A&K Finishing achieves ‘record growth’ with Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Plex Systems, a provider of cloud enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution system software, says plastic paint solution provider A&K Finishing has “doubled its sales one year after implementing the Plex Manufacturing Cloud”.

A&K Finishing paints components for industrial companies such as automotive manufacturers Tesla, BMW, and General Motors; electronics manufacturer Bose; and furniture company Steelcase.

The company uses advanced manufacturing technology on the shop floor, including automated robots and open spray booths on multiple paint lines, to complete many parts in just 44 minutes. 

A&K Finishing can paint a wide variety of products, from a Jeep’s interior door panel to iPad covers. Company leaders sought to similarly modernize its business processes and manufacturing systems by implementing Plex in 2017.

Since then, Plex says it has helped A&K Finishing reach nearly 100 percent inventory accuracy, eliminating the need for time-consuming weekly physical inventory checks.

It has also move quality checks online, improving customer satisfaction and helping reduce scrap rates from three to less than one percent; and has freed managers from spending 80 percent of their time on data entry, allowing them to focus on process and continuous improvement.

In addition to realizing revenue growth of more than 100 percent, the company’s evolution also earned A&K Finishing recognition as a Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Distinguished Supplier for two consecutive years, an honor only given to 10 of Yanfeng’s 2,100 suppliers.

Scott Hankamp, operations manager, A&K Finishing, says: “Plex fits with our culture of continuously improving our operations.

“Because Plex is the centralized location where we record production and manage data, our management team is more organized and efficient – ultimately helping us lower costs and provide a better product to our customers. Plex makes us better.”