How This Truck Manufacturer Innovated Driving Safety and Comfort Without Additional Payroll Expense

The leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America produces and markets commercial vehicles under three different nameplates. These vehicles furnish trucking services for freight in municipal areas throughout the United States. It represents a division of a multinational automotive corporation recognized globally as one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer with a brand synonymous with precision and quality.

Challenge:

Reduce the sound issues in different trucks leveraging testing to meet best-in-class acoustics. Maintain costs while customizing and manufacturing materials to fill niche acoustics needs. Assure premium brand customer acoustics, safety and comfort expectations are met. Control manufacturing and material density to meet precise specifications. Maintain quality performance to customer at all times.

“Noise is important to brand image. It is one of the top factors along with driveability and reliability. Acoustics – it’s a 4 out of 5, it might even be a 5 in importance projecting the image, the brand and the quality that we want projected to the market.”

– Design Engineer

Solution:

Provided acoustics expertise through knowledge sharing, onsite testing and access to the Blachford in-house acoustics lab which reduced the sound, thermal and insulation issues of specific vehicle types.

“When a company does a spec, boundary conditions like humidity that day, temperature, that all matters. ASPM national or international spec. We try to verify where we can, but we don’t even have the equipment they have. We trust their specifications. Blachford brings innovative ideas, processes, materials and offerings we value.”

– Design Engineer

Expected Annualized Benefits:

  • Provided 1.5DB reduction achieving best-in-class sound levels, at low TCO price point
  • Fulfilled customer needs expectations for leveraging acoustic and thermal materials for both driving safety and comfort
  • Fill niches with innovative solutions achieving acoustic and thermal material excellence
  • Masters of Quality award is proof of quality, low total cost of ownership, and reliable, flawless performance

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Case Study Snapshot:

Customer Industry:

Heavy-Duty Truck Manufacturing

Annual Revenue:

4 Billion

Total Employees:

20,000

Business Issues:

  • Achieve best-in-class sound levels
  • Fill niches in required acoustic and thermal materials
  • Meet the specifications directly with exact manufacturing capabilities
  • Meet customer expectations for acoustic and thermal materials for safety and comfort

Key Results:

  • Provided 1.5DB reduction
  • Awarded Masters of Quality Award
  • Enhanced Driver Safety and Comfort

Customers Who Trust Blachford Acoustics Group

“Blachford eliminated SKUs. Across product families, the reduction of one SKU is a $10k savings. Blachford eliminated 14 SKUs.”

– Noise Control Research Engineer – Construction Equipment Manufacturer

“The first project with Blachford, it was a definite quality improvement, and it was over a million dollar yearly cost savings for just the purchase parts themselves. We went from 28 (SKU) parts to 14.”

– Design Engineer – Heavy Equipment Manufacturer

“Noise is important to brand image. It is one of the top factors along with driveability and reliability. Acoustics – it’s a 4 out of 5, it might even be a 5 in importance projecting the image, the brand, and the quality that we want projected to the market.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“Our ten-fold growth prior to our acquisition was expedited by our working relationship with Blachford.”

– Design Engineer

“For our shareholders, we have to produce a product at the lowest cost, at the right level of quality and sell it at the highest price we can. We look for suppliers who can help us do that. Blachford helps us do that.”

– Global Procurement Manager – Construction Equipment Manufacturer

“When a company does a spec, boundary conditions like humidity that day, temperature, that all matters. ASPM national or international spec. We try to verify where we can, but we don’t even have the equipment they have. We trust their specifications. Blachford brings innovative ideas, processes, materials, and offerings we value.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“Then, bringing them in at the beginning with our new product design, it probably saved 6-12 months of development. We didn’t just wa nt the spec sheet value. We wanted customers to get in the machine and experience the difference.”

– Design Engineer – Heavy Equipment Manufacturer

“If we have an acoustics issue, we will reach out to Blachford since they are the experts. It saves us money because we do not have to keep an acoustic expert on site with an annual salary, with benefits, of $125K.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“As a mechanical engineer, we make stuff that is practical and affordable and Blachford’s materials routinely help me reach these goals.”

– Design Engineer

“We [purchasing department] reported savings of $100k annually from moving to the die-cut solution using Blachford.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

Customers Who Trust Blachford Acoustics Group

“Blachford eliminated SKUs. Across product families, the reduction of one SKU is a $10k savings. Blachford eliminated 14 SKUs.”

– Noise Control Research Engineer – Construction Equipment Manufacturer

“The first project with Blachford, it was a definite quality improvement, and it was over a million dollar yearly cost savings for just the purchase parts themselves. We went from 28 (SKU) parts to 14.”

– Design Engineer – Heavy Equipment Manufacturer

“Noise is important to brand image. It is one of the top factors along with driveability and reliability. Acoustics – it’s a 4 out of 5, it might even be a 5 in importance projecting the image, the brand, and the quality that we want projected to the market.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“Our ten-fold growth prior to our acquisition was expedited by our working relationship with Blachford.”

– Design Engineer

“For our shareholders, we have to produce a product at the lowest cost, at the right level of quality and sell it at the highest price we can. We look for suppliers who can help us do that. Blachford helps us do that.”

– Global Procurement Manager – Construction Equipment Manufacturer

“When a company does a spec, boundary conditions like humidity that day, temperature, that all matters. ASPM national or international spec. We try to verify where we can, but we don’t even have the equipment they have. We trust their specifications. Blachford brings innovative ideas, processes, materials, and offerings we value.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“Then, bringing them in at the beginning with our new product design, it probably saved 6-12 months of development. We didn’t just wa nt the spec sheet value. We wanted customers to get in the machine and experience the difference.”

– Design Engineer – Heavy Equipment Manufacturer

“If we have an acoustics issue, we will reach out to Blachford since they are the experts. It saves us money because we do not have to keep an acoustic expert on site with an annual salary, with benefits, of $125K.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

“As a mechanical engineer, we make stuff that is practical and affordable and Blachford’s materials routinely help me reach these goals.”

– Design Engineer

“We [purchasing department] reported savings of $100k annually from moving to the die-cut solution using Blachford.”

– Design Engineer – Truck Manufacturer

It’s Easy to Get Started

STEP 1:

COMPLETE OUR GET STARTED FORM

Give us some basic information about your sound, vibration or thermal reduction goals.

STEP 2:

COLLABORATE WITH OUR EXPERTS

Our team of engineers will work with you to uncover all issues and identify possible solutions.

STEP 3:

GET BEST-IN-CLASS, UNRIVALED SOLUTIONS

We will design, fabricate and lab test solutions to improve the performance of your products.