If 2019 taught us one thing here at Cutters Fab, it’s that time can really can fly by when you’re busy. It’s been a big year of firsts and majors accomplishments for us, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the customers who came to us for metal fabrication services or the talented team that we counted on to get those projects done on time.
With a new calendar year just beginning, we’d like to reflect on our biggest accomplishments this year and provide some insight into our number one goal for Cutters Fabrication Solutions in 2020.
Our first experience designing and fabricating a complete bakery package for United Dairy Farmers
While we’re no stranger to supplying commercial bakery clients with food production equipment, 2019 was the first year that we had an opportunity to design a bakery package for a company from the ground, up. In 2019, Midwestern convenience store giant United Dairy Farmers completed construction on its first doughnut production facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Cutters Fab was fortunate to be tapped as the bakery rack supplier for their new venture all the way from our home base in Phoenix, Arizona.
Our team coordinated with UDF leadership to understand its production goals and create a bakery package that complimented the company’s needs. Over the course of two months of production, our team fabricated over 150 custom sized bakery racks and tables in 12 different models to make sure that UDF had its equipment on hand for its grand opening last fall.
Working with UDF on one of our largest projects to date kept our team busy and determined throughout the summer, and the positive relationships we built with UDF leadership are some of the most valuable things we earned in 2019. We would like to extend a special thank you to Rene Lozano for the effort he put into communicating UDF’s vision for the new production facility with us.
We made our first appearance at the International Baking Industry Expo (IBIE)
We had a great time at the International Baking Industry Expo (IBIE) in Las Vegas this past September, where we had the opportunity to show our signature bakery display case. We met leaders from commercial food companies located around the world and got to see some pretty cool equipment in action at the surrounding booths.
Attending the event was such a positive experience that we’ve already booked our booth for the International Artisan Baking Expo (IABE) in 2020. We’ll be showing the latest version of our bakery cases at this event in March—a brand new design which features three all-glass sides for enhanced product merchandising.
Our biggest accomplishment this year was the custom truck fleet we designed and manufactured for The Doughnut Peddler
Last January, our long-time customer the Doughnut Peddler approached us with a complex project: they needed a complete overhaul of their specialized modular delivery truck design which completely sealed the inside of the truck box, allowing for easier, more thorough cleaning and improved food safety standards. We have a lot of experience in automotive fabrication, so a project like this wouldn't typically be complicated, but this particular project needed to be designed, prototyped, and approved in time to manufacture 60 of the new box designs in just 3 months. Faced with this seemingly impossible goal, we got to work the same day.
This time-sensitive project required two weeks of intense design and prototyping before we were able to begin the process of scheduling fabrication. Our team worked 60-hour weeks to make sure that we hit our deadline, sometimes six or seven days per week. Because of our team’s commitment to the project, almost three months to the day that the order was placed, we managed to hit our deadline, sending the last of the 60 trucks from our shop in Phoenix, Arizona directly to Houston, Texas on April 19th.
The final product was a lightweight aluminum box design insulated by 1” high-density foam, with fully sealed aluminum diamond plate floors custom designed to accommodate the client’s modular internal bakery rack system. Today, we continue to work with the Doughnut Peddler to provide them with custom trucks in new markets as they expand their delivery routes. We are glad for the opportunity we had to work on a project of this volume under such a tight deadline, because it taught our team what they were truly capable of under pressure. We look forward to a working with the Doughnut Peddler on new projects again this year.
Our #1 goal in 2020
The Cutters Fab team is focused on making 2020 a year of growth. Since moving into our dual shop space in Phoenix East Valley just under three years ago, we’ve consistently seen our client base grow year over year. It seems that every week in 2019 brought a new kind of project through our door, and each time our team rose to the occasion. We’re hoping to continue that growth streak and find even more opportunities to help clients who come to us with a project, no matter how big or small.
Our goal for growth also includes increased community involvement this year. We currently have plans in place to partner with several local charitable initiatives in the Phoenix Metro area that we’re excited to share with you in the coming months. Above all, we aim to grow our reputation as a source of knowledge and a reliable provider for anyone in need of laser cutting, precision sheet metal fab, welding, shearing, bending, or other metal fabrication services.
We’d love for you to join us on our journey this year by following us on Facebook and Instagram, where we’ll be documenting our most exciting moments and providing useful information about the process of running a modern metal shop in Arizona.
Until then, thank you to all who continue to trust us with your projects and cheer us on as we commit to new progress and innovation each year. We deeply appreciate you all and wish you and yours the best in 2020.
—Cutters Fabrication Solutions
