We aren’t right for everyone.
If you’re launching a product that is best served by traditional high-volume, capital-intensive production, then we aren’t right for you.
If you’re launching a simple product that could be reliably assembled with simple hand tools in your garage, then we aren’t right for you.
In fact, if…
- You have a cookie-cutter product that should follow a standard, proven production method
- You highly value a name brand (that isn’t Edison Manufacturing and Engineering 😊)
- You’re building a one-off prototype or proof of concept
- You need a production solution that has an existing tool/equipment base
- You’re primarily looking for a fabrication partner
- You believe it’s important for your manufacturing partner to have in-house engineering
- You want to have an arms-length, traditional relationship with your CM
- You need production in several continents
As an example, we’ve decided not to be vertically integrated. We execute general assembly, and we support production engineering and supply chain activities to enable us to this well. We can manage vehicle-level build programs for A to Z. But we don’t do it all in-house.
If product engineering support is required, then we bring in the right partner for the situation.
Same thing if you need metal fabrication, wire harness fabrication, PCBA production, and several other activities. We bring in the right partner for the situation.
We could build out these capabilities in-house. But that would prevent us from serving our customers as well as we can today.
A company that’s well suited for a high-precision automotive application will almost certainly have a cost structure and process controls that prevent them from being cost effective in the micromobility space, or the marine space. Just like a trailer manufacturer that specializes in one-off prototypes won’t have the quality and process controls to execute to the level required for a highly complex product.
If we built up metal fabrication capabilities, then we could better serve the small subset of projects that truly benefit from this vertical integration – situations when the majority of the build scope is metal fabrication, or it is cost-prohibitive to transport fabricated components to our final assembly site.
But adding this capability would increase our overhead burden and change our cost structure. And we would limit our metal fabrication options.
If we had an internal shop, then that would become the metal fab shop that we use for all situations, even when there’s a mismatch between capabilities and product requirements.
So, we choose not to build out this capability. Which means that we need to be upfront when this prevents us from being the optimal solution for a given situation. And also means that vertically integrated contract manufacturers can’t compete with us in some situations.
Metal fabrication is just one example. Edison has been built from top to bottom to serve the low-volume, complex assembly space, particularly for products and situations that benefit from our unique strengths.
We’re
Faster and more flexible than you would expect.
Customer and product-centric from top to bottom.
And reliable without a doubt.
So, if...
- You’re launching a product that’s unlike anything you’ve built
- You’re entering a new market
- You want to leverage the best supply chain for your specific applications
- You value a flexible, customized approach to manufacturing
- You want to work with a manufacturing partner who is part of your team
- You don’t want to be crushed by engineering and program change costs
- Your situation doesn’t fit well within the traditional supply chains for your industry
- Your volumes aren’t “typical”
- You want to move fast
Then we have good news.
Not only are we a good option for you, but we’re likely the best option for your situation.
We certainly aren’t right for everyone.
But we might be perfect for you.
