Infinite Composites Expands Through Strategic Growth

Since inception, Infinite Composite Technologies has enjoyed solid growth and business success. It continued to expand by producing increasingly high-tech containers for compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles. IC soon began to manufacture larger containers, like the pressurized vessels hauled on larger tanker trucks. Additional demand for their industry-leading technology soon led owners Matt Villarreal and Michael Tate to reevaluate their manufacturing processes, production flow and overall strategic business plan. For advice, they contacted Jenny Cothran, a manufacturing extension agent with the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, part of the MEP National Network™. She has worked with IC on numerous projects and is considered a trusted advisor.

Cothran met with Villarreal and Tate to map out options for the company’s growing manufacturing demands. She began with a holistic assessment that helped align all areas of the organization, like people, processes, work methods and measurements. It was determined a new, flexible and more efficient factory flow was needed. Cothran called on Rajesh Krishnamurthy, an applications engineer working for the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. Krishnamurthy was able to model all of IC’s production systems with computer software. That allowed the group to change different variables without actually shifting physical pieces on the factory floor. The computerized work determined peak efficiencies while maintaining sufficient flexibility to meet future demands. With increased production capacity, IC is exploring new markets and industry sectors. Thanks in part to the new process flows, Cothran was able to help IC obtain its ISO 9001 certification, an important step in capturing aerospace work.