Skip to content

Listening Drives Strategy

Listen. Have you ever caught yourself listening but not really hearing? With so many distractions arounds us, it can be difficult to focus our full attention on one thing. But if we are going to be effective in our communications, we need to hear what others have to say. Listening is something we have always…

Read More

It’s a QRM Revival

The Center for Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) website defines QRM as a companywide strategy to reduce lead times across an enterprise. The Alexandria Industries QRM journey began around 2002 when Tom Schabel attended a QRM seminar and decided the company may benefit from implementing this time-based strategy. QRM uses tools like POLCA cards to shorten…

Read More

Partnering for Success

Part 1 (Note: This article is the first of a two-part series. Part 2 will be featured in our February 2016 newsletter.) Long before worker shortage and the skills gap became part of daily conversation, the leadership at Alexandria Industries anticipated these issues would become significant. They recognized that approximately a third of our workforce…

Read More

Extrusion E-Pullers

Traditional press puller systems typically use hydraulics and chains to transmit power and pull extrusions down the leadout table. These aluminum extrusion systems tend to run into trouble from chain-stretch (slack), and process control issues. As they age, maintenance issues surrounding the hydraulics also become increasingly troublesome. With the growing use of electro-servo motor technology…

Read More

Working Differently

During the last two years, the growing requests of our customers have called us to adjust to ever-increasing higher levels of productivity. This new normal requires us to work smarter and continue to develop innovative manufacturing solutions to operate successfully. Some ways we are working differently include: Project Development: Every customer project requiring engineering services…

Read More

Partnering for Success – Part 2

(Note: This article is the second of a two-part series. Read Part 1 from our November 2015 newsletter.) Like many manufacturing companies, Alexandria Industries is seeing the shortage of skilled workers rising to a near crisis status. Recognizing that without the human capital to fill the skills gap, many manufacturers may struggle to not only…

Read More

Partnering for Success

Partnering for Success | Alexandria Industries Part 1 (Note: This article is the first of a two-part series. Part 2 will be featured in our February 2016 newsletter.) Long before worker shortage and the skills gap became part of daily conversation, the leadership at Alexandria Industries anticipated these issues would become significant. They recognized that…

Read More

Aluminum Extrusion Increases Options to Optimize Your Supply Chain

Is extruded aluminum gaining traction as a mainstream OEM choice for designing, engineering and producing component parts? Depending on the market sector and application, aluminum extrusion frequently is an institutionalized supply chain approach to optimizing design and engineering, reducing manufacturing costs, and accelerating time-to-market. Aluminum is approximately one-third the weight of iron, steel, copper or…

Read More

Grow Your Own

Employee training isn’t new at Alexandria Industries. We began seven years ago by developing a two-year Leadership Academy program that covers leadership training in communications, relationship building, business acumen and culture, along with one-on-one counseling exploring personal objectives, obstacles and opportunities. Three graduation classes and 45 leaders later, we have taken our successful Leadership Academy…

Read More

Making Dreams Come True

It's not every day we get a call from someone asking if Alexandria Industries can help fulfill their dream. With good fortune, we received such a call from an engineer at Hot Wheels® asking if we could help him break a record by building the world’s longest toy racetrack. Reliving their childhood dreams, our team…

Read More