Welcome to the Q3-2016 edition of Rhinestahl’s CTS newsletter. 

Once we pass Labor Day, our thoughts typically race ahead toward the end of the year, and we’re in serious planning mode for next year. But wait—not so fast. We like looking forward, of course, but we also have much to savor from recent months. I want to take a few minutes to reflect on what an amazing year we’re having at Rhinestahl, especially as we highlight our third quarter.

First, the Rhinestahl family joined forces in August for our much-anticipated Summer Celebration 2016. It was our biggest ever, a fitting prelude to next year, when Rhinestahl celebrates its 50th anniversary. 

The LEAP engine, of course, will continue to be a major event for Rhinestahl in the months and years ahead. Our expertise in LEAP engine tooling is second to none—and we’re pleased that Rhinestahl’s technical expertise, superb product quality, and unparalleled support is being recognized around the globe. I can’t wait to be able to share more detailed updates on our LEAP business in the coming months.

Our 2016 Supplier Symposium in September in Indianapolis exceeded all expectations. We look forward to this event every year as a chance to get together with our talented and valued suppliers to tackle our mutual issues, discover solutions, and have some fun. We succeeded on all counts! I want to personally thank everyone at Rhinestahl and throughout our supply chain for making the symposium an incredible and worthwhile event for all involved.

Having the right suppliers is absolutely critical to our business. And who finds them, works shoulder-to-shoulder with them every day, keeping these relationships productive and running like clockwork? Our Supplier Account Managers. I am pleased to recognize John Elliott and Christie VanValkenburgh for their outstanding work.

As always, my sincere gratitude to our extended Rhinestahl family—employees, customers, and suppliers—for all your dedication and tireless efforts.  We couldn’t do any of this without you!

Dieter Moeller
President & CEO
Rhinestahl Corporation

We look forward to it every year, and it never disappoints. Summer Celebration 2016 rocked!

The entire day was filled with various customer meetings and interaction, as well as successful plant tours of our state-of-the-art AMG facility. We added fireworks—a huge crowd favorite—to popular features that included the classic car show and an appearance by the Cincinnati Ben-Gals Cheerleaders.

Neither the August heat nor a summer shower could keep this year’s Summer Celebration from being our biggest one yet—and, we think, our best.  It sets the bar high for 2017’s Summer Celebration, when we will also be commemorating Rhinestahl’s 50th anniversary!

Details on 2017’s Summer Celebration will be coming soon, so keep your calendars open for next August. In the meantime, be sure to check out the photos from this year’s celebration.  A big THANK YOU to all who attended and worked hard on this amazing event!

Rhinestahl’s technical expertise, superb product quality, and unparalleled support have been recognized by several LEAP operators in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America, who have selected Rhinestahl as their tooling provider of choice supporting EIS (Entry Into Service).  We are delighted to have the opportunity to assist our new A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX customers, and look forward to sharing our passion and commitment with other LEAP operators who are scheduled to receive their aircraft later this year and next.

As a CFM-licensed supplier for LEAP tooling, Rhinestahl CTS is the one-stop source for the complete line of LEAP engine tooling and support equipment. Our tools feature the most current designs and revisions, and comply with all OEM specifications because of our unique collaboration with the CFM Engineering and Product Support teams. 

We’ll be sharing more detailed updates about our LEAP business in the months ahead.

Rhinestahl hosted its 2016 Supplier Symposium at the Dallara Indy Car Factory located near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 13-14. This major event is vital in addressing key issues and successes facing the overall supply chain and how Rhinestahl can work with our supply base to achieve closer and more constructive business relationships. 

Under the theme “The Race Is On,” this year’s symposium was kicked off by our CEO Dieter Moeller, who spoke about the business overall and, specifically, the importance of our valued supply chain partners. The symposium centered on discussions that emphasized Growth, Support, and Transformational Thinking, as we considered our roles and perspectives alongside the most talented supply chain partners in the business!

