In 2015, a Japanese manufacturer of construction equipment was establishing a manufacturing facility near Greenville, South Carolina. With a plant in China and access to inexpensive Chinese tooling sources, they really did not need a U.S. tooling supplier. Recognizing that their equipment would however need to be modified for production in the U.S., they approached Cobb Tool as a potential tooling supplier for an exploratory project. They were impressed with our familiarity with construction equipment tooling and our design capability. They also saw the value of our proximity – for project supervision and for reduced shipping time and cost.
Their first project with Cobb Tool was a massive fixture to build the center frame of an excavator. This was to be no small task. In fact, it was a 27,000-pound, 11-by 17-foot fixture. The Cobb Tool team successfully modified the design for U.S. specifications, sourced U.S.-purchased parts, built and installed the fixture – all on time and within budget. This manufacturer is now a loyal Cobb Tool customer, regularly ordering new tooling and enjoying and valuing our close proximity, familiarity with their products, and our creative and reliable solutions.