“We see that we need to make these investments.


You can’t expect to be globally competitive if your workforce


doesn’t have capable equipment, good tooling and a real, true


lean manufacturing system.” —Rick Dauch, Accuride CEO


ment and upgrades in the grinding and finishing department. Along with the financial investment, Brillion Iron Works was infused with new manage- ment, resulting in the implementation


of lean manufacturing that streamlined operations and considerably reduced lead times. “Te last two to three years, we have been working diligently to fix


the business. And the culture of the management team has been to invest to make sure the technology is right,” said David Adams, president, Bril- lion Iron Works. “We are now in the growth phase.”


Humble Beginnings Dauch admits he initially viewed


Accuride is a leading supplier of components to the North American commercial vehicle industry.


Brillion Iron Works as a noncore asset that required significant investment. It was a gray and ductile iron casting facil- ity with some machining operations. It sold cast wheel-end components within the company to Gunite, while also producing components for outside customers in the construction, oil and gas valve and fittings, medium/heavy truck, and farm machinery industries. “Te financials were pretty poor,”


Dauch said. “Te motivation of the sal- aried workforce was poor. Capabilities were poor. On the floor, the workforce was capable but ignored. Tey were working as hard as they could with equipment that was broken down.” Part of Accuride’s strategy was


to sell off its noncore assets. When Dauch arrived, the company con- sisted of five business units, including Wheels, Gunite, Brillion Iron Works, Imperial Group (a stamping business), and Fabco Automotive (axle manu- facturing). Accuride had sold Bostrom


October 2014 MODERN CASTING | 27


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