Midwest Engineering Systems, Inc.
Address: N26 W23445 Paul Road, Pewaukee
Year founded: 1991
Product or service offered: Midwest Engineering Systems, Inc. provides custom machines, integrated systems, automation/robotic solutions, and production lines to manufacturers globally. Not only does MWES provide the new equipment, but also new process development, training, support, service, maintenance, and retrofits for all of a factory’s manufacturing equipment.
Projected 2014 revenue: $33 million
President and owner: Scott Woida
Target clientele: Manufacturers and process companies in industries such as: transmission assembly, heavy equipment machining, agriculture, aerospace, consumer goods, medical/health care, industrial products, food/beverage, and consumer electronics.
Business organization memberships: Waukesha County Business Alliance, Association of International Metalizers, Coaters, and Laminators, Robotic Industries Association
What has fueled your company’s growth? “Diversifying into emerging markets, such as heavy deposition welding and aerospace, has fueled our growth. This has given us the opportunity to expand upon our current skillsets into growing industries.”
What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth? “At the moment, the biggest obstacle to the growth of MWES is the amount of qualified technical people we can hire. We are looking to hire 10 to 20 great engineers and technical service individuals. We have geographically expanded our search into the Beloit / Janesville area as well as Colorado in order to be able to attract the talent necessary to sustain the growth that we are expecting in the coming years.”
Do you plan to make any changes in your company in the coming months? “Midwest Engineering Systems is in the process of many transitions. We are opening two new facilities, an engineering office in Beloit and a welding and service manufacturing facility in Colorado. Our corporate office is also moving into a larger 100,000-square-foot facility in Pewaukee this fall, and hopes to be fully operational by year-end 2014. We also are looking to hire 10 to 20 employees to add to our growing team in engineering, technical service, and administration.”
Who are the business people, locally or nationally, whom you admire? And what traits do those people exhibit that make you admire them? “My philosophy of the automation integration business is to solve complicated manufacturing problems with simple, elegant solutions. The late Steve Jobs of Apple had the same philosophy. The simplicity and elegance of the products that were designed under Steve’s tenure at Apple has always impressed me. Steve’s never quit attitude and aggressive entrepreneurial spirit has always inspired me to push the limits of what seems possible.”
What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months? “The future of manufacturing in the United States is turning the corner in our favor. There has been a rapid increase in the desire to return high value goods, previously manufactured overseas, back to the U.S. Manufacturing locally ensures quicker turnaround, better quality control, and less work in process to be maintained in inventory, the result of which is satisfied customers and higher returns. MWES provides its companies with quality manufacturing equipment that eliminates the mundane, ergonomic, and repetitive tasks usually associated with low wage labor and puts the workforce back into the skilled trades that provide the quality and creative ingenuity required for our customers’ products. Subsequently, our products are in high demand.”
What is your company’s most important growth strategy right now? “Most importantly, we continue to reinforce our relationships with our current customers by expanding our service support team locally, across all of North America and abroad. MWES supports not only our equipment, but also all of our customers’ manufacturing equipment. In this way, our reputation for providing long-term successful manufacturing systems ensures that our customers are productive and eager to provide references and recommendations to their co-workers and suppliers.”
