The story

CommScope has been utilizing M2M's services for quite some time, but much more intensely in the last year and a half—since they moved their entire molding operation to Wisconsin. "In the course of doing that, we did complete first article inspections on every part that moved out here." That included over 280 plastic parts, with over 200 dimensions each. Every new unit had to be compared to ones previously manufactured in Omaha, to ensure that everything was in tolerance. A nice benefit to M2M, May says, was that they would "make recommendations on the drawings, on what dimensions should be changed. When both were out of tolerance, they were changing the drawings for new engineering requests, not just doing measurements."

Because of the number of projects CommScope had this last year, May switched to M2M's Gold Program, now known as the Preferred Partner Program. None of the nervousness that often accompanies an open purchase order—essentially a blank check - worried May. "They did a very professional job about keeping abreast of where their purchase orders were; they actually would report every month to me about what they'd spent, so I always knew how much I had left. They were very clear and succinct."

What's his favorite thing about Made to Measure? "Their competency and the professional look of their reports. A lot of times, you'll send drawings and a part to a place, and you'll immediately get a phone call with 'what is this? I don't understand this.' [But with M2M] a week and a half later I get a report in an email, like clockwork. Any questions or comments were very clear." He was particularly impressed by the photos included in the reports showcasing any problems - something not usually included with FAI reports from other companies. M2M's equipment also sets them apart in May's eyes—"they have all the equipment a professional services bureau needs."

"We used to do [everything] in-house….but now that we're getting skinnied down to the point where you don't have time to do it, we sought an outside service bureau. I couldn't be happier with [Made to Measure]. They do great work for us."