RPM manufacture Ford 150 Pick Up Truck stamping tool for US client

Based in Illinois, USA, ODM is a very successful third generation family run business producing metal stampings for the automotive industry. When they needed a complex, 19 tonne stamping die to produce parts for Ford Motors, they turned to 30 year old New Zealand company RPM International Tool & Die.

RPM have known ODM since manufacturing tooling for an ODM Corvette project in 2006.  Based on the trust built upon since those early days, RPM was approached to build this bracket tooling. Fantastic support from the NZTE team and especially Ian Lockie, and an invite to an All Blacks game in Chicago also helped ensure that RPM was top of mind!

RPM’s ability to deliver to deadline was the decisive factor in reigniting this exciting export market partnership, but the fall of the NZD against the greenback over the last few years added another major benefit to the equation.

Just three years ago this project would have cost USD $700K – in the current financial market the project value was just USD $520K. This substantial saving allowed ODM to pitch for the contract very competitively, and they were duly awarded the ten year, 380,000 parts per year contract with Ford Motors.

With tooling weighing a hefty 19 tonnes, RPM’s commitment to quality excellence, large facilities and ability to handle tooling of this size put them well ahead of many tooling manufacturers.

ODM President, Chip Michaelson, said

“When you’re manufacturing parts for one of the largest car companies in the world, your tooling quality standards can never be too high. Our relationship with RPM International Tool and Die is based on our belief that they will provide technically brilliant tooling and work to extremely exacting quality standards. We have commissioned tooling from RPM in the past, and have found them to be excellent toolmakers and trustworthy business people.”

Product and tool complexity provided another challenge, especially within the tight timeframe. As an established Kiwi manufacturer, RPM were able to call on the extensive design capabilities of their tool designers to fast track tool design, and leverage the agile response of their New Zealand based supplier network to achieve an accelerated manufacturing process.

RPM Sales and Marketing Manager, Mark Vincent, was very pleased with the result. “Bringing together ODMs market knowledge and world class manufacturing processes with RPMs tooling design and toolmaking skills led to a successful outcome that exceeded quality expectations.”

Final tool commissioning was completed in early March with a team from RPM onsite in Chicago working alongside ODM staff to ensure the component met all PPAP requirements.

Alongside a solid base of valuable domestic customers, the low NZD paired with RPM’s proven record of world-class precision tooling design and manufacturing capabilities means global partnerships are more appealing than ever.

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