Shop Leases, Floors, Hiring Employees, and Batch VS. One-Piece Workflow - Episode 140

Business of Machining

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Finding a space that fits your business but still allows room for growth can be tricky. The mammoth 26,000 sg ft building turns out to be a bust for Grimsmo. However, he's found THE ONE and it's PERFECT--as long as the concrete's deep enough (more on that later).

You don't know what you don't know. Signing leases might seem casual and straightforward especially if you've personally rented an apartment or house. However, there are lease options you aren't aware of that can come back to haunt you.

Check out this basic rental agreement overview to make sure you're on the right track!

GET ON THE FLOOR! Once you've found a great place for your manufacturing business, you gotta check the floors. In the midst of signing paperwork, you might forget how important the thickness of the foundation or substrate is! Some machines require a certain thickness to guarantee a level of rigidity while others may not.

FINDING EMPLOYEES Grimsmo and Saunders share their experiences with hiring employees. They discuss the importance of finding candidates who share the same passion, work ethic, eagerness to learn, and what should be done if the "fit" isn't right.

BATCH WORK VS ONE-PIECE FLOW Grimsmo's honked off at the workflow for the SAGA pens. He's been batching parts up to this point but would prefer the one-piece flow like the knives. Saunders and Grimsmo discuss potential solutions that include staggering production and dedicated machines.