![\"Ashby](\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/xometry-marketing\/2c9280c0-e603-4de9-9e0b-6daaa17fbb6a_20170110-asbymanufacturing-img01.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&rect=0%2C149%2C1600%2C899&w=792&h=445&fit=max\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAshby Manufacturing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was fairly early in his life that O\u2019Donnell realized he would end up joining the family business. He began working for it as a teenager and then later went to school for engineering and business. He learned CAD technology, which was relatively new at that time, as well as the intricacies of fulfilling government contracts. And by working in his father\u2019s shop, O\u2019Donnell was exposed to some of the most experienced machinists in the business. \u201cReally our strength is the people who have been working here for decades, which translates to a lot of experience on the floor,\u201d he said. \u201cThe second guy we hired is still here, and so is the fourth guy we hired. There\u2019s another gentlemen who has worked here for 22 years. Bouncing around with all those guys allowed me to learn from their wealth of experience, and then I was able to add some expertise of my own on the technology side of things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time the steel market crashed in the 80s, Ashby Manufacturing was well-positioned to weather the storm. \u201cWe bought some high end machines that a lot of our competitors didn\u2019t have, and that allowed us to go after some high end work back then,\u201d said O\u2019Donnell. \u201cThat set us apart.\u201d It also primed the company for what came to replace the steel industry; the rise of tech, health care, and service companies shifted much of Ashby Manufacturing\u2019s focus from high-volume orders to low-volume jobs with quick turnarounds. \u201cSmall quantity, quick turnaround kind of work is what we found we shine to. We were small enough that we realized we could take on things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even though Ashby Manufacturing adapted to the changing economy and secured business relationships that have lasted for decades, it was still subject to the boom and bust cycles that most smaller machine shops face. Such shops are often highly reliant on local industries, so they\u2019ll struggle to fulfill a rush of orders and then wait for new orders to come in \u2014 a wait that could last days or even weeks. These manufacturers also experience difficulty securing new customers because they don\u2019t have a marketing budget or sales team in place. \u201cA potential new customer might come along who wants to manufacture a part, and so you spend several hours making sure you have the right materials and determining the cost,\u201d said O\u2019Donnell. \u201cBut then when you get back to them you find out you\u2019re not the lowest bidder, or they were only toying with the idea of making a part and not all that serious about it. You do have to be careful how much time you spend quoting things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this year, O\u2019Donnell solved this problem by signing on to\u00a0Xometry\u2019s Manufacturing Partner Network. \u201cWe had a representative come in from a large supply house, and he said, \u2018There\u2019s this thing called Xometry, and its guys are looking for small shops and you guys are a real good fit,\u2019\u201d recalled O\u2019Donnell. After spending time on the Xometry website and speaking with someone from its partnership team, he decided to register for the program. \u201cI think we had our first job within three or four days. It\u2019s a pretty good system. Whenever someone posts a job to Xometry, we can see the delivery date, the materials, and the price, and so then all we have to do is decide whether we\u2019re able to take the job or not.\u201d He likes the fact that he doesn\u2019t have to waste time with marketing or quoting prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how does O\u2019Donnell decide whether he\u2019ll take on an order from the Xometry network? \u201cEvery day I come in I know I am going to have five or six jobs on Xometry that I can fit into any free space that I might have out on the floor,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt is just really nice to be able to have it , because always in the back of my mind, I\u2019m thinking, \u2018Oh man, I have no new orders coming in from my current clients, but I could take this job that’s right here [on Xometry] and keep busy for a while.\u2019 That is huge for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not only does the Xometry partnership allow Ashby Manufacturing to pick up work during down time, but it also expands its client base beyond local industries. \u201cNormally, it is really difficult for me to say, \u2018Hi, I\u2019m in Pennsylvania, and I would like to do some quick turnaround work for you and you are out in Colorado.\u2019 A lot of buyers are like, \u2018I want the guy down the street. But Xometry has taken out that distance factor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since joining the network in mid-June, Ashby Manufacturing has taken on and completed 15 projects worth a combined $30,000. \u201cI never have come in and not seen a job on your board,\u201d he said. \u201cIn fact, I\u2019m staring at my computer right now and there are six jobs here to look over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn fact,\u201d he added, laughing, \u201cI might take a job right after we get off the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Xometry’s Manufacturing Partner Network is helping machine shops across the country fill excess capacity and grow their businesses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":62527,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,734],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-customer-stories","category-machine-building"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n