In the world of manufacturing, staying competitive while maintaining quality can feel like an uphill battle. As a manufacturer, you may find yourself torn between embracing automation for efficiency and preserving the craftsmanship that built your reputation. Perhaps you’re a contract manufacturer yearning to develop your own product line but unsure how to make the leap. Or maybe you’re struggling to stand out in a market increasingly dominated by large corporations with seemingly unlimited resources. Discover the power of custom fabrication in creating proprietary products, 

At Pedoc Power Solutions, we’ve successfully navigated these challenges. Our journey began when Pedoc’s founder, an electrical contractor with a vision for safer outdoor electrical solutions, joined forces with our parent company, Marcres Metalwerks. With over four decades of metal fabrication expertise, Marcres Metalwerks’ engineering team worked closely to refine the design and develop a product line that is both durable and robust.

In 2009, Marcres acquired the Pedoc (Pedestals for Outdoor Circuits) Power Solutions product line, enabling us to deliver our own products. By combining design with traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology, we’ve created power pedestals that are now specified across a wide range of industries, including commercial, residential, mixed-use developments, as well as government, military, and municipal locations.

In this article, we’ll share our experience of leveraging custom fabrication to develop proprietary products while maintaining quality in an age of automation. You’ll learn how to:

1. Identify market gaps where your fabrication skills can add unique value
2. Balance automation with craftsmanship to enhance product quality
3. Develop strategies for competing with larger companies by focusing on quality and innovation
4. Transition from contract manufacturing to creating your own product line
5. Maintain a commitment to quality that sets you apart in the marketplace

By the end of this article, you’ll have actionable insights on how to evolve your manufacturing business, create distinctive products, and thrive in today’s competitive landscape while staying true to your commitment to quality.

The Role of Custom Fabrication in Developing Proprietary Products

Custom fabrication has long been the backbone of manufacturing, allowing businesses to create specialized parts and products for their clients. However, its value extends far beyond fulfilling custom orders. For many manufacturers, including ourselves, custom fabrication has been the springboard to developing unique, proprietary product lines.

Custom fabrication has long been the foundation of manufacturing, enabling businesses to produce specialized parts and products tailored to their clients’ needs. However, its value goes beyond just meeting custom orders. For many manufacturers, including us, custom fabrication has served as a springboard for developing or acquiring unique, proprietary product lines.

Our transition into offering our own products was driven by the vision of Ulrich Marks, the founder of Marcres Metalwerks. One of his last major projects was a collaboration with an electrician who identified the need for safer outdoor electrical pedestals. Over the course of several years, Ulrich developed a strong partnership with Pedoc, initially as a customer. During this time, we gained valuable insights into the growing demand for safe outdoor power distribution. Inspired by his vision, we fulfilled a long-standing dream of creating something uniquely our own. Today, we manufacture power pedestals in quantities ranging from a single unit to thousands, utilizing both handcrafted expertise and advanced technology.

Custom fabrication played a crucial role in this process. It allowed us to:

1. Prototype and refine designs quickly, working closely with the electrician to perfect the product
2. Adapt to market feedback and evolving regulations in the electrical industry
3. Maintain control over quality at every stage of production, ensuring our pedestals meet rigorous safety standards
4. Create unique features that set our products apart from competitors, such as our heavy-duty stainless steel construction and weather-resistant design

Maintaining Quality and Craftsmanship in the Age of Automation

While embracing new technologies and automation has been crucial to our growth, we’ve never lost sight of the importance of quality and craftsmanship. In fact, we’ve found that the right balance of traditional skills and modern technology can enhance both efficiency and product quality.

Here’s how we maintain our commitment to quality in the age of automation:

1. Strategic automation: We’ve invested in advanced equipment like laser cutters for precision metal work. However, we use these tools strategically, ensuring that automation enhances rather than replaces our craftsmanship.
2. Hands-on finishing: While many parts of our process are automated, we still rely on the expertise of our team for critical finishing work. For example, our Pedoc pedestals undergo hand polishing to ensure each product meets our high standards for appearance and durability.
3. Continuous training: As we introduce new technologies, we invest in training our team to use these tools effectively. Some of our employees have been with us for over 40 years, growing with the company and adapting to new technologies while maintaining their core skills.
4. Quality control at every stage: Our products, such as the Pedoc pedestals, must pass rigorous Underwriter Laboratory testing. This requires a combination of automated precision and human oversight to ensure consistently high-quality products that meet strict safety standards.
5. Customer-driven improvements: We maintain close relationships with our customers, using their feedback to continually refine and improve our products. For instance, our Pedoc pedestals have been specified for projects by high-profile clients like Google and Ritz Carlton, demonstrating the trust we’ve built in the market.

Our commitment to quality has allowed us to compete effectively, even as larger companies enter our market space. We’ve seen steady, significant growth year over year, proving that there’s always room for high-quality, innovative products in the marketplace.

For manufacturers looking to develop their own proprietary products, we recommend:

1. Leveraging your existing expertise in custom fabrication
2. Identifying gaps in the market where your skills can add unique value, as we did with our outdoor electrical pedestals
3. Investing in strategic automation that enhances rather than replaces craftsmanship
4. Maintaining a strong focus on quality control throughout the production process, including rigorous testing and certification where applicable
5. Continuously seeking customer feedback to drive product improvements and stay ahead of market trends

By following these steps, manufacturers can harness the power of custom fabrication to create distinctive products that meet market needs while maintaining the quality and craftsmanship that set them apart in an increasingly automated world. Our journey from a contract manufacturer to a producer of branded, proprietary products showcases the potential of this approach in building a successful, sustainable manufacturing business.