Unique Tool & Gauge Inc., a global supplier to all major automotive producers and their Tier 1 suppliers, announced a new capital equipment program, with an excess of $3.5 million dollars already spent in the fourth quarter of 2014, designed to increase throughput in its mold manufacturing operations.
The Windsor, Ontario company will showcase its technology and manufacturing capabilities in the building of aluminum tooling for high-volume automotive components production at NPE, booth S-27006.
The new equipment, consisting of one new Makino high-speed CNC milling machine, three new Makino sinker EDM machines, plus two Roeders high-speed milling machines along with a central robot for automation, was installed at Unique’s 60,000 sq-ft facility. Deliveries began in September and all machines became operational during the fourth quarter of 2014. 
“Our capital investment program is market driven,” said Darcy King, president and CEO of Unique Tool & Gauge. “The automotive market for plastics continues to grow, but our competition is global and our customers are moving faster from initial part design to full-scale production, which is adding demands on us to do things faster and more cost-effectively than ever before.”
Along with the new equipment comes greater need for skilled employees. Unique is continuing an aggressive program to add at least 30-50 professional and hourly employees in order to position the business for an increase in workload that is expected to last through 2015.
“In addition to our investment in new equipment, we need more good people to help us serve the demand we’re seeing,” King said. “We want to hire at least 30 more people through the first quarter of 2015. We’re looking to hire both entry-level and experienced individuals.”
Unique Tool provides full service design, manufacturing, and program management of tooling from initial concept until the end of product life cycle. Unique also provides customers with new technologies and advanced management systems designed to reduce cost and time to market.
