Shimco, a world-wide leader in the manufacture of precision parts, specialized coatings and gap-management solutions has completed its move from Markham, Ontario to a new 25,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Cambridge, Ontario with increased capacity and advancements in manufacturing processes.

The new facility has received full AS9100C recertification, as well as updated customer approvals from its current aerospace customers including Asco, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Embraer, UTAS Goodrich, Héroux-Devtek, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, RTI, Sonaca, SPPCA, UTC Aerospace Systems and Wesco Aircraft.

Advanced lean manufacturing principles were incorporated at the new location with a paperless production floor, an electronic Kanban system, and new labour-saving equipment. The most significant upgrade in production efficiency resulted from the purchase and implementation of two Mazak 4000 HCN horizontal machining centres and a Mazak Palletech system, forming a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). The FMS can run 32 jobs at once with only one operator, or in a “lights out” mode with no operator in attendance, resulting in considerable reductions in cost and production time.

A 30,000 square foot expansion at the same location is in development to support in-house processing, commercialization of Shimco’s licensed Keronite PEO coating application, and to establish a Centre of Excellence with local research institutions.