Eufaula, Alabama-based JKM Manufacturing is a leading manufacturer of complex wire harness assemblies, rugged electronic systems, circuit card assemblies, electro-mechanical assemblies and several other specially engineered products. Its customer base, in addition to serving the US Department of Defense, is geared toward the defense, aerospace and communications industries.

JKM builds products used on more than 20 major platforms, including guided missiles, military aircraft, flight simulators, helicopters, tanks, industrial robots and sonar test equipment. JKM’s customers include Raytheon, General Dynamics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell Defense, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, L-3 Communications, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency.

JKM Manufacturing was founded in 1997, and Chad White has been CEO of the company since 2007. He started with the company in 2003 as an investor and board member.

BRANCHING OUT WITH WIRE HARNESSES

“Wire harnesses look like a giant web with multi-branching electrical cables connecting to other components,” White says, explaining JKM’s products. “Our products are specially designed for our defense customers. For instance, we produce water-tight cables for the Navy. Our cables also connect within the Defense Department’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20mm gun system that automatically tracks potential threats. Our cables assist the mechanical system that moves the guns to follow the target, which is also hooked up to its firing systems. The wire harnesses act as an interpreter for all of those components so they ‘talk to each other’ as they were designed.”

“Our biggest focus is in the aerospace and defense industries, and we’ve done some work with NASA in the past,” he continues. “We’re an integral supplier to companies that build ships, planes and other defense systems.”

“Our products aren’t all that unique to the industry; what’s unique is our focus on high quality customer service,” he says. “We don’t grow our company unless we help our customers grow theirs first. We have knowledge of what our customers do and ensure that we solve those problems.”

LEAN STRATEGIES

JKM Manufacturing is a proponent of Lean business strategies and has become more responsive to customers’ business needs while increasing the quality and delivery of products on the shop floor. “It was important to me that we simplify our business in order to focus on the strategy of quality and on-time delivery, and Lean really supports that,” White says. “With Lean strategies, quality improves because you’re moving a product less and rework is rare. We saw opportunities for improving the manufacturing side, and we wanted our associates to make most of those improvements.”

“We work together as a team to focus on our customers and their needs,” he continues. “We encourage employees’ personal growth while taking ownership. Now, Lean permeates all levels of the business.”

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

“At JKM, we promote a positive culture in how we treat each other,” White says. “We work as a team for a common goal, and our employees see the connection between their work on the manufacturing floor and its importance to our nation’s defense and to the protection of our war fighters. Some of our wire harnesses end up in systems in Iraq and Afghanistan that could be protecting the lives of our family members, friends and neighbors.”

“We’re very transparent about the business with our employees, and we let them know what’s going on with our sales, our customers, and what they’re saying about our products,” he continues. “Our employees appreciate the product and job they do.” White also says that his business is one of the few that has actually grown in the area and he relies on referrals to employ the best workers.

FOCUSING ON THEIR EMPLOYEE BASE

White adds that employees are one of JKM Manufacturing’s best assets. “While we can’t automate the assembly of our wire harnesses because we make them in such low volume and high mix of product, our investment in our employees is definitely the biggest advancement we can make in the business. We invest in our people and provide them with more knowledge about the steps to becoming Lean. We have open communication with them and work heavily on employee development.”

“It makes my job easier knowing that we’re all talking from the same book and making decisions to benefit our staff and company,” he continues. “We’re all working from the same values and with the same heart and intent. By investing in our people, that’s how our technology grows.”

When JKM Manufacturing isn’t investing in its employees, the Company is looking to invest in new test equipment and computers on its shop floor, as well as machinery to become more adaptive to the current industry environment.

LOOKING AHEAD

“We haven’t really noticed any big changes with the current economy,” he says. “Everyone has challenges, but those opportunities drive us forward and we treat our business as something special. By focusing on our goal, we keep a clear vision for our success.”

“The Lean strategies that we implemented have been the biggest initiative in avoiding waste,” he says. “We’re using only 30 percent of our manufacturing space as a result and we’re using fewer resources, such as air condition and heat. The green trend hasn’t hit the defense industry as much as others, but we’re starting to change our practices just the same. We use less paper, parts, materials and energy, and Lean strategies have really been our way to look at green trends.”

JKM Manufacturing is anticipating a growth of 20 to 30 percent in the next five years, in addition to considering potential acquisitions in the future.

“We’re making a difference at the end of day in how do we protect and serve our war fighters,” he says.