NEW KENSINGTON, Pa.—JK Tool Inc., a designer and manufacturer of progressive stamping tools, precision machined components, and custom assemblies, recently moved into a new, custom designed facility in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.
The new 18,000-square-foot facility, part of the Westmoreland Business and Research Park, offers a modernized approach to tooling and manufacturing with a focus on work flow, the company said in a press release. Its open floor plan layout and systematic design is said to facilitate improved communication, process optimization, and the ability to manage projects visually. Through value stream mapping, equipment is in the optimal position, with design engineering on the same level as the plant for immediate feedback from manufacturing to design. Along with engineering, precision grinding is segregated for acoustic effect, but is still visibly part of the plant floor through the design of the walls, which have large, integrated glass panels.
Final assembly and groom areas are located adjacent to the press room to provide the most direct access to move completed tools more efficiently to the press room. In the release, JK Tool said that the progressive layout of the facility has resulted in improved lead times and deliveries for its customers while maintaining quality.
The design of the facility was led by Rock (Rocky) Hudson, who recently joined JK as general manager. Hudson brings more than 23 years of related experience to the team. For the past seven years, he trained and mentored employees abroad in tool maintenance and repair at a prominent Tier 1 automotive stamping company. He also launched new tools and worked directly with tool shops throughout numerous projects. Hudson drew upon his extensive experience in tooling to incorporate key optimizations in the facility layout, JK Tool reported.
JK Tool (www.jktoolinc.com), previously known as JK Tool & Die, was founded in 1980 as a designer and builder of high- speed progressive stamping tools. JK Tool and Die became JK Tool Inc. in 2013, when it joined The Weiss-Aug Group. The Weiss-Aug Group has invested in expanding JK’s tooling capabilities and adding precision machining and additional capacity for larger dies, the company said.
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