History:

Custom Rubber Corp. specializes in the design and molding of custom rubber products, serving industries such as Consumer Products, Automotive, Electronics, Military, Communication, and Transportation.

After many years of partnership, Custom Rubber Corp.’s partner for injection molding machines went out of business. They needed a new partner who could continue to provide excellent service, as well as updating Custom Rubber Corp.’s machinery to prepare for the next decade and beyond. A failed attempt to work with a lower-cost manufacturer led them to realize they needed something more sophisticated and with a strong history of support and reliability. 

Based on prior interactions and a good relationship with Scott Early and Tony Ackerman, DESMA was placed on the shortlist and ultimately became the new provider for these machines to Custom Rubber Corp. 

Key Selection Factors for DESMA:

• Long Term Cost – Ability to rebuild existing machines, leading to cost savings over the long term
• Ease of Use – The orientation of DESMA’s injection unit allowed Custom Rubber Corp. employees to go from climbing a 2-story ladder each time they needed to feed rubber into the unit to a simple single step up. This both reduced time and increased safety.
• The Location of the DESMA USA HQ in Hebron, KY provided a comfort level for regional service and a focus on American company needs.

Results:

Since adding DESMA machines to their manufacturing processes, Custom Rubber Corp. has seen their cycles per hour increase regularly (see graph, the numbers that start with 40 are the DESMA machine compared to the previous machine beginning with 33). Repeatability and temperature consistency have been consistently reliable.

Peace of mind has also increased due to DESMA’s excellent parts and service departments. Replacement parts are very often shipped next day, and the DESMA service technicians are not only speedy, but provide top-notch expertise.

Charlie Braun, President of Custom Rubber Corp., says that DESMA has been a strong partnership worth the price, and that Custom Rubber Corp. looks forward to many more years of strong production with their DESMA machines and additional machines to come.

Customer Feedback:

“John in Parts is fantastic! We call him for a part, get a quote the same day, and can often have the part in our facility the next day. He works hard to keep us online and moving, so our deadlines are met and our customers stay happy.”

“The orientation of DESMA’s injection unit just makes sense. Many competitor units require an awkward or difficult feeding of rubber on top of the unit, while DESMA’s machine positions the feed just a single step up off the ground floor. This saves time, and keeps our team safer while avoiding repeated high climbs.”

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