As we gear up for rapid growth and an exciting 2025, we took a moment to talk to two of our key team members whose influence and direction will shape our team’s efforts this year. Scott Canatelli, our Vice President of Operations and Mike Westphal, our plant manager have big plans that will propel our company further towards an Industry 4.0 smart factory, expanding our capabilities, efficiencies and making us even better partners for our customers.
First of all welcome, and thanks for agreeing to talk to us. Why don’t you take a minute to introduce yourselves.
Michael Westphal (MW): I am the Plant Manager here at Dane. I oversee the production teams and work alongside our team leaders to make sure our manufacturing facility runs smoothly. Coming to work and operating with our highly motivated team and positive attitudes is exciting. I’m looking forward to our future, and am eager to help my employees succeed and grow along the way.
Scott Cannatelli (SC): I am the Vice President of Operations. I oversee a number of departments and work to make sure our teams are collaborating and working efficiently to surpass the expectations of our customers. To build on what Mike said, the Dane team is extremely motivated and driven to win. Complacency isn’t our vocabulary and I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this team. As the saying goes, “when you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”.
Given your roles, the two of you work very closely every day. What makes the two of you work well together?
MW: I think our end goals are very similar. We are both very motivated, we care about our team, and we share the same desire to execute well thought out plans and initiatives to make Dane grow and be even more successful.
SC: There is strong synergy between Mike and me. We have clear objectives defined; however, we both remain very flexible and quickly adjust when circumstances change. We communicate constantly and we stay in tune with each other’s work and initiatives. The mutual awareness allows him to support me proactively, often without needing to ask, and I strive to do the same for him. Ultimately our success can be boiled down to communication and alignment.
In your roles leading the production team, what influence do our customers play in your day-to-day decision-making process?
SC: We work closely with our sales team to stay connected to our customer’s needs which provides critical insight that help guides our production decisions. Looking ahead, Mike and I will both look to connect directly with customers by visiting their locations. We want to see their operations firsthand and build personal connections so that we can deepen our understanding of their challenges and goals. This will help us align our production efforts even more closely with their needs.
MW: Without our customers, we don’t have work. Our customers have expectations for us and we look to exceed those expectations for every job that they trust us to work on, so learning their business challenges and needs is incredibly important for us.
Occasionally we encounter situations where a customer request falls outside our current capabilities. Even then, our mindset is always, ‘How do we get to yes?’. This question drives us to explore creative solutions and provide ideas for how we can continue to grow together.
What major initiatives do you have out on the production floor for 2025?
MW: Well our production floor is getting an upgrade. We’ve invested in several new cutting-edge pieces of machinery that will significantly enhance Dane’s production capabilities, particularly our ability utilize automation. The Starmatic Robotic Unloader we are adding provides automated unloading and palletizing and enables us to operate with unattended, lights-out production. Dane is well on its way to becoming one of the most integrated sheet metal fabrication smart factories in the US.
SC: We also have some very exciting initiatives for 2025.
In parallel to the new equipment and production floor optimization, we are launching a Quick Response Manufacturing initiative. This is a customer-focused goal as it’s geared to reducing lead times which helps us better respond to our customer’s needs. QRM principles will impact a number of areas on our floor.
Additionally, we are transitioning from a paper-based work traveler system to a virtual platform. This digital transformation will streamline production workflows, support our QRM efforts and enable further smart factory integration.
The list goes on, but those are a few of the highlights for 2025. Overall, we’re excited about where it will take us and what it will mean for our customers.
What other new equipment is coming to Dane?
MW: Well, we have a new tube laser which with significantly enhanced capabilities. It will cut our current tube laser’s processing time in half. Finally, one of the most exciting pieces of equipment we have coming is a new panel bend cell. This cell will tie into our STOPA system which stores raw material. Material will be delivered directly to the panel bender, materials will be processed and then robotically transferred to a palletized system with an integrated conveyer system.
You mentioned STOPA. What can you tell us about Dane’s use of automation and STOPA? How does it impact our customers?
SC: STOPA is a critical piece of equipment, and the largest structure you’ll see on our floor. It is a sophisticated material handling system, with several pieces of Trumpf machinery connected to it. Dane’s use of automation helps us in several ways. It allows our operators to focus on managing exceptions and issues instead of putting pressure on an operator to push more product through the line and it also enhances Dane’s quality control process. It’s important to emphasize that Dane is utilizing automation to complement our workforce, not to replace it. We’ve found that automation adds value by complementing the expertise of our operators and we grow, both in capability and in job creation, as a result.
You also mentioned QRM as a major initiative in 2025. What is QRM?
SC: Great question. Quick Response Manufacturing is an approach to manufacturing that aims to reduce both internal and external lead times. It’s an enterprise-wide strategy that addresses all aspects of supporting our customers from order receipt to order shipment.
What are some ways that Dane is looking to apply QRM principles to their operations?
SC: We have identified two key areas where we can make a significant impact on lead times. Currently, our scheduling process has quite a bit of non-value-added time built into it. We are tightening up our scheduling process to reduce lead times and minimize the amount of material waiting in our plant at any given time. 
We also know that we have some inefficiencies in our front-end processes; these are the steps that take place before an order is released to the floor. We are in the process of capturing baseline measurements and will begin launching an improvement plan in the very near future. QRM gives us a framework to review these processes, eliminate waste and as a result, run efficiently and accurately for our customers.
Ok let’s shift gears. We all know that a big part of what sets Dane apart is our people. What makes the Dane team unique?
MW: I think that two things make this team unique. People sincerely enjoy working here. Troy (our CEO) makes it very clear that our employees come first and that shows through his actions and the culture we have here. You can see it and feel it when you walk through the plant and that makes all the difference in the world.
Second, complacency isn’t in the culture here. Our teams want to keep getting better. Scott and I work hard with our teams to encourage our team members and team leads to bring solutions and ideas. All ideas are welcome. When we work together with a common vision, this team can do a lot of great things. When employees enjoy what they do, and feel valued and passionate about what they are doing, it creates something really special.
In your opinion, what can customers expect from Dane?
SC: I believe our customers want a fabricator or contract manufacturing partner that is dependable and one who is as invested in their success as we are in our own. They want a partner who they can trust again and again. Delivering on that is what all of our operational growth is about.
That is what we mean when we say “More Than Metal.” We are more than someone who can bend metal or weld something. We are a manufacturing partner you can trust and we are continually focused on getting even better.