As we close out the first month of 2017, we pause and look back on the year that was of 2016. Here at Lincoln Plastics we pride ourselves on our dedication to continuous improvements in all areas of our company. 2016, was no different in this regard. We improved as individuals by continuing to expand our knowledge base in our ever-evolving trade. We also improved as a company through technology upgrades, new equipment, quality control efforts and new software to help us meet our goal of providing unmatched customer service.
New Equipment and Technology
Lincoln Plastics is committed to investing in our facility and the latest technologies.
Last year, we purchased a new Polycarbonate Screw, as well as a precision Vacuum Sump and Cart. The special polycarbonate screw was designed to process extrusion grade polycarbonate. Polycarbonate requires very low shear when processing. The new screw will allow us to process water clear polycarbonate, and will also help to reduce stress, or shear, in melt flow. Using a single stage polycarbonate screw, like ours, with a modest mixer, allows for a wider processing window. The vacuum sump system is a very precise vacuum system for tight tolerance parts. The system has a process variance of .2%, meaning when a process needs to hold 2 psi, it will hold 2 psi with extreme accuracy. Both of these systems helped to increase our capabilities and efficiencies.
Quality and Service
In the 70 years Lincoln Plastics had been in business, providing quality products and unmatched customer service has been at the forefront of our identity as a company. Throughout those seven decades we have achieved a level of quality and service that is unsurpassed in the industry. Last year, we took steps to ensure we continue as an industry leader in quality and service, by updating our ISO certification, updating our ERP modules, and implementing Salesforce to improve customer communication.
In 2016 we updated our certification from the ISO 9001-2008 to the most recent ISO 9001-2015 standard, being one of the first companies in Nebraska to achieve the new certification. ISO is the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards. These standards ensure we maintain internationally recognized quality practices for the development and creation of products and services, which in turn, help to make us more efficient and effective in our processes.
In addition to the ISO update, we also updated our ERP software. This system helps us to run our facility in the most efficient way possible, and ensures we are producing products of the highest quality.
Last year, our sales team began to use Salesforce to better serve our customers. As we continue to move forward with the platform, we plan to roll it in to other areas of our company and further assist new and existing customers with real-time data.
Looking back on the year provides Lincoln Plastics with an optimistic view of 2017 and beyond. We will continue to work to be the best vendor to our customers by striving to have an even better year in 2017!