Michigan Spring has proven that global competition can be great for an American company. By offering globally competitive cost, quality and delivery through a blend of lean techniques and up front process and product engineering support, Michigan Spring was recently able to outperform Japanese suppliers and provide parts to Japanese-owned American Showa Inc.

These parts are used in the front suspension of Harley-Davidson motorcycles

"MIchigan Spring has worked extremely well with us on the five parts that had been sourced in Japan," said Bill Purtee, Showa purchasing manager. "This is a nice trend for us. We appreciate the relationships and partnerships that we can build with our supplier base."

Michigan Spring, with its roots in the 1923 founding of American Coil Spring (ACS), ranks among the top 20 spring companies based on sales revenue in the US. This is no surprise considering their deep technical bench strength, project management, in-house tooling, electronic data interchange and 24-hour custom support. Michigan Spring's high quality products include compression , extension, torsion, garter, constant force and flat springs, wire forms, precision stampings and assemblies. Recently, Michigan Spring has put in place the capability to extend its product services to include more complex assemblies, involving machined, turned, stamped and plastic-based components.

Since Hines Corporation partnered with ACS in 1997 and Michigan Spring in 2008, the combined company has received the support needed to capitalize on new client opportunities and maintain existing customer relationships in an increasingly global economy The hard work of re-engineering the organization to compete in a global economy is well underway and reflected in the success Michigan Spring has experienced in meeting challenging bid requirements involving cost, quality and delivery. In fact, because of the support Hines has provided, Michigan Spring is now positioned and working with global customers supporting them not only in the US but also in Mexico and Asia

The single biggest challenge faced by Michigan Spring, now and in the near future, is the increasing cost of raw materials caused by escalating global demand.

However, Michigan Spring has risen to this challenge and, with the help of the Hines Corporation, is implementing innovative countermeasures to address this challenge. Several practices, including lean manufacturing and offshore sourcing, inspired through partnership with Hines, are beginning to play a critical role in off-setting and addressing these increased costs.

With a vibrant and optimistic approach, Michigan Spring is experiencing success in a very challenging industry. By combining excellent craftmanship, technological expertise and a seamlessly integrated global supply chain, Michigan Spring is prepared to capitalize on new opportunities and meet the challenges of the future.