---

Estes Design and Manufacturing is a full-service sheet metal fabricator. We offer customers a combination of product design, engineering, rapid prototyping and manufacturing services using advanced technology, including 3D laser welding. From conceptual design to full production, our staff of engineers, CAD designers, and manufacturing professionals collaborate to create an environment for rapid response manufacturing across a broad range of product and industry applications: medical equipment, appliance, HVAC, office furniture manufacturing, aerospace, and more.

Situation

Estes Design and Manufacturing was challenged by one of its major customers to supply a business continuity plan. That catalyst, along with a leadership transition at the same time, made it an opportune time to formalize a Business Continuity Program. To ensure the customer’s needs were met and every angle considered, Estes approached the program from the ground up. Additionally, Estes knew that an outside perspective would give critical insight to ensuring a successful program.

Solution

Estes called on the services of Purdue MEP and Ted Boehm. Purdue and Ted have a track record of success at Estes in this type of system implementation. In three days, Purdue MEP researched and understood ISO 22301 and other industry continuity planning best practices. Purdue MEP wrote the Quality Procedures, generated the Business Impact Analysis and Risk Assessment matrices, and trained Estes team members to use them.

Results 

Estes was left with the infrastructure necessary to then effectively detail and craft its Business Continuity Plan. Estes retained existing business by meeting the customer’s requirement for system implementation. Additionally, gaps were identified during the process that otherwise would not have been addressed. As a result of the project, Estes was able to retain $2.4 million in sales.

“We reached out to Purdue MEP to guide us in creating a business continuity plan, and he was tremendously helpful. He set up templates tailored to our needs and walked us through how to use them to create our plan. They did a great job teaching us about business continuity and creating a space where we could work through it together and bounce ideas around. I greatly appreciated the attention to detail and ability to think things through with us. Purdue MEP asked probing questions to make sure we were addressing and documenting the root issues and responses in all cases. Our experience with Purdue MEP felt more like a collaborative group project than being ‘talked at.’ I greatly appreciated his approach.

“If your company needs to create or tweak a business continuity plan, I highly suggest reaching out to Purdue MEP!”

Doug Ellington, Director of Finance

“Whenever called upon, Purdue MEP quickly and effectively assess the need, provide a clear plan to attainment of objective, and deliver a solid product. In a world full of consultants, Purdue MEP stands out as a true partner and leader and in effective use of time and budget. Purdue MEP can be trusted to deliver whatever the need.”

John Brown, Director of Operations