Scaling with Purpose: How Your Manufacturing Partner Handles Demand and Plans for the Future
When business is booming, there’s no denying the excitement we feel. But sometimes fast growth comes with its fair share of challenges.
At KCSP Machine, we recently faced a significant uptick in quoting and job activity. The second half of last year and the beginning of this year brought a sharp contrast to the steadier periods we’d experienced. Our Kansas City machine shop suddenly experienced a surge of activity, which brought a mixture of excitement and pressure. Add in the complications of winter weather, staff illnesses that are inevitable at that time of year, and delivery delays, and it became clear that we were entering a perfect storm of operational challenges.
And while being busy certainly isn’t the worst problem to have, this experience prompted us to reevaluate our processes, scale our team, and embrace long-term investments in equipment and software. We’re committed to remaining a trusted manufacturing partner, and are prepared to navigate this growth while continuing to deliver exceptional quality and service.
Planning for Tomorrow: How We’re Meeting Short-Term Demands
Prioritizing Communication
In times of rapid change, clear and proactive communication becomes more important than ever. Given the nature of our work, we understand that our customers depend on our timelines. If something looks like it might fall behind schedule, we don’t wait for the customer to call us—we reach out first.
We’ve found that sharing detailed, realistic expectations makes a huge difference. Recently, for one of our geotechnical customers, we created a part-by-part spreadsheet with anticipated delivery dates, highlighting which components were delayed due to outside services. The customer reviewed the list and confirmed which parts were urgent and which could accommodate extended timeframes. This back-and-forth collaboration allowed us to prioritize efficiently based on our customers’ precise needs and kept them in the loop through all stages of the project.
Staying Proactive
There’s nothing worse than a customer asking, “Where are my parts?” when we’re not ready with an answer. That’s why our team prioritizes being proactive by closely monitoring jobs and flagging anything that looks like it might run behind schedule. Whether there’s a bottleneck in our multi-axis CNC machining department or a mishap from one of our outside processing vendors, we need to know what could go awry before delays occur—and certainly before our customers experience them. That way, we can either catch up and mitigate the issue or provide immediate outreach to customers that may be affected.
Balancing Capacity with Workforce
To keep pace with the influx of work, the KCSP Machine team leaned into overtime. Our people stepped up to the plate enthusiastically, helping wherever they could to plug holes and come through when our customers needed us to give our all. Most importantly, we did it responsibly, never overworking team members to the point where they could be at risk of burnout. Even though this was a short-term solution, it really helped us get back on track during a hectic time.
We’re also actively hiring, and we’ve added a team member since this busy time, bringing our workforce from a mighty team of eight to an unstoppable team of nine. We also hope to bring on a summer intern from the Computer Integrated Machining and Manufacturing (CIMM) program at the Metropolitan Community College here in Kansas City. Whether we bring on temporary help or long-term team members, we know that a strong team is critical in supporting customer demand.
Planning for the Long-Term Success of KCSP Machine
Smarter Equipment and Automation
To support long-term growth, we’ve been investing in equipment that boosts efficiency and automation. Whether it’s adding more lights-out machinery—like our cutting-edge Hwacheon lathe—or improving our Swiss machining services, we’re focused on creating a facility that can scale without outgrowing our own shoes. These upgrades help us handle high volumes of precision machined parts without skipping a beat.
Upgrading Our Systems
We’re also in the process of implementing ProShop ERP, a powerful management platform tailored specifically for manufacturers. This transition offers us:
Clearer visibility into our workloads
Better scheduling tools
More reliable project tracking
And other benefits that are critical when juggling a high volume of jobs
What This Means for Our Customers
As your manufacturing partner, our ability to scale responsibly means fewer delays, clearer timelines, and all-around better parts.
Growth isn’t always easy, but with a team that’s communicative, proactive, and focused on long-term improvement, it becomes an opportunity to serve our customers even better. And that’s what it’s all about at KCSP Machine.
If you’re looking for a Missouri machine shop that can grow alongside your needs, look no further. KCSP Machine is an active manufacturing partner that shows up, communicates clearly, and delivers precision every time. Request a quote to kick off your next project with our talented team!