Everyone who has ever been on a commercial aircraft recognizes “the Button.” This aluminum-anodized button is part of a cable assembly that allows airline travelers to recline their seat, and uses precision-machined components in the assembly, featuring high profile, low-cost parts. At the 2014 semi-annual Aerospace and Defense Supplier Summit, Thuro entered into discussions with an assembler of wire and cable assemblies to re-shore critical components due to the assembler having quality and delivery issues. But while the components needed to look great, they also had to meet and maintain target pricing—the parts were required in relatively high volume and averaged well under $1 each, including material, fabrication, metal finishing, and special protective packaging.
The answer surprised everyone… manufacturing with Thuro in North America, a bold choice in 2014. How did Thuro manage to compete and essentially change the paradigm of so-called Chinese value?
In the mid-2000’s there was tremendous pressure on U.S. manufacturers to compete with China’s manufacturing model. Essentially we had to figure out how to make parts using competitive processes and know-how, a survival tactic that other competitors could not do. We decided to double down on new investment into systems and automation that complemented our heritage of German precision and technology. This investment paid off by radically eliminating waste and establishing a culture of continuously improving all aspects of the parts production process companywide.
