John Peterson and Mark Engel air on MPR

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More Productive Than Ever Atlas Manufacturing boosts business with help from GAP funds.

In the last six months, business has been booming for Atlas Manufacturing. "We've never been busier in the history of Atlas," says John Peterson, President of the Minneapolis-based precision sheet metal manufacturer.

Atlas hosted Congressman Keith Ellison last week to talk about how turning to lean process improvement during the recession has helped the company become more efficient and add capacity. 

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Speedy Deliveries

In an unassuming Minneapolis warehouse, brake press operators form doors that will enclose a computer worthy of NASA scientists. Sparks fly as expert welders fuse together the casing for a 3-D modeling machine. Nearby, workers in the paint area spray finishing touches on the shell for an electronic highway message sign. From cash door fronts to retail displays, electrical box components to the metal parts of a milling machine, if it’s made of metal, chances are it can be made by Atlas Manufacturing. 

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No Dark Days Here

Friendship is serious business at Atlas Manufacturing.

Atlas keeps a rigorous schedule, during the economic downturn, the company never changed its production schedule. On Fridays last summer and fall, when other companies would shut down or operate with a skeleton crew, Atlas kept its pace. It was business as usual. And since January 2009 they have been running three shift s, seven days a week. “We run when everyone else is dark,” said Mark. It was a bold move. But it worked. There is something about a company that keeps moving forward, even during challenging economic times, that lures new business. 

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Going Vertical

Continuous operation is achieved through a new automated material handling system, optimizing high-speed laser cutting and punching operations.  Atlas has installed a twin tower Stopa TKL automated material storage and retrieval system.  Reaching seventeen feet high and containing 39 storage positions, this custom configuration was designed by Trumpf automation engineers to effortlessly move raw material to the punching or laser cutting machines.  Capable of storing 250,000 pounds of raw material, the tower interacts with the machine when material demand is required.  Through sophisticated software and material carts, sheets of raw material can move from the tower to the punch or laser.  Because of the unique features of this system, punched sheets can move through the cart system to the laser where they are precision located on Trumpf’s first 2030 laser with precision sheet locating.  Punching and laser cutting are performed 24 hours per day, seven days a week.