Adapting Fast When Manufacturing Demand Shifts: Lessons From Core Technology

Leveraging DELMIAworks manufacturing ERP system, Core Technology Molding Corporation reallocates manufacturing resources to meet the spike in manufacturing demand for medical testing kits in the wake of COVID-19.

Core Technology Molding Corporation is a custom injection molding manufacturer based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Today, Core Technology differentiates its business by combining the DELMIAworks ERP system’s real-time process monitoring, manufacturing execution system (MES), and warehouse management system (WMS) capabilities to gain greater control and visibility into its shop floor operations. Additionally, having an integrated ERP software system provides the data the company needs to deliver consistently high-quality products.

Core Technology competes in eight key markets including aerospace, appliance, automotive, biological pharmaceutical, consumer goods, heavy truck, medical device, and outdoor lawn equipment. And no market segment represents more than 30% of total revenues. Using DELMIAworks, the company can quickly run reports on manufacturing costs and margins by customer and segment, helping the management team to manage risk and achieve business continuity.

Achieving Agility to Meet Rapidly Changing Manufacturing Demands

The rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in equally fast shifts in demand across the different industries that Core Technology serves. 

The company is seeing significantly higher orders from major medical product and biological pharmaceutical manufacturers—most notably for medical testing kits. Across the industry, manufacturers’ ISO-certified medical cleanrooms are running at high capacity to support the influx of orders.

Business continuity planning is an ongoing process at Core Technology, and in February 2020, the senior management team began defining scenarios of how they could keep operating. Using insights from reports generated by DELMIAworks, the company has been able to respond to the dramatic demand fluctuations driven by COVID-19, using the manufacturing ERP system to:

• Adjust production planning and scheduling in its ISO-7 and ISO-8 certified medical cleanroom.
• Ensure production is on track through real-time process monitoring.
• Maintain optimal levels of inventory.

Early on, Core Technology also initiated immediate and thorough compliance with U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) operating guidelines to protect employees and customers against the spread of COVID-19, including periodically cleaning all surfaces, machinery and meeting areas.

With its medical cleanroom facilities and insights from its DELMIAworks manufacturing ERP system, Core Technology has been able to minimize its risks in the wake of COVID-19 while making the most of opportunities to serve the medical industry with quality products delivered on time.