CASE STUDIES
LMC Industries
How LMC Industries saved 5,000 machine hours per quarter with Intouch and Wipfli
Founded in 1945 and headquartered in Arnold, Missouri, LMC Industries is a contract manufacturer specialising in precision injection moulding and metal stamping. Serving industries from automotive to consumer goods, LMC delivers high-quality components with a focus on engineering support and operational excellence.
As a mid-sized manufacturer with a wide range of machines and processes, LMC prides itself on its responsiveness and quality. However, as the complexity of operations grew and competitive pressures increased, leadership realised they needed to modernise how they captured and responded to production data.
Watch our case study video:
The challenge
LMC was facing a familiar but critical challenge: outdated data processes that couldn’t keep pace with production demands. Operations relied heavily on manual data collection using Excel spreadsheets, often delayed by two days or more, with limited consistency or actionability.
As Ron Ross, Director of Manufacturing, described, “The information coming from the shop floor was estimated, inconsistent, and not actionable… We weren’t meeting the requirement for timely and accurate data.“
This lack of real-time insight led to multiple risks:
- Downtime wasn’t accurately tracked or addressed.
- Efficiency improvement opportunities were missed.
- Operational performance couldn’t be effectively linked to financial outcomes.
'We needed real-time information to improve productivity, understand where our downtime was, and improve overall efficiency.'
Keith Suellentrop, President and CEO
Identifying a solution
LMC turned to long-time consulting partner Wipfli LLP, who were already advising the business on financial and operational strategy. Wipfli identified Intouch Monitoring as the ideal solution — a cost-effective, easy-to-implement production monitoring system that could bring real-time visibility to the shop floor.
According to Scott Walton, Partner at Wipfli: “The only way forward is better data. Intouch has the phenomenal ability to pull information from factory floor equipment and make it user-friendly, actionable, and impactful.”
Wipfli supported LMC throughout the rollout, including:
- Configuring dashboards and KPIs
- Ensuring accessibility across devices (monitors, tablets, phones, desktops)
- Training all levels of staff — from machine operators to executives
The Benefits
The implementation of Intouch Monitoring brought instant, measurable benefits across operations:
- Real-time downtime tracking: Issues were visible within minutes, enabling faster response and root cause analysis.
- Visual dashboards: Custom reports made it easy for leadership to identify trends and productivity gaps.
- Universal access: Operators, supervisors, and managers could access the same information instantly — improving communication and accountability.
- Faster issue resolution: For example, a customer complaint about startup defects was traced to a specific 2-hour window, avoiding the need to sort through days of production.
One revealing instance: In the stamping area, downtime was traced to an operator repackaging parts mid-run. With Intouch data, leadership quickly adjusted workflows and improved overall uptime.
Outcomes
The results were nothing short of transformative:
- 10–15% improvement in OEE, with expectations of a further 5–10% gain in the coming year.
- Over 5,000 machine hours saved per quarter, representing a 6% efficiency improvement.
- 20,000 extra productive hours annually — freed up for sales without adding headcount or capital.
- Value-added dollars per employee increased by 10%, strengthening LMC’s profitability.
Importantly, the cultural shift was just as significant: “I can show operators the exact issues visually — and that’s improved communication and accountability across the floor,” said Production Supervisor Andrew Sketo.
Suellentrop added: “Just by reviewing the previous day’s data, we’re addressing issues much faster — with a direct impact on efficiency and working capital.”
Conclusion
LMC Industries’ collaboration with Wipfli and adoption of Intouch Monitoring showcases how mid-market manufacturers can drive digital transformation without complexity or high cost. Moving from static spreadsheets to a real-time production monitoring system has delivered tangible results — not only in machine utilisation and profitability, but in empowering teams and responding faster to customer needs.
What started as a push for better data visibility has evolved into a competitive advantage that touches every part of the business. As LMC plans to roll out Intouch across all 48 injection moulding machines and 20 stamping and assembly lines, the future is firmly focused on smarter, data-driven manufacturing.
“LMC now runs a much tighter ship than several years ago — and Intouch has been a key part of that transformation.” Scott Walton, Partner, Wipfli LLP
Ready to increase your productivity?
We would love to hear from you. Call, email or use the contact form and we’ll get right back to you.
Headquarters
Intouch Monitoring Ltd
The Bull Pens, Tithe Farm
Moulton Road, Holcot
Northamptonshire
NN6 9SH