It’s a new day and a new era at Penn-Mar Castings.
PMC now has its own in-house pattern shop, which has been months in the making.
“The need to create a pattern shop here at Penn-Mar was really out of necessity,” said Rob Rummel, PMC’s Quality and Continuous Improvement Engineer.
Rummel said at one time the area had three or four local pattern shops and within the next year and a half, they will all be gone.
“It was kind of like, wow, there’s not going to be anybody left,” said Rummel. “So that’s why we created a pattern shop.”
The hard work it took to create the Pattern Shop
“This has been in the works for probably six months,” said pattern shop supervisor Tony Smith.
The PMC pattern shop started off in a smaller garage and then moved into the former maintenance building on the property.
“It’s taken a lot of time and effort to make this pattern shop happen,” said Rummel. The building used to be the main maintenance shop. The maintenance department relocated to another building to give the pattern shop room to grow.
“We’ve had a lot of effort from maintenance, a lot of effort from our pattern shop supervisor Tony Smith to help organize, layout the shop and really make it efficient and the best shop we can make it,” said Rummel.
The equipment at PCM’s Pattern Shop
Penn Mar’s previous “pattern repair shop” was in a much smaller area and had just a handful of tools for repairs.
Rob Rummel said that shop had basic stuff, but for the new shop they were able to bring in some larger woodworking equipment. “Really to make this pattern shop complete, we brought in some larger servicing equipment, larger table saw, a large wood lathe, just to really round out the pattern shop.”
To go along with those big pieces of equipment, the new pattern shop also has several drill presses, a variety of sanders, a large planer and several types of table saws.
“We’re just getting the shop up and running,” said Smith, who has been a pattern-maker for 46 years. “There is a lot of room to expand and grow here, but for the most part, getting it up and started, they have good equipment and we’re ready to get it going.”
The benefits of having a Pattern Shop at PMC
Penn-Mar’s pattern shop will build mainly hardwood patterns, which sizes and characteristics will be determined by the customers’ specifications.
“The main thing the pattern shop will bring to PMC is really self-sufficiency,” said Rummel. “We’ll be able to do most, if not all, of our own pattern work here in house.” Rummel said it’s a way to bring better, more efficient service to our customers. In the past, PMC relied on outside pattern shops and had to abide by their schedules. Now, with our own pattern shop, PMC has more control in the pattern making arena.
“Having our own pattern shop should help us keep up with production better, too,” added Rummel. “Being able to repair patterns faster and get them back on the line should make production even more efficient.”
Pattern Shop’s future at Penn-Mar Castings
Penn-Mar hopes to expand and grow the pattern shop in the coming years.
There is already one other pattern-maker expected to join Tony Smith in the shop. “I don’t know what the future plans are here, but I can see the shop handling 4 people if they need to,” said Smith.
Smith said he hopes to train more employees and continue to improve the pattern shop.
The pattern shop will also help customers looking for more “one-stop” shopping, where they can get the pattern made and the casting poured at the same location.
A culture of innovation and growth at PMC
“Penn-Mar Castings still very much has a small business feel to it and a family atmosphere,” said Rummel. He went on to say there are good people working at PMC and it’s a good place to work.
“It’s been great here, these guys treat you really great,” said Smith.
Rummel added “Anybody looking to get into the foundry industry or the pattern making business, Penn-Mar Castings could be a great option. There is a lot of potential for growth in various areas and we’re always looking for good people.”
To learn more about what Penn-Mar Castings can do for you, give us a call or visit us online.
