When prospective customers evaluate a metal stamping supplier, they often focus on capabilities, equipment, pricing, quality certifications, tooling expertise, and production capacity. These are all important considerations, but there is another factor that can have an enormous impact on a supplier’s ability to consistently deliver quality parts on time: preventative maintenance.
At Larson Tool & Stamping, preventative maintenance is not treated as an occasional activity performed only when a machine begins showing signs of trouble. It is a fundamental part of how we operate our manufacturing facility. Our rigorous preventative maintenance program is designed to keep our stamping presses, tooling, production equipment, and supporting systems operating reliably and consistently. For our customers, this means fewer unexpected interruptions, greater production stability, more consistent quality, and confidence that their parts will be produced when promised.
In metal stamping, equipment reliability matters tremendously. Stamping presses and related equipment operate under demanding conditions, often performing thousands or even millions of cycles over the course of a production run. The forces involved in stamping can be significant, and even relatively small changes in equipment condition can eventually affect part quality, tooling performance, productivity, or machine availability. A supplier that waits until something breaks before addressing maintenance is effectively allowing equipment problems to become customer problems.
Larson takes a different approach.
Our preventative maintenance program is built around daily, weekly, and monthly PM activities that allow us to continually monitor and maintain our equipment. These scheduled activities help identify wear, potential problems, adjustments that may be needed, and other conditions before they develop into larger issues. By making maintenance a routine part of our manufacturing process, we are able to address potential problems proactively rather than reacting to unexpected equipment failures.
This approach is particularly important for customers who depend on a stamping supplier for ongoing production. When a supplier experiences unexpected downtime, the consequences can extend well beyond the stamping department. Production schedules can be disrupted, assemblies can be delayed, inventory levels can be affected, and customers may be forced to make costly adjustments to their own manufacturing operations. In today’s supply chain environment, reliability is not simply a convenience. It is a competitive advantage.
Our preventative maintenance efforts greatly contribute to our ability to maintain an impressive 99.4% year-over-year on-time performance metric. While many factors contribute to on-time delivery, dependable equipment is one of the most important. A production schedule is only as reliable as the equipment being used to execute it. By maintaining our machinery and addressing potential issues before they become unexpected downtime, we give our production team a much stronger foundation for meeting customer commitments.
For a prospective customer evaluating metal stamping suppliers, this distinction is important. A supplier may have the right press capacity, experienced personnel, and competitive pricing, but if its equipment is not properly maintained, those advantages can quickly be overshadowed by downtime and inconsistent production. Preventative maintenance helps protect the entire manufacturing process.
At Larson Tool & Stamping, we also recognize that routine daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance is only part of the equation. That is why we intentionally shut down our operations for two weeks each year, including a summer shutdown and a winter shutdown. These scheduled shutdown periods give our team additional time to perform more extensive maintenance, inspections, servicing, and equipment validation than may be practical during normal production.
The decision to schedule these shutdowns represents an important commitment to long-term equipment reliability. Rather than trying to squeeze every possible production hour out of our equipment, we deliberately set aside time to take a closer look at our machinery and supporting systems. This allows us to perform deeper maintenance activities and validate that equipment is ready to return to production and perform as expected.
For customers, these shutdowns are an investment in future reliability.
The goal is not simply to keep a machine running today. The goal is to keep it running reliably tomorrow, next month, next year, and throughout the life of a customer’s program. Preventative maintenance helps extend equipment life, protect tooling investments, reduce the likelihood of unexpected failures, and maintain the repeatability that customers expect from a precision metal stamping supplier.
This philosophy also complements Larson’s long-standing approach to quality. As an ISO 9001:2015-certified manufacturer, we understand the importance of controlled processes, consistency, measurement, and continual improvement. Preventative maintenance fits naturally into that philosophy. Manufacturing equipment is a critical part of the process, and maintaining that equipment is essential to maintaining a controlled and capable manufacturing environment.
There is also an important connection between preventative maintenance and tooling performance. A stamping die does not operate independently of the press. The condition, setup, alignment, and performance of the equipment supporting a tool can influence the overall stamping process. Well-maintained equipment provides a more stable platform for tooling, helping our team produce consistent parts and protect the significant investment that goes into designing and building stamping dies.
This is especially valuable for customers purchasing high-volume stamped components. When a program requires large quantities of identical parts, consistency becomes increasingly important. Customers are not simply purchasing individual pieces; they are relying on their stamping supplier to repeatedly produce parts to specification over an extended period. Equipment reliability and maintenance are critical components of that equation.
Preventative maintenance also helps our team plan more effectively. Scheduled maintenance is much easier to manage than unexpected breakdowns. When maintenance activities are planned, we can coordinate them around production requirements and use scheduled downtime efficiently. Instead of discovering a problem in the middle of an urgent production run, our team can identify and address potential issues during planned maintenance windows.
That proactive mindset is particularly important for a company like Larson Tool & Stamping, where customer relationships are built for the long term. We have been manufacturing since 1920, and our longevity is a reflection of our commitment to doing things the right way. Maintaining the equipment that supports our manufacturing operation is part of protecting that legacy while preparing our company for the future.
For prospective customers, this means that choosing Larson is about more than selecting a company capable of stamping a particular part. It is about selecting a manufacturing partner that understands the importance of reliability from the beginning of a production program through its ongoing life cycle.
A supplier’s ability to consistently meet delivery commitments should never be taken for granted. It requires capable people, effective processes, quality systems, dependable equipment, good planning, and continuous attention to detail. Preventative maintenance connects many of these elements together. When equipment is properly maintained, our team has a more reliable foundation from which to manage production, maintain quality, and meet customer schedules.
Our 99.4% year-over-year on-time performance is an important reflection of that commitment. It demonstrates the value of having systems in place that support dependable production rather than simply reacting when something goes wrong.
At Larson Tool & Stamping, we believe our customers should not have to worry about whether their stamping supplier’s equipment is going to be available when it is needed. They should be able to focus on their own products, customers, and business while knowing that their manufacturing partner is taking the necessary steps to maintain a reliable production environment.
That is why preventative maintenance is more than a maintenance department responsibility at Larson. It is part of our commitment to our customers.
For a prospective buyer searching for a metal stamping supplier, these behind-the-scenes practices can be just as important as the capabilities that are visible on the production floor. Reliable delivery begins with reliable equipment. Reliable equipment begins with disciplined maintenance.
At Larson Tool & Stamping, we believe that when you make the investment in preventative maintenance today, you are investing in your customer’s confidence tomorrow.
About Larson Tool & Stamping Company
Since its inception in 1920 in Attleboro, MA, Larson Tool & Stamping Company has been making a difference as a valued supplier of precision metal stampings and assemblies to hundreds of companies in the United States. Larson provides high-quality, cost-effective solutions with our wide range of capabilities that include forming, stamping, deep drawing, machining, assembly, brazing, coining, and water-jetting. Through significant investment in leading-edge manufacturing equipment and the loyal support from customers and co-workers, Larson perpetuates the commitment made by our founders to do whatever is necessary to meet and exceed customer expectations.
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