MGM Industries Endorses Davis-Standard Extruders and Service
April 13, 2009
(Pawcatuck, Conn.)--Window and door manufacturer MGM Industries of Hendersonville, Tennessee, is a market-driven company focused on keeping quality up and costs down. Davis-Standard shares a similar philosophy, which is why the two companies have worked so well together for the past decade. Davis-Standard has been MGM's primary extruder supplier since the company added extrusion capabilities in 1999. This in-house addition enabled MGM to become a vertically integrated manufacturer and has provided a considerable edge in the marketplace. MGM is one of the only companies of its size to extrude vinyl profiles in-house, making it possible to produce a broader range of products across all price points. This includes products with proprietary features that improve performance and installation as well as mechanically assembled windows that closely replicate the appearance of wood.
"Davis-Standard extruders have enabled us to produce quality products with very high efficiency," said Abe Gaskins, president of MGM. "Davis-Standard's equipment is robust and their service has been excellent. The technicians are a bank of knowledge and easy to work with. We also take pride in our preventative maintenance. We maintain the screws and barrels to factory specifications every six months and as a result, we've had screws and barrels last five years."
MGM is a family owned and operated business, so extruder performance and versatility is essential to the company's ability to compete with larger manufacturers and maintain profitability. MGM utilizes Davis-Standard's Super Blue®, GC (Gemini® Conical) and GP (Gemini® Parallel) extruder models to make that happen. The Super Blue model is used for running accessory parts, processing everything from regrind materials to virgin powder without sacrificing rates. MGM's mainframe dies are run on the GP-94 or GC-61, and the GC-40 is used for regrind. Most recently, MGM installed a GC-65 for high rate regrind processing for its mainframe material. According to Gaskins, this machine processes regrind "superbly" and they would gladly purchase another. MGM also appreciates Davis-Standard's support when addressing equipment issues.
"When we first received the GC-94, the screws were too aggressive for the formulations we were using," said Gaskins. "Davis-Standard worked with us to get the correct screw geometry so that we could use the same formulation on all of our extruders."
MGM process improvement engineer, John MacKorell, appreciates the fact that Davis-Standard is focused on the customer relationship.
"Our Davis-Standard salesperson, Gabor Nagy, always puts himself in the role of the customer. He is analytical in his approach to solving problems and always comes back with a fair game plan. Whenever we have an issue, Gabor goes out of his way to make things right," said MacKorell. "I am also impressed with the fact that in the past few years, all of our machines have been on time or ahead of time. Good equipment, motivated customer service people and a good salesman. What more can a customer ask for?"
Currently, MGM's primary customer base consists of privately owned building suppliers who sell to residential new construction. As with most businesses, the economy has prompted MGM to evaluate costs and cut back as much as possible. Even so, the company continues to make investments and look for niche markets. Recently, MGM invested $800,000 in automated equipment to paint PVC profiles with heat reflecting water-based paint. When the market turns around, Gaskins says MGM will not only emerge, but will be positioned to be more dominant in the marketplace.
For more information about MGM Industries, visit www.mgmindustries.com. For more information about Davis-Standard's extruder line for window and door profiles, contact Wendell Whipple at wwhipple@davis-standard.com.
CONTACT
Luann Kupka
Marketing & Sales Administration Manager
Extrusion Systems
860-599-6262
