Tornos Turnaround October 26, 2007     Over the last year, I have had a chance to talk to many Tornos customers directly about their experience with us. I have also written in various publication venues about what Tornos is doing to change the way it operates in the U.S. I have discussed the new drive towards original thinking – a strategy aimed at doing things differently, with an emphasis on developing the necessary systems, networks, and tools to provide better service and support to you, our customers, and also to enhance our market position and attract new customers. Well, now it is time for me to report to you how this new way of thinking has helped, and how it is going to continue in the future.   At Tornos, we realize that customer relationships do not end after a sale has been completed. And this is why we are committed to helping all of our customers be successful and stay successful for years to come. It was clear to me coming on board in 2006 that it was time for Tornos to shake things up. So that is what we have done. Working with a world-class team, Tornos US has created and implemented many new service and support programs to help you stay one step ahead of your competition. This year, we introduced two new products, the Sigma 20 BioPak and Pursuit machines, in the U.S. These exciting new turning centers are designed to meet the needs of the North American medical and general engineering markets, respectively.

Scott Kowalski President Tornos US

 

In addition to expanding the traditional line of Tornos products with the BioPak and the Pursuit, in 2006 Tornos and ESCO S.A. partnered up to promote the sales, service, and support of ESCOMATIC machines in the U.S. The ESCO product line expands and supports our own line, making Tornos a global solution that offers turning centers for every part size and application. Unlike conventional lathes, ESCO lathes accept coil stock which has several unique benefits over traditional bar stock fed lathes for parts in the ESCO range of up to 12 millimeters in diameter. Coil stock requires less floor space and eliminates the downtime caused by bar stock changeover. It also produces less scrap than bar stock for parts in the ESCO range. Additionally, the coil stock does not rotate; instead, a rotating toolhead moves around the material in order to machine the desired part. The extreme high performance and cost savings achieved with this concept contribute to ESCO's excellent reputation and the success of its products after 57 years of operation. With this being said, our strong dedication to this product line needs to be taken one step further. Looking forward, we will guarantee that every owner is 100% completely satisfied with ESCO machines, just as we are doing with Tornos machines. And we will make sure that every operator who wants to learn how to run an ESCO machine has all of the support and training needed to be successful.

 

For both Tornos and ESCO product lines, we have developed a better and faster way to serve customers with a program called Direct Connect. This unique service program is straightforward, easy, fast, and – most importantly – available 24/7. A new preventive maintenance program has also been implemented to help increase customer uptime, productivity, machine life, and part quality. A thorough inspection of key systems and components at pre-determined intervals will help customers keep their machines in optimum operating condition and allow for budgeted intervention. We have also launched a new “Turn-in, Trade-up” program that allows customers to trade in older equipment for value towards a new Swiss-turning machine that can reduce cycle times by up to 40% and idle times by up to 50%, while offering as much as a 60% increase in speed of setup.

 

Going against the trend towards downsizing U.S. operations, we are continuing to expand our American facilities. With the grand opening of our new Midwest Center of Excellence in October 2007, we have met our goal of providing service and support to the four corners of North America. The Midwest location houses a state-of-the-art demo and training facility, and gives easier access to sales, parts, training, and application specialists. All three of the U.S. Centers of Excellence now make it possible to receive the best service and support with extended hours of operation.

 

In my 20 years in the industry, I have learned how important it is to form partnerships with key machine tool sales organizations across the country. I have spent a great deal of time seeking out potential distributors that met several key criteria – the most important being a proven commitment to being a customer advocate. At the end of the search, we invited twenty-nine sales organizations to represent Tornos. These distributors were handpicked for their commitment and high-level performance in the machine tool industry. With these new organizations representing Tornos, sales have doubled from last year. You would have to go back to 1996 to get numbers that good. We believe it's due to the fact that potential buyers are now realizing that Tornos US is totally focused on customer service.

 

We've got both eyes open. We're looking ahead and staying alert. We're aware of the big picture and have made many strategic decisions to align ourselves with the best people and the best organizations, from our machine tool savvy staff, to our carefully selected group of distributors, to our top-notch vendor partners, to the well-respected trade publications with which we do business. I know that in order to be successful and stay successful, you need equipment that is backed by talented, knowledgeable, and helpful individuals. With Tornos, you have that team.