Made Possible by Our People Manufacturing Facility

Successful material production facilities across the country practice “lean manufacturing,” or a series of processes that make the manufacturing process faster without compromising on quality or safety. According to our Managing Director of Boon Edam’s manufacturing facility, Patrick Nora, it is a never-ending drive towards excellence rather than a firm destination. Our four focus areas are:

1. The best quality = Challenging ourselves to make it impossible to deliver a bad product
2. The lowest cost = How can we drive down costs related to safety, materials, time
3. On time = Using temporary workers and overtime to meet/exceed demand
4. The shortest lead time = Work to understand how a product flows through the factory and how we can improve that process

Click here to listen to Patrick’s podcast.

Walking into the Boon Edam manufacturing facility in North Carolina is an eye-opening experience. When you step onto the floor, you’re able to take in the enormity of the factory space. It’s not chaotic or disorganized. In fact, the flow of the entire facility was carefully designed and tested for optimum efficiency. As an entrance moves through the production line, it is carefully checked and double-checked for quality, ensuring the highest-grade entrance is delivered to the customer.

Here’s a run-down of the details of the Boon Edam USA factory:

• 5 assembly lines
• Most parts are fabricated in-house from raw materials
• Welders, fabricators, assemblers, electricians, logistics, supply chain departments
• Continuous improvement team analyzes and improves processes
• Goods are reused and recycled
• Storage racks house finished goods

Boon Edam has invested millions of dollars in several high-tech machines to aid the factory technicians in meeting our customer’s needs in a timely manner. Some of these machines include:

• Okuma CNC Machine = This machine contains bits that are programmed to cut and rout any size hole in a piece of metal; the metal goes in and a perfect, finished product comes out.
• Amada Laser Cutter = This machine uses a laser to cut shapes out of sheets of stainless steel
• Amada Braking Machine = This machine bends metal in precise locations, shaping it exactly as needed for a door or turnstile
• Emmegi Routing Machine = This machine makes precise cuts in long, extruded aluminum pieces

This virtual factory tour shows each of these state-of-the-art machines in action:

Safety is at the core of the Boon Edam manufacturing facility. Patrick believes safety is the number one factor in a successful working environment, followed by quality and productivity. To ensure a safe workplace, an on-site Safety Committee conducts regular assessments and holds meetings to educate and instruct their colleagues on best practices for minimizing accidents.

Each member of the manufacturing team is required to wear eye, shoe and safety protection at all times while performing their job. In addition, every workspace should be kept clean from dirt and debris to minimize falls. If a spill does occurs, it is to be handled immediately and the Safety Committee is to be notified to see how the spill could be prevented in the future. And special safety precautions were put into place due to the pandemic to keep the factory up and running, including sanitizing sanitize their workstations after every shift, practicing proper handwashing techniques, and more.