ORCMT
SUCCESS STORY
 
KC Corp of Tennessee 
 
COMPANY/LOCATION: KC Corp of Tennessee, Greeneville, Tennessee 
PRODUCT: Contract powder-coatings for fasteners 
YEARS IN BUSINESS: 3
EMPLOYEES: 6
 
SITUATION:   KC Corp is a three-year old company that uses an electrostatic process to powder-coat fasteners, such as screws, and they are developing a way to powder-coat aluminum rivets. KC Corp needed a way to sort small parts, and, looking for technical assistance, the company contacted the Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology through the Manufacturing Technology Information Service. 
 
PROJECT:       Technical experts from ORCMT discussed the situation with company management and provided information on the technology available for automated parts sorting and ways to orient parts for powder coating. 
 
RESULTS:       Combining the new information with earlier suggestions offered by ORCMT engineers substantially increased KC Corp's production and gave the company the potential to add 10 new jobs in 1995. The company also is working with a utility trailer manufacturer on a possible contract to powder-coat rivets for the trailers. The powder-coated rivets would replace painted rivets that often rust and have to be touched up with paint after being put in place. 

KC Corp's founder Edwin Casey rated the service from ORCMT as "excellent" and "very customer oriented." He said the technical assistance has helped his company make better use of its powder coating process, reduced production costs by up to $50,000 over two years, and could mean a sales increase of up to $500,000 in the second year. 

"In my opinion, this activity is extremely worthwhile, and I encourage expansion of these efforts," Casey said
 
PARTNERS: 
     
 
 

Technical assistances provided to the private sector by the Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT) and its manufacturing extension partners throughout the United States. 
 
 
 
    For information or assistance, call the Manufacturing Technology Information Service at 1-800-356-4USA or visit the
ORCMT Home Page.