Pico MES Improves Quality and Efficiency for Woman- and Black-owned Factory, Expanding Contract with Top 10 Global Automaker

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May 07, 2024, 06:00 ET

In nine months, HJI Supply Chain Solutions delivered nearly 2,000 error-free parts, digitized 151 workflows, and connected 12 workstations for high-quality production

SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pico MES, a software company enabling mid-size factories to error-proof their assembly processes, is enhancing production, employee satisfaction, and business growth for the factories at the heart of American manufacturing. Over 98 percent of the U.S. supply chain consists of factories with less than 500 workers. As these factories face global staff shortages, they must have the tools to uphold quality standards, sustain production, and upskill employees. Fresh off announcing a milestone of integrating over 2,500 smart IoT tools across its customer base , Pico MES today released new customer data showing how its platform enhances the quality, efficiency, and traceability of the American supply chain while closing skills gaps.

Based in Louisville, KY, HJI Supply Chain Solutions is a Black family- and women-owned third-party logistics provider of outsourced warehousing, fulfillment and manufacturing solutions and Tier 1 to Fortune 500 companies in multiple industries. Their automotive division is a supplier to leading automotive manufacturers including Ford Motor Company, Yanfeng, and Martinrea. HJI implemented Pico MES to increase quality control and production in its assembly line after it signed a milestone contract with another top 10 global automaker.

In just nine months, HJI has achieved the following:

Ship 1,685 replacement headliners, all error-free.
Digitize 151 workflows and connect 12 workstations for high-quality production, efficiency, and traceability.
Expand its contract with the automotive giant, increasing headliner production from 2 to 14 models.
Significantly reduce operator training time by providing clear digital work instructions and interactive visual guidance.

"Pico MES has helped us establish a standard of excellence in our assembly processes," said Maurice Stallard, director of manufacturing and engineering for HJI. "Quality is paramount not only for the reputation of top global automakers, but also for the safety of the families that drive their vehicles every day. Pico allows us to maintain our quality standards while growing our business to new heights. The technology was crucial in winning this major contract, effectively training our staff and improving traceability to prevent errors. Pico will continue to be our trusted factory solution now and into the future."

Pico MES was founded in 2019 to empower factory workers by seamlessly connecting them with the tools they use every day, optimizing shop-floor processes, and digitizing assembly lines for the factories at the heart of the American supply chain. Since its founding, Pico MES has transformed over 10,000 manual factory processes into digital data streams, connected over 700 workstations, and integrated over 2,500 IoT tools across its customer base.

"HJI's expanded contract and recent successes model the power and promise of factory modernization for other mid-sized factories around the country," said Ryan Kuhlenbeck, co-founder and CEO of Pico MES. "These local family-owned businesses are the backbone of our American supply chain, and new solutions are essential to helping them face quality, production, and hiring challenges head-on.

Pico MES starts at an affordable price point of $24,000 per year for unlimited users. Users also receive access to a no-code, drag and drop library of smart tools that can instantly be integrated into a digital process for error-proofing. All hardware integration is free as long as the tool is commercially available.

To learn more about how HJI achieved outstanding results using Pico MES, refer to the case study here. See an interactive demo of Pico MES here. To learn more, visit www.picomes.com.

About Pico MES

Pico MES helps small to mid-sized factories measure and improve their efficiency. Its software solution creates a digital twin of assembly processes and connects to limitless factory tools – capturing data for complete visibility into the supply base and providing actionable insights to identify areas for continuous improvement. Pico MES has migrated dozens of factories off of paper-based systems and helped improve product quality for American factories in battery manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and more while also supporting jobs and local economies. The company is designed by end users, for end users. Pico MES is a 100 percent remote-based company. To learn more, visit www.picomes.com.

SOURCE Pico MES