Article Revised July 18th, 2022
Build to Order (BTO) manufacturing holds many challenges, but also a number of rewards. The ability to help the vision of an individual or company become concrete — often from the ground up — can be incredibly rewarding, and it’s part of what drives our team at EVS Metal. We genuinely want our customers to succeed, because we know it’s not just their business at stake — it’s ours as well. We realize we’re all in this together.
An important issue to understand about EVS as an ISO 9001:2015-certified BTO fabricator is that we rarely, if ever, go forward with production until our client has submitted an accurate purchase order. This approach allows us to correctly fabricate, assemble and finish both highly-customized and low-volume products, including prototypes and short runs. In this way, we are able to supply our customers with the precise item specifications they require.
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Although there are many positives associated with BTO manufacturing, there are also obstacles to overcome. One of the most significant challenges with this model is greater exposure to our customers’ market demand fluctuations. This means we need to be especially cognizant of market conditions, because when demand drops significantly, our capacity utilization is likely to be affected as well.
Finding ways to combat the effects of extensive contract review periods is also a priority for BTO those specializing in BTO manufacturing. At EVS, we estimate that at least 60% of orders are delayed from going through to production at our facilities due to insufficient or incorrect information provided by customers when the purchase order is first issued to us. This includes a lack of required details such as price, revision level, exceptions, requested lead time and CAD data. Unfortunately, the submission of these incomplete purchase orders has the (unintended) negative effect of requiring our team to push orders out until all information has been provided, which ultimately impacts the overall price and manufacturing speed.
Fortunately, we understand the reality of the current business environment which forces most companies to operate in leaner environments, meaning they must ask more from each individual in their organization. At times, certain details can be accidentally overlooked. By working closely with our customers through every step of the ordering and manufacturing process, we’ve found that we are able to help cut down on human errors that can lead to delays in contract processing. Spending extra time at the front end means the order is sent to us correctly the first time, ultimately streamlining the entire transaction.
Find out how EVS Metal can use BTO manufacturing to add value to your business by requesting a personalized quote online, or by calling (973) 839-4432.
