Cross training is usually associated with exercise programs, but at Header Die & Tool, “cross training” is defined as improving the fitness of their staff to respond to customer requests. The company has instituted quick response manufacturing (QRM) practices, to create a cell or nucleus of employees who can operate any piece of equipment in the shop to increase flexibility and response times. The result is a drastic cut in lead times to get completed projects out the door. In a usual job shop setting, each employee is trained on and becomes an expert at operating a particular type of... [read full article]

Header Die & Tool featured prominently in recent Rockford area news stories about Manufacturing Day, a national event designed to provide the next generation of machine operators and engineers a personal look at the industry. This year on October 1st, Header was one of a few dozen companies throughout the Rock River Valley region to open its doors in welcome to middle and high school students, for tours and demonstrations. Said one student from Winnebago High School, “It’s really nice to see everything happening in real... [read full article]

Automation is neither scapegoat nor savior when it comes to the number of manufacturing jobs available in Illinois, says Ron Phillips, Header Die & Tool. Automation can help boost productivity and improve quality and precision. “A quality product combined with just-in-time inventory management and delivery is boosting the number of customers who formerly purchased offshore but are returning stateside,” he said. When a particular state or region loses manufacturing jobs, such as Illinois reporting earlier this year the loss of 800 such jobs, a number of factors contributes says Phillips. “Oil prices, the... [read full article]

Ron Phillips, General Manager of Header Die & Tool, hosted a group of 40 students from Winnebago High School, along with Lieutenant Governor-elect Evelyn Sanguinetti, for a tour of the company facilities on National Manufacturing Day. Technology has transformed modern-day manufacturing and increased the importance of obtaining a good education. Phillips highlighted the benefits and rewards that make manufacturing a satisfying career option.

Header Die & Tool recently participated in a job skills program that involved a group of local area manufacturers hosting two dozen Rockford-area high school students for hands-on training and guidance. This educational program, funded through a grant from Rock Valley College, is designed to help today’s students find careers in manufacturing. Thanks to the training and shepherding supplied by Header Die & Tool, all of the students passed the program and all have found work. Header hired one of the program graduates as a permanent employee. Watch this story to learn more about... [read full article]

Congratulations to Lucas Derry and Header Die & Tool, Inc. for being named Manufacturer of the Year by Rockford Chamber of Commerce. Great job on all the hard work. Watch Lucas accept the 2013 Manufacturer of the Year Award or read more here about the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Celebration of Manufacturing Dinner and Expo.

After 57 successful years in business, Header’s leadership is committed to keeping the company from becoming complacent. To ensure employees are focused on customers and committed to continuous improvement, the company exposed its entire workforce to lean concepts through an IMEC-conducted training session, then decided to embark on several projects to begin implementing improvements. Learn more about IMEC training.

Rockford manufacturers rank July as a solid month, and remain cautiously optimistic about the future. At Header Die and Tool Company, some workers got overtime because of increased orders.

Manufacturing continues to play a key role in the Stateline economy despite taking some punishment during the recession. Some local manufacturers, such as Header Die and Tool are continuing to grow despite the tough economic times. Header has added 7 new employees over the past six months to raise their total number to 45. President Lucas Derry says, “We are looking forward to an even better 2011. We’ve seen a nice recovery in 2010. We actually grew a little bit over our 2008 numbers.” Derry adds he hopes to hire even more new workers during the upcoming year.

Being named a 40 under 40 leader is special to Lucas Derry for one particular reason. “It’s good to show that there are younger people involved in manufacturing, and that it’s a viable career choice,” he said. Lucas runs Header Die and Tool, a Rockford-based company founded in 1954 that has grown as a global supplier of cold forming tooling and other specialty manufactured parts. His father, Tom, bought the company in 1976; Lucas went to work for his dad in the shop when he went to Guilford High School. “I was handed a... [read full article]

While many manufacturing jobs have left the Stateline, there are some local companies that are actually looking to hire skilled manufacturing workers. Header Die and Tool is one of them. The President, Lucas Derry, says the company currently has about 40 employees and hopes to increase that number by about 10 percent in the near future. Derry adds the key to being successful in tough times is flexibility and adds, “There is no more doing business as usual….time restraints are tighter….it is all about knowing the needs of your customers and meeting them.” Header Die and Tool makes many... [read full article]