries, a key element in delivering exceptional solutions. The strategic placement of multiple facilities worldwide enables us to draw insights from various disciplines and technologies, offering a unique and effective perspective in solving customer issues. As markets continue to globalize, we leverage the diverse technologies and materials cultivated across our extensive global footprint. This ensures that AdvancTEK delivers timely, tailored solutions aligned with evolving global requirements.
Innovation From Concept to Production
At AdvancTEK, we have the internal resources and team effort to take our customers’ projects from the initial napkin sketch to production, using well-executed procedures and effective communications to move at a pace that meets or exceeds their expectations. By engaging in the product development process early, we gain a solid understanding of the customer’s requirements and become a key partner in the process, allowing us to present cost-effective solutions that result in optimized performance, tool investment, and customer satisfaction.
Expertise in Plastic Processing
AdvancTEK’s expertise spans various plastic processing technologies, including injection molding, RIM, vacuum forming, pressure forming, and twin sheet forming. We work closely with our customers to find the best molding technologies for their needs by having a clear understanding of their pricing, investment, and functional and aesthetic requirements. There are multiple solutions to any challenge, so we must understand the requirements and prescribe the right processes and materials to ensure customers receive precisely what they expect. Often, the best solution is a combination of two or three technologies, resulting in an optimized investment for the customer that provides the outcome they are looking for.
Success Through Collaboration
AdvancTEK stands out from other manufacturers because we don’t just provide a service – we build strong partnerships with our customers. When they call us to work together on creating a new product that gives them a competitive edge, we see it as a chance to innovate. Our creative thinking and collaborative approach have led to many successful products and lasting relationships.
Looking back on our 35 years in the industry, the most important lesson we’ve learned is the power of clear communication. We do best when we understand exactly what our customers need and when they see us as partners rather than just suppliers.
Staying Ahead
Part of being committed to innovation means never settling for “good enough.” AdvancTEK is always looking to stay ahead of the trends and technologies in the industry and continues to search for new and improved technologies that will provide our customers with effective solutions for their products. For example, we’ve invested in the latest injection molding technology, including process monitoring systems, advanced material delivery systems, and mold flow analysis – all of which provide the best cost-effective product in a timely manner.
We continuously monitor regulatory requirements and industry trends by maintaining strong working relationships and actively participating in industry associations and events. These partnerships, affiliations, and trends drive AdvancTEK’s Technology Roadmap, where investment, timing, and resources are allocated to ensure we continue to provide our partners with a competitive advantage.
Navigating Challenges, Accelerating Solutions
Serving a wide array of markets, each with its own unique technical requirements and mandates, presents diverse challenges. We’ve adopted a streamlined approach to the design and validation process to overcome any roadblocks. Utilizing benchmarking from similar processes and products, we collaborate closely with our customers, incorporating already validated products, processes, and materials into their designs. This strategic synergy not only accelerates the product development cycle but also positions AdvancTEK as a reliable partner in bringing innovative solutions to market efficiently.
Our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation drives our success in creating tangible benefits for clients. Beyond our own technological challenges, we maintain an intimate understanding of the hurdles our customers face. This has fueled the development of groundbreaking materials and technologies, including lightweight materials, renewable solutions, reduced landfill impact, optimized standard costs, minimized scrap, improved manufacturability, and the integration of upstream value-added services.
This holistic approach underscores AdvancTEK’s dedication to delivering transformative solutions that resonate with our customers. One noteworthy achievement involved a market leader challenging us to create a product produced from a material that matched their existing product’s acoustic performance and structural properties but had less mass and was more cost-effective. We developed a new composite and semi-automated manufacturing process and delivered a product that did all this and more, exceeding expectations; the customer incorporated what we created into their new flagship product, which has now been in production for over ten years and been adopted by other customers and markets.
Charting a Future of Innovation
In our ongoing commitment to innovation, AdvancTEK is charting a course for the future with a keen focus on renewables, lightweighting, and smart surfaces. Our proactive approach involves close collaboration with industry leaders and active participation in relevant associations. By continually evaluating emerging technologies and market trends, we aim to identify the most impactful advancements. As we pinpoint these innovations, we seamlessly integrate them into our technology development process. This ensures that we not only stay ahead of industry changes but also craft solutions that bring substantial value to the markets we serve. AdvancTEK’s dedication to staying at the forefront of technological evolution is a testament to our commitment to driving the industry forward and meeting the evolving needs of our valued partners in the years to come.
