WRC Holocon Controller Contributes to German Holonics Research

The WRC Holocon is currently the only American-made controller featured in the IEC61499 interoperability test-bed research at Martin-Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

Link to see a photo of W2 Holocon Function-block-controller alongside German and Italian components. Follow links under "TESTBED IEC 61499" menu (to left) to see the functions of each station in the test bed: distribution, testing, processing and handling; along with the many process modules and their functions within each station.

Western Reserve Controls is honored to be a participant in this ground-breaking research and development to make mass customization an every-day reality.

Flexibility, Agility and Mass Customization Now Available to Manufacturing Firms:

Western Reserve Controls, (WRC) the maker of the SmartMux® and Holocon® family of industrial control products, today announced the formation of a spin-off company, AM2C – The Agile Manufacturing and Mass Customization Company. WRC and AM2C have the exclusive rights to enhance, commercialize and sub-license a suite of patented factory automation software developed by Eveready Battery Company, Inc for Agile Manufacturing and Mass Customization applications. AM2C calls the software suite ZIGGY™

With the emergence of the global market, manufