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SWD operates a 165,000-square-foot facility in Addison, Illinois, where more than 150 employees process hundreds of orders per day. Among its process offerings, performed for manufacturers of fasteners, metal stampings, springs and other metal parts, are computer-controlled plating, dip-spin coating and fastener sorting. Customers include automotive and agricultural-equipment OEMs.

In 2015, SWD Inc. made a significant capital investment that company President Rick Delawder strongly believes provides the company with a strong competitive advantage. Data mining and analysis software now has the firm’s management team “looking at things way differently than our competition,” he says.“The standalone software reaches deep into our databases to empower our managers to understand better what’s happening on the shop floor and make decisions to improve efficiency and consistency,” Delawder says of the software from Advizor Solutions. “Access to the data and high-level data analysis also lets us optimize scheduling and production planning. And, last but certainly not least, it improves customer communication. We have real data to back up discussions related to our performance for individual customers and projects, rather than just relying on intuition.”

Many jobs, run through multiple processes, and the software can query the databases and provide specific reports to help managers see where specific job runs are more efficient than others. For example, Delawder says, a job could comprise one huge lot that runs through the finishing department, and then separates into two or three loads through the dip-spin department, and then into several lots through the sorting department. “These deep and specific insights into our operations help us zone in on opportunities for improvement,” he says. “And they often can help with capacity planning and even guide us as we look to make our next capital equipment investments.”