Why not just buy these parts offshore at a lower price?

It can be tempting to choose the cheapest parts. However, offshore sourcing often brings hidden costs:

  • Long lead times: Shipping takes 3–5 weeks, which slows down lean processes and delays design updates.
  • Supply disruptions: Events like the 2002 West Coast dock strikes forced many customers to air freight parts—and lose those savings.
  • Communication hurdles: Working across time zones and language barriers can lead to 2:00 am calls that still leave requirements unclear.

What is your management philosophy on quality and continuous improvement?

At Powers and Sons, LLC, every employee commits to:

  • Delivering top-quality products and services at the lowest possible cost.
  • Meeting deadlines and customer expectations.
  • Practicing continuous improvement in everything we do.

How will Powers and Sons, LLC take steps to reduce final costs?

We control costs both before and during production:

  • Our purchasing team gathers multiple quotes for each component.
  • We evaluate suppliers by cost, quality, and delivery performance.
  • We apply Lean Manufacturing methods to cut waste and boost efficiency.

How does Powers and Sons, LLC track the cost of quality?

We review our quality metrics every month in management meetings:

  • Scrap and rework rates
  • Customer complaints
  • Warranty repairs per 1,000 units
  • Quality cost per unit

What is Powers and Sons, LLC’s plan for training employees on continuous improvement?

We invest in ongoing training:

  • Monthly plant-wide sessions on topics like Lean and Six Sigma.
  • Regular “cell meetings” on the shop floor to share improvements.

How does Powers and Sons, LLC involve customers in developing product specifications?

We use Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to capture your needs:

  • We gather your load, temperature, and environmental requirements.
  • If no spec exists, we draft one and get your written approval.

How do you participate in value engineering efforts?

We drive value engineering at every stage:

  • Benchmark competitive products for design ideas.
  • Apply Lean principles to cut costs without losing quality.
  • Track cost per part and labor hours monthly in QOS reviews.
  • Use QFD early in design to focus on features that matter most.

Describe the process to provide new product innovations.

Our innovation workflow follows these steps:

  1. Identify a need (from customers, benchmarking, or internal ideas).
  2. Review it in our weekly Customer Information Meeting or bi-weekly GM Planning Committee.
  3. Form a cross-functional team (design, manufacturing, shop floor).
  4. Brainstorm solutions and rank them by cost, manufacturability, lead time, and safety.
  5. Prototype the top ideas and test for performance and feasibility.
  6. Finalize production cost estimates and lead times.

How do you respond to fast-changing requirements in quantity and delivery?

Our real-time system keeps everyone aligned:

  • Customer forecasts, inventory levels, and order changes update every 12 minutes via B.O.S.S.
  • Daily follow-ups ensure we can meet any reasonable delivery request.
  • Our Production Control team adjusts production and shipments as needed.

If you don’t see your question here, please call us at 419-485-3151 or email sales1@powersandsonsllc.com.