The World Class Manufacturing Group
On March 23, 1993, The World Class Manufacturing Group, Inc. (“World Class”) incorporated and purchased the existing customer contracts and physical assets of Ace Manufacturing Company, located in Weyauwega, Wisconsin. Ace Manufacturing Company, a contract screw machine operation with annual sales of $250,000, had six major customers. World Class hired their four employees and moved the business to our current location at the intersection of State Highway 10 and County Road F in Weyauwega.
It was evident early on that the focus on screw machined parts would have to be altered to ensure growth and stability. The screw machining business is extremely competitive, with a wide range of quality conformance standards. World Class changed direction immediately toward machined metal parts using computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. The transformation was carried out swiftly, and we are now completely dedicated to precision machined parts.
The consistent growth we’ve had each year is a direct result of both the reputation we’ve earned (for “on time” delivery, excellent customer service, and quality parts at a competitive price), and the skill of our employees. In fact, our commitment to customer service is literally “award-winning.” In the Spring of 1996, the Wisconsin Central train derailment occurred in Weyauwega. The National Guard transformed our facility into a command center to coordinate the efforts of safety and railroad personnel. We secured a rental agreement for a vacated factory 14 miles away, and over the course of one weekend, transplanted all our machines to the temporary facility and resumed operations. Our employees were able to keep working, and not a single part was behind schedule. Our accomplishments were recognized by the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Association with a special 1997 Manufacturer of the Year Award for “Commitment to Service Under Adverse Conditions”.
We completed a 13,000 square foot addition to the manufacturing floor in 1998, and acquired the complete machining equipment inventory of David White LLC of Berlin, WI. We then added a 3,200 square foot warehouse and purchased an additional two acres of adjacent land in 1999. In 2001, we purchased the capital assets and customer lists of Modern Materials, Inc. of Oshkosh, WI. In 2002, another 52,000 square foot plant addition was completed, and we purchased the capital assets and customer lists of RC Machining of Addison, IL. In 2003, we added our own product line of couplings with the purchase of Elkhorn Manufacturing of Elkhorn, WI. We expanded the warehouse another 4,000 feet in 2004, and converted it into more machining space, bringing our total facility size to 85,000 square feet.
Achievement of registration to ISO 9000:2000 standards in 2002 was a key component in company growth, as many first tier
Customers will only deal with firms able to attain and consistently work within the guidelines this quality benchmark requires.
We’ve proudly provided employment opportunities to individuals in a fifty-mile radius, increasing from six employees in 1993 to over one hundred and twenty-five currently. Three-year sales projections are set to 20% increases per year, with an additional facility due to open in Bayfield, Wisconsin in the spring of 2008. By taking advantage of opportunities while riding out the economic downturn and changing strategies as needed, we are now positioned to provide additional high volume services to our existing customers, adjust for their upcoming projects, and heavily expand our customer base.
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