Whirlaway Corporation - Success Stories

A worldwide leading manufacturer of air conditioning compressors, sought to outsource the machining of an eccentric crankshaft, a critical mechanical component of the product. The OEM conducted a global search for a manufacturing partner who had the process technology expertise to manufacture a complex shaft in volumes exceeding 4 million annually, at a cost savings to existing in-house manufacturing costs. In addition, the OEM required a manufacturing partner who had the capital and human resources to transplant a large manufacturing operation to a new location within a very short time frame.

Whirlaway Corporation was awarded the business based on existing process technology expertise (turning, gun drilling, grinding and heat treating), quality and delivery systems, and engineering depth. In addition, Whirlaway developed refinements to the existing OEM manufacturing process which eliminated several costly manufacturing operations, while improving fixtures and gages that improved product quality and design for manufacturability. The outsourcing process included an internet auction event, to validate Whirlaway’s global cost competitiveness.

Whirlaway moved the OEM’s entire existing operation in two phases to a new manufacturing facility in Wellington, Ohio and was in production within six months of contract award. Seventy machine tools were relocated from the OEM’s manufacturing location to Whirlaway which required very close coordination with the customer’s plant management, supplier quality development, engineering and purchasing.

Following the first full year of production, Whirlaway was awarded the OEM’s President Award for exemplary service and commitment.