Flow Recognized as Market Leader in Special Machine Tools Category
KENT, Wash., July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Flow International
Corporation (Nasdaq: FLOW), the world's leading developer and manufacturer of
ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) waterjet technology equipment used for cutting,
cleaning (surface preparation) and food safety applications, announced today
that is has been awarded Frost & Sullivan's 2005 Customer Value Enhancement
Award for its role as market leader in the Special Machine Tools Space.
"Over the years, Flow has continuously proven itself as the top quality
provider of waterjet cutting systems, waterjet surface preparation systems,
food processing products, industrial presses and automation solutions," said
S.Hariharan, research analyst, Frost & Sullivan. "Flow has consistently
provided innovative products, with outstanding customer service and helped its
customers achieve operational excellence.
"In interviews, Flow customers have pointed out its ability to provide
outstanding product quality, service support, and their ability to enhance
product quality, achieve shorter delivery times, reduce scrap, rework and
reduced life cycle costs," continued Hariharan. "This clearly indicates Flow's
strength in technology, logistics and its customer oriented approach."
Flow's customers also cited the company's innovative solutions as a key
part of their ability to secure new business by providing support in their
sales and business development efforts. Flow's innovative Customer Operational
and Evaluation Review Program (CORE) allows the company to attend to their
customers' issues with short lead and turn around times, resulting in its
customers' ability to achieve their delivery commitments. The benefits of lean
manufacturing also translate to better after-sales support. This is a result
of its impressive 24X7 service support and a system that enables 98% on-time
delivery of spare parts and other critical components to customers. Flow's
after-sales and service network was cited by customers as a benefit to their
business.
"Flow's solutions, including our innovative Dynamic Waterjet technology,
provide a unique advantage for such diverse industries as aerospace, job
shops, stone fabricators and even micro-processor chip manufacturing, our
solutions also provide enhanced productivity for composite machining and other
types of critical forms cutting," said Michael Ruppenthal, Flow's vice
president of marketing. "At the heart of our solutions is our unique pump
technology, which provides us with a clear edge over our competitors."
One of the key challenges faced by end-users is the variety of components
that can be machined using a waterjet system. Flow is the only company in the
industry that markets two different varieties of pumps to meet diverse
challenges - intensifier and Hyplex direct drive pumps. This enables the
company to offer products up to a distinctive 87,000 pounds per square inch
(psi), which help customers machine components up to 14 inches thick.
"An important end-user concern is managing operating costs, which
primarily revolves around abrasive consumption," continued Ruppenthal. "Since
abrasive consumption cost is more than 60 percent of the total cutting cost
apart from labor and capital investments, it is vital to achieve tight control
on this parameter."
Flow's PASER-ECL abrasive system controls and optimizes the abrasive
concentration in the cutting fluids, according to application requirements,
provides maximum benefit to its customers through cutting cost reduction.
"This is again a proof of Flow's customer-need-driven operation," said
Hariharan.
"Flow's lean manufacturing initiatives, coupled with inventory management
techniques like Kanban, have ensured reduced delivery times of less than 3
weeks," said Ruppenthal. "This has contributed to increased customer
satisfaction."
Flow is synonymous with waterjet cutting globally, with customers in North
America, Europe and Asia-Pacific (APAC). Boeing's 787 program, Sandisk's
memory chips, and Formula One race cars, are few of the large number of
applications that have benefited from Flow's waterjet solutions.
ABOUT FROST & SULLIVAN'S CUSTOMER VALUE ENHANCEMENT AWARD
The Customer Value Enhancement (CVE) Award is presented each year to the
company that has best demonstrated the ability to expand the customer base,
while maintaining its existing install base, with more innovative value
creation and enhancement strategies than competing vendors. This Award
recognizes the company's successful sales entry, customer acquisition and
service strategies, and the degree to which those strategies have met
customers' stated needs and requirements. Such innovation is expected to
significantly improve customer interaction and contribute to customer
satisfaction.
About Flow International
Flow International Corporation is the world's leading developer and
manufacturer of ultrahigh-pressure waterjet technology for cutting, cleaning,
and food safety applications. Flow provides state-of-the-art ultrahigh-
pressure (UHP) technology to numerous industries including automotive,
aerospace, job shop, surface preparation, food and dozens more. For more
information, visit http://www.flowcorp.com.
Contact:
Michael Ruppenthal
Vice President of Marketing
253-850-3500
SOURCE Flow International Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.flowcorp.com
CONTACT:
Michael Ruppenthal, Vice President of
Marketing of Flow International, +1-253-850-3500
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