The Business Challenge

Jarraff Industries was looking to source two very large and complex weldment frames from their current supplier due to challenges with communication, on-time delivery, and overall quality concerns.

The two main products that Jarraff Industries makes are the Jarraff All-Terrain Tree Trimmer and the LineBacker Brush Cutter. Both units have very large weldment frames that the entire unit is built on. Quality and durability are the cornerstones of all Jarraff products, and these frames have to be built right and tough.

Moving the frames to a new supplier was a large commitment due to the complexity and importance of the parts to the success of Jarraff. They needed a manufacturing partner with a wide range of capabilities and the capacity to produce the critical LineBacker and Jarraff frames. The ability to find a fully integrated contract manufacturing company to make steel frames in excess of 4,800 pounds and nearly 24 feet long was a daunting task.

The Solution

Jarraff requested quotes from a variety of contract manufacturing companies. Lou-Rich was already producing some small parts for Jarraff with great success and was included in their search.

Members from the Lou-Rich team traveled on-site to Jarraff’s manufacturing facility to learn about the current manufacturing process for the LineBacker and Jarraff frames. After analyzing the design, Lou-Rich collaborated with Jarraff’s engineers and suggested design changes that would reduce cost without sacrificing performance or quality.

“In my mind, Lou-Rich is looking to form a partnership with customers, whereas with other suppliers or people we’ve done previous work with, it’s more of a transactional relationship.” stated Meghan Strait, Director of Operations for Jarraff Industries.

Once Jarraff notified Lou-Rich that they were the supplier of choice for the frames, Lou-Rich expanded their capabilities and made a significant infrastructure investment in preparation for their partnership with Jarraff Industries. Lou-Rich acquired the necessary material handling equipment needed to maneuver such large weldments. To ensure each frame fit together perfectly, Lou-Rich designed and built several robust weld and assembly fixtures. All of that work was done in house at Lou-Rich by seasoned tool & die builders.

The Results

While the effort to change suppliers was a difficult task due to the complexity and importance of the parts, choosing Lou-Rich was a much easier decision. Lou Rich had all the value-added services needed to take on Jarraff’s large project. Not only was Lou-Rich able to manufacture the large weldments and provide design changes for cost-effective manufacturability, but they also had the quality, communication, and responsiveness that Jarraff was looking for. In addition to providing a better manufacturing experience, Lou-Rich and Jarraff created a trusted partnership.

“We don’t struggle with fitment issues anymore, where it used to be a struggle on every Jarraff. It’s a mutual partnership, and it’s a great fit. The location is local, and it’s been an easy relationship to grow with,” stated Meghan Strait.

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