We Champion Your Challenges

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Given the complexities of new product development (NPD) projects, taking a new product to market consists of hundreds of steps. At Vollrath Manufacturing Services, those steps are organized into a detailed, gated process that consistently produces outstanding results.

VMS has crafted a collaborative NPD approach that keeps sales, engineering, operations, and project management aligned throughout product development. Every project goes through a rigorous, gated process to ensure seamless completion. With each gate, a project is reviewed and confirmed to meet each and every specification and expectation.

Is This the Right Fit For Both Parties?

Launching any new project is an endeavor that requires a thorough assessment from day one. Potential projects are evaluated on a weekly basis at a team meeting called a sales huddle. Our team, which includes design, engineering, and sales staff members, discusses the requests for quotes (RFQs) that have been submitted. If we determine that we aren't the right fit for you, we'll share that with you upfront. Ultimately, your success is our success, and we want to be sure our partnership makes sense for both parties before we move into our discovery and quote process.

"We pursue mutually beneficial opportunities that allow us to work within our wheelhouse and, in turn, provide the greatest possible value to our customers."
BILL ENGLER, DIRECTOR OF SALES AT VOLLRATH MANUFACTURING SERVICES

An Unparalleled Level of Transparency

If it is determined that the criteria, concepts, and capabilities are a match, the quote process begins. This triggers Gate 1 in Vollrath’s NPD process. The team begins to curate all the nuts and bolts of the project. Specifications (customer and technical), statement of work (SOW), budgets, standard vs. custom, design aesthetics, and more are all meticulously evaluated to ensure a detailed and realistic estimate. VMS then gets the wheels turning immediately and aims to provide an accurate preliminary quote within 10 days. Our in-depth review and constant communication provide an unparalleled level of transparency, accountability, and approachability that elicits confidence with our partner clients.

“Most OEM firms are not super transparent about their development processes. Showing an audience how we work with prospects and our internal decision-making helps to paint an image of what to expect when working with VMS.”
MARCUS DUMKE, PROJECT CONSULTANT AT VOLLRATH MANUFACTURING SERVICES

Validating Operational Stability

Once we get the go-ahead from a client and secure a tooling purchase order (PO), Vollrath’s NPD Gate 2 is initiated. Tooling design and development, which includes prototyping, beta builds and testing, gets underway. This step provides an opportunity to identify potential unarticulated customer requirements regarding aesthetics, raw materials, part complexity, tolerances, surface treatments, and more. It also hones and defines necessary integrations, adaptations, and requisite resources. Gate 2 allows us to close any customer expectation gaps, which fosters a high level of confidence that we can do what we say we can, in the time that we say we can, in the manner that we say we will. In addition, completing this discovery phase generates a level of understanding that anticipated costs are understood and accurately reflected in the quoted unit price.

“When a prospect is making a buying decision, they want every piece of evidence that they are making the correct choice."
MARCUS DUMKE, PROJECT CONSULTANT AT VOLLRATH MANUFACTURING SERVICES

When Production Details Matter
After all parties sign off on NPD Gate 2, the next in the sequence, Gate 3 is activated. In this vital step, an extensive Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) occurs. The PPAP is an industry quality standard that defines the approval process for new or revised parts, as well as parts produced from new or significantly changed production methods. The PPAP process verifies all of the engineering design specifications and requirements. It also solidifies that we can consistently produce product runs at the required production rate. On the heels of the PPAP run, the Advanced Product Quality Plan (APQP) is generated to keep engineering and operations aligned throughout the entire project. The outputs from these two processes are included in Vollrath’s Process Validation Methodology (PVM), which is a centralized document suitable and specific to a customer’s project.

Utmost Assurance and Prowess at the Helm 

Once both parties green light Vollrath’s Gate 3 components, the project moves the NPD process along to its final step, Gate 4: the production launch. This step includes releasing and approving the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), obtaining mass production POs, and firming up timing commitments. Due to the detailed structure of the VMS process, every project has a robust foundation that allows it to forge ahead. As the project goes into full production mode, VMS continues to evaluate its product development at defined points in post-launch reviews. This results in glitches, issues or concerns being caught and addressed early by our team. It also means that every part is manufactured in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible. 

Final Thoughts: Putting Our Customers

 First Here at VMS, we understand how critical new product developments are to our clients, and that's exactly why we put so much work into getting it right. Our process is rigorous and thorough to ensure that all the necessary resources, capabilities and functionalities are included at every step. We've learned through experience that this gated process works, establishes trust, and creates a positive outcome for both parties. These varying gates allow VMS to continuously monitor and improve on repeatable, sustainable, and on-time product launches.

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