Benchmark Your Shop

For the past 3 years, our sister publication, Modern Machine Shop, has conducted a benchmarking survey to determine what makes a world-class shop in discrete parts manufacturing. Well, the results for 2013 Top Shops survey have been compiled and are available for review.

This survey looks at four distinct categories, specifically machining equipment, shopfloor practices, business strategies and human resources. More than 450 shop principals took part in this year’s Top Shops survey.

It has become a popular tool for evaluating how Top Shops go about their successful business and a useful comparator for any shop in the metalworking business. Shops are individual, like people, but there are common traits and trends that seem to mark the more successful businesses.

For example, Top Shops are more successful at quoting and securing jobs. The quote-to-book ratio, while generally tracked by job shops, shows median value of 70 percent for Top Shops versus 51 percent for other shops.

Click here to link to a detailed analysis of this year’s Top Shops benchmark. It may be useful information for your shop.