FOMO PRODUCTS INC.
Fomo Products Inc. was facing a challenge — either eliminate one facet of its business or improve that facet to make it marketable across several types of industries. The company chose the first option, and the result is MAGNUM, a unique polyurethane foam spray gun.
When applying polyurethane foam, chemicals from two tanks are pressurized and pushed through hoses. The chemicals meet in a dispensing gun and form the foam, which is then sprayed.
Before MAGNUM, this system could only be used by companies able to work in a temperature-controlled environment, as the chemicals have to remain at a certain temperature. The MAGNUM system heats the hoses, allowing the chemicals to remain at temperature until they are mixed and sprayed. This allows companies to use Fomo’s system, even if they do not work in a temperature-controlled environment.
As a result of this system, Fomo was able to expand into the residential new construction industry, and its first six-month sales of 2005 exceeded the company’s entire sales for 2004. Fomo anticipates sales will triple in 2006, so instead of shutting down this aspect of the business, it is now focusing on how to change its manufacturing and warehousing to meet the demand.
How to reach: Fomo Products Inc., www.fomo.com
MOEN INC.
Moen Inc. is familiar with success. The company is the No. 1 faucet maker in North America and leads the plumbing industry. But it also knows not to rest on its laurels and to keep looking for ways to improve.
Moen implemented new document management software into its SAP system. The software, OnBase from Hyland Software, has helped it improve efficiency and better monitor its products. The backlog of its accounts payable has been reduced by 50 percent in the first six months of use. The software also increased the number of invoices the company is able to process without additional staff.
OnBase also provides a visible status of invoice processing, reduces hard and soft costs of photocopying documents and improves customer service. It also provides access to the system via the Web 24/7.
Moen is more efficient now, which will only help it as it continues to grow and improve while remaining a leader in the industry. How to reach: Moen Inc., www.moen.com
ENERGY WISE BUILDING SYSTEMS
Established just a year ago, Energy Wise Building Systems is changing the construction industry.
The company developed Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) wall and roof systems for commercial and residential industrial building. EPS is high-energy-efficient building materials that lock out mold and mildew and are unattractive to termites, which makes the structure more durable and appreciates its value at a higher rate than that of structures made of typical construction materials.
Energy Wise’s new technology makes the construction process much shorter. A standard wood-frame construction could take two to three weeks to frame, but with the company’s system, it can be erected by just four people in one day with a light crane. The company also has a technician to assist in the assembly process.
Energy Wise also designed a routing machine that can cut an entire truckload of EPS panels in about three hours, while it can take one person all day to cut a fraction of that.
All of these elements combined make Energy Wise Building Systems on the cutting edge of the construction industry, and its products can save energy costs by about 75 percent a year, a winner for both and its clients and their customers. How to reach: Energy Wise Building Systems, www.highperformancepanels.com
