Alec Cuellar is a Sales Engineer with Capital Machine, specializing in advanced fabrication solutions that empower manufacturers to scale with precision and efficiency. Alec partners with customers to help them integrate cutting-edge technologies that accelerate innovation in industries ranging from energy to aerospace
For a growing manufacturer, adding equipment can be about much more than increasing production capacity.
Sometimes, it’s about gaining control over a process that has been outside the building.
That was the opportunity for Mill Scale Metalworks, a Lockhart, Texas manufacturer known for premium BBQ pits, smokers, and live-fire cooking equipment.
As the company continues to grow, Mill Scale is working toward becoming a more self-sustaining manufacturer by bringing key fabrication processes in-house.
The Challenge: Dependence on Outside Forming
Before this investment, Mill Scale subcontracted much of its forming work to another Capital Machine Technologies customer in the Austin area.
That arrangement gave Mill Scale access to the forming capacity it needed, but it also meant working around an outside supplier’s schedule and pricing.
As production grows, that can make it harder to respond quickly to changes in demand, control lead times, and manage the cost of each product.
The Solution: An Accurpress Press Brake
To bring forming under its own roof, Mill Scale invested in an Accurpress press brake.
The new capability gives the team direct control over a critical part of its manufacturing process.
Instead of sending forming work outside, Mill Scale can produce parts when they are needed and adjust production more directly around its own schedule.
The Result: More Control Over Production
With forming now in-house, Mill Scale can:
- Reduce dependence on subcontractors
- Improve control over production scheduling
- Respond faster to production changes
- Shorten lead times
- Better control cost per product
- Add capacity to support future growth
The value of the investment goes beyond the press brake itself. Bringing forming in-house gives Mill Scale greater control over how and when an important part of its products gets made.
Building Toward Greater Vertical Integration
The Accurpress is an important first step in Mill Scale’s broader manufacturing strategy.
As the company continues to grow, Capital Machine Technologies will also work with the team to evaluate laser cutting solutions.
The goal is to bring even more of the fabrication process under one roof.
That approach can help Mill Scale reduce outside manufacturing costs, improve throughput, and build a more scalable operation that can support continued growth.
A Practical Question for Growing Manufacturers
For manufacturers that rely on subcontractors for key fabrication processes, it can be worth looking at the bigger picture.
Consider:
- Which processes create the most dependence on outside suppliers?
- How much do subcontracting costs affect your products?
- How much control could you gain by bringing that work in-house?
- Would additional equipment help shorten lead times?
- Could bringing one process in-house create a path toward greater vertical integration?
The right equipment investment can do more than increase capacity.
It can give a manufacturer greater control over its production and create a foundation for the next stage of growth.
For Mill Scale, that journey starts with bringing forming in-house with an Accurpress press brake.