MISUMI differentiators is Nobu Ashida , President at MISUMI USA .“ Typically , our competitors will manufacture products similar to those that we handle ,” he begins . “ However , these will generally be linear shaft systems or bearings . What sets us apart is that we create whole systems that can be tailored to a desired size or set dimensions . While others might focus on the idea of a part , we focus on how components themselves can be configurable .

“ It is this made-to-order mindset that makes us a truly unique business in our field ,” Ashida goes on . “ In our case , we offer customers engineering solutions including Computer-Aided Design ( CAD ) downloads , and sometimes , if a customer requests our engineering team , then they will go to their site to carry out extra services . Hence , our focus is not solely on designing equipment and configurable parts , but also on our customers and their needs .”

Close partnerships

Though Ashida points out that MISUMI covers all the core industries within industrial automation , he is keen to reveal that more recently the company has been focusing on the Electric Vehicle ( EV ) market . “ Tesla is one of our biggest customers ,” details Ashida . “ The EV industry is important for MISUMI to grow , and to sustain that growth we are continuously looking at how we can better automate our warehouses . This includes Automatic Guided Vehicles ( AGVs ), systems , as well as conveyors . So far , we have invested around $ 20 million into building a brand-new facility in Dayton , Ohio , near one of our US manufacturing locations , enabling us to carry ten times more inventory .

“ This investment will help us to meet customer requirements , especially when it comes to short lead times , which is currently very important amid all the delays that we have seen since the pandemic ,” he adds .

“ The most recent addition to our automation and digitalization suite is called meviy , a new ondemand procurement software .”

The breakthrough service , which launched in October 2022 for the US market , enables customers to upload 3D models directly to the meviy platform . Users can then verify tolerances , receive a quote in relation to both pricing and lead times , and order their products online in a matter of minutes . Once custom parts are purchased , they are shipped within just a few weeks . The goal of this service is to provide a fast and affordable solution to component procurement .

Another area of interest for MISUMI is the semiconductor industry , which might sound familiar due to the headlines it has garnered because of the global shortages that have hampered technology giants like Samsung and Apple since the Covid-19 pandemic

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