By Nathan Peck | MiBiz
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MUSKEGON — To grow your business, follow your customers.

That’s the business development strategy for Muskegon-based Dynamic Conveyor Corp., manufacturer of conveyor systems for the automotive, medical and food industries. Through a commitment to customer service and finding custom solutions to sticky engineering problems, the manufacturer of plastic handling equipment rode out a tough 2009 and looks to growth in the latter part of 2010.

Employing 15 people, the manufacturer builds modular conveyor systems that allow customers to add and subtract components as production needs shift. Need a conveyor system that can lift injection molded toilet seats, cool them and match them to their rings? They can do that. Need a handling system to take plastic bottle caps for drink containers? They can do that, too. Now in its fourth decade, Dynamic Conveyor has grown its business by making custom solutions for its clients and finding broader applications for manufacturers, Jill Batka, general manager, told MiBiz.

“A lot of our product development comes from customer requirements and our engineering solutions for their needs,” Batka said. “We figure that if we build it once and there is one customer who needs it, odds are there are more out there who do as well.”

Dynamic Conveyor began as a company catering to the material handling needs of the plastic injection molding industries. The company has grown by following injection molding processes into a variety of different industries from healthcare to office furniture. The company’s vertical lift conveyor system, developed for the toilet seat manufacturer, allows the production line to double its capacity to handle and cool the molded products on the line, said Matt Zehn, product development engineer.

“Our willingness to build something that fits their needs is what helps us grow,” Zehn said. “We go out of our way to make sure that we design a conveyor system that works for their particular requirements. A lot of companies want to sell stuff out of a book — sure it’s easier. We take more time to understand their needs and develop cost-effective solutions. That commitment is how we get a lot of jobs.”

The recession slowed the number of orders in 2009 as manufacturers held back on capital investments, but Batka expects stronger sales in 2010. The company adopted lean practices that have reduced lead times for orders and allowed it to pursue a greater number of custom orders than in previous years.

“Three years ago, if you asked me if we were lean, I would have said ‘yes,’” Batka said. “In the last two years, we have gotten leaner. I appreciate the loyalty and understanding of our employees in that process. As a result we have been more willing to take on custom projects that other suppliers or conveyor manufacturers might not take on. We definitely say yes to more of these types of projects.”

Those lean processes have extended to the firm’s supplier base as well. Through close alignment with its suppliers, Dynamic Conveyor is quickly able to respond to the “curveballs” that unique projects bring.

“We are not a true manufacturing plant; we are an assembly plant. We are not injection molding ourselves; we are going out and buying those components. Having good suppliers who will work with us is key,” Batka said. “When you are trying to find a custom solution, custom is usually more expensive. We are trying to keep it cost effective, but the margins may not be as good as they were if you were doing larger runs. Through the partnerships we have, the reason our vendors are willing to catch those curveballs when they are thrown to them is we treat them right, we trust them, we are loyal and we pay them promptly.”

Dynamic Conveyor is working to extend its penetration into its existing customer base, while reaching out to new customers in its existing markets. Batka said the company is working to get its name out to manufacturers as they start to consider capital improvements coming out of the recession. As companies look to continue the lean journey, Batka is looking to U.S. and global markets through distribution channels in the United Kingdom and Australia.

“Automation is an area where they can quickly recognize their return on investment. We are starting to see companies starting to spend more on capital investment. They are more confident that they will survive this as well,” Batka said. “We are working harder in promoting those systems, letting new customers know what we do, and penetrating further into customers that we already have.”