Top Shops 2012: L&P Machine Products
Here are five key elements of this quality contract shop.
Although L&P Machine Products is a business unit of an OEM, it functions more as a contract shop than a captive organization, says Derek Martin, division president. Leggett & Platt, the shop’s parent company, sells automotive components and furniture products, but Mr. Martin says the two primary outside industries his shop is currently focusing on are oil/gas and aerospace. (For the latter, the shop has become certified to AS9100.) He believes his shop succeeds in winning new work by building relationships and gaining customers’ confidence as they recognize the overall value it offers. Here are five elements Mr. Martin says contribute to the shop’s success:
- Automation— L&P Machine Products has focused on integrating automation for many years to minimize labor costs. The shop has HMCs with pallet pool as well as an automated, six-machine cell that can perform turning, grinding and spline rolling unattended.
- Diversification—L&P Machine Products serves Leggett & Platt’s internal needs, but the shop is also going after external customers in other industries. In addition, it serves as an authorized Fanuc Robotics integrator helping other shops reap the benefits of automation. This enables L&P Machine Products to provide solutions more so than simply precisely machined parts.
- Multi-function equipment—To minimize setup time and work in process (WIP), the shop continues to integrate multitasking and five-axis machines. Its goal is to finish parts complete on one machine.
- Benchmarking—In order to see how the shop compares to like companies, L&P Machine Products uses benchmarking as a self-assessment tool. Mr. Martin. He says this helps set the direction of the company and sheds light on areas in need of improvement.
- Pushing the boundaries—Mr. Martin believes L&P Machine Products is able to stay ahead of its competitors because it focuses on continuous improvement and pushes the envelope in terms of its people and equipment. It does the same with its machine tool builders, oftentimes asking them to integrate new capabilities into their machines to best meet the shop’s production needs.
Company Description
Leggett & Platt is a diverse, Fortune 500 manufacturer of furniture, automotive components and digital printing machinery. To boost its manufacturing and product development capabilities, Leggett & Platt established the L&P Machine Products, which consists of multiple, international locations specializing in high-volume machined parts, custom machining, process automation and specialized machinery manufacturing. Although the group originally served only the internal needs of Leggett & Platt, it now provides manufacturing solutions for several external customers as well.
End Markets Served
- Aerospace
- Appliance
- Energy
- Home Furnishing
- Machining Automation
- Material Handling Automation
Workpiece Materials Commonly Machined
- Aluminum
- Aluminum Bronze
- Brass
- Cold Rolled Steel
- Copper
- Inconel
- Stainless Steel
- Tool Steel
Contact Information
L&P Machine Products
1129 W. Fairview Ave
Related Content
Positioned to Prevail: Designing Processes Around People
Stecker Machine Company shows that getting the most value from employees means valuing your employees.
Read MoreBusiness Award Winner Gains Traction on Strategic Vision
KLH Industries joins the 2022 Top Shops Honors Program with a renewed sense of identity, a new leadership team and new tools for driving growth.
Read MoreConferences at a Glance - Tuesday
A streamlined itinerary of Tuesday's conferences, including Modern Machine Shop's Top Shop Awards ceremony, at your fingertips. Find out more about today's conferences below.
Read MoreJob Shops Can’t Do Everything, And That’s OK
Deciding to narrow down its jobs and customers was a turning point for 2023 Top Shops Business Strategies honoree Manda Machine that has led to improvements in the front office and on the shop floor.
Read MoreRead Next
The Cut Scene: The Finer Details of Large-Format Machining
Small details and features can have an outsized impact on large parts, such as Barbco’s collapsible utility drill head.
Read More3 Mistakes That Cause CNC Programs to Fail
Despite enhancements to manufacturing technology, there are still issues today that can cause programs to fail. These failures can cause lost time, scrapped parts, damaged machines and even injured operators.
Read More