THE SOLUTION NEXT DOOR

HOW THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIP HELPED SOLVE A MANUFACTURING CHALLENGE

WaterFurnace Commercial Solutions, a leader in commercial geothermal and water-source heat pump and chiller technology, developed a unique commercial product to bring fresh air into buildings while meeting the building’s temperature requirements and reducing the heating and cooling energy consumption.

“We were creating an innovative, energy-efficient process,” said Joe Strong, Senior Product Engineer at WaterFurnace. “But it was a challenge to find a manufacturing partner that would not only be able to bring our designs to market, but also be accessible — in terms of problem solving and other communication needs – when we needed them.”

The ability to contact someone in real time, especially at the front end of new project development, can greatly reduce lost time, cost overruns, and additional complications.

THE RIGHT PARTNER: COLLABORATION LEADS TO SUCCESS

WaterFurnace ultimately discovered the right partner close to home: AJ Manufacturing Inc., a U.S.-based international leader in the design and manufacturing of high-performance door and wall panel products.

“Not only were they the right fit in what they could do for our project,” said Strong. “But they were practically right next door to us in Wisconsin.”

AJ worked hand-in-hand with WaterFurnace in the development process. AJ supplied samples for WaterFurnace to evaluate and critique, to which AJ responded by making quick design adjustments and returning the samples for further review.

This rapid response enabled WaterFurnace to produce a prototype product quickly, keep the development process on target and on time, and bring the product to market.

“Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for critical industries like health care, agriculture, and data centers rely on their products to work as promised,” says Todd Carlson, AJ Manufacturing’s president. “But they also rely on quick and clear communication from their partners through every stage of the process. I think that’s where we distinguish ourselves.”

Through the development process, WaterFurnace discovered another benefit of working with AJ: the foam AJ injects to insulate their door panels met the Kyoto protocol by having zero ozone depleting chemicals or VOCs, and no greenhouse gases.  This foam blend creates a higher R-per-inch resistance while eliminating the risk of introducing a potential health hazard to the current project and future ones.

SUPPORT FOR A PRODUCT’S LIFE SPAN

According to Strong, following the success of the project application, AJ remained in contact with WaterFurnace to ensure all aspects of the new product were running smoothly.

“I can’t say enough about their support – even now,” he said. “We’re currently working on a new idea with AJ, and we’ll continue to work with them, based on the successes we’ve realized so far.”

For more information about AJ Manufacturing Inc., visit www.ajdoor.com