A stellar lineup of speakers from both Rhinestahl and GE’s Support Equipment Design Engineering Group offered new ideas, realistic solutions, and significant opportunities for our supply chain, all geared to help us deliver “an outstanding customer experience," while reducing costs and keeping quality and delivery as key drivers of our success.  As in previous years, at the forefront this year was the message on the importance of supply chain excellence—again reaffirming our commitment to achieving supply chain excellence together.

We worked hard, of course—but played hard, too. We enjoyed great food and drinks, along with outstanding activities that included Indy race car rides, the Indy Race Car Museum, race car simulators, plenty of networking, and a lot of fun.

We closed the symposium with the presentation of awards.  Congratulations to this year’s winners:

Bradley-Thompson Tool
J M Kusch Inc.
Noel-Smyser Engineering Corp
Polycraft Products Inc.
Yamamoto Seiki Co., Ltd.

On the heels of our Supplier Symposium, it’s important that we recognize the central role our Supplier Account Managers play in making Rhinestahl’s relationships with our suppliers the most productive and successful in the industry.

John Elliott
Supplier Account Manager (SAM)

Before joining Rhinestahl CTS more than five years ago, John worked for 12 years at CDI Corporation in various roles that included draftsman, tooling designer, and team leader, all supporting the GE Support Equipment Tooling group. While there, he was also a team leader supporting the Sikorsky 53K Heavy Lift helicopter gearbox tooling.

In his current role, John says he is able to see products he helped design get built and sent out worldwide to support our end customer base—a completely new perspective on the tooling business that he didn’t have earlier in his career.  In the SAM role, he works closely with our current supply base of some of the best craftsman in the field. 

“The partnerships with these suppliers that Rhinestahl CTS has developed over the years has been a great experience and something that I truly enjoy about the position I am in,” John says. “The SAM role and the entire Sourcing team are key in supporting our customers worldwide and delivering a quality OEM product with on-time delivery.”

Originally from the Northern Kentucky area, John currently resides in Morrow (OH).

Christie VanValkenburgh
Supplier Account Manager (SAM)

Christie began her current role as one of Rhinestahl’s Supplier Account Managers on May 31, 2016. In this position, she serves as the point contact between Rhinestahl and its suppliers.

Christie summarizes her responsibilities in a single statement: "Do whatever it takes to get the tools to the customers on time." This one statement covers a whole range of activities, including but not limited to expediting answers to suppliers regarding source problem reports; facilitating order status meetings and communicating the status to sales and operations; and understanding supplier bottlenecks and discussing back-up plans as a preventative measure to potential delivery days.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Christie’s earlier work experience was in the consumer product industry at Procter and Gamble. While focusing on raising her family, she has continued to network through part-time engineering contract positions and a technical illustration entrepreneurship.

When she’s not at work, Christie can be found with her husband Curt, cheering on their boys as they play baseball and basketball and display their musical talents in church youth bands.

We never stop looking for ways to save our customers money. In fact, so far in 2016, the Rhinestahl CTS team saved our customers over $24M. How? By ensuring that the configurations, design revisions, and work scope for the tools you order are compatible and correct, and that you are only ordering the tools needed for your requirements. As GE’s OEM Authorized Tooling Provider, only Rhinestahl has all of the data and expertise required to provide this full configuration, revision, and work scope assurance and support.  We have the unique ability to validate the tooling required and we stand behind that validation!  You also have the advantage of our technical experts, who will work with you to find opportunities to leverage your investment in multiple applications.  In the end, Rhinestahl will make sure you have the right tool at the right time for your important projects.

MRO Europe - October 18-20, 2016, The Netherlands.

NBAA - November 1-3, 2016, Orlando, FL.

Brittany Hoff
Marketing Communications Specialist
7687 Innovation Way

Mason, OH 45040 USA

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www.rhinestahl.com

InFocus@rhinestahl.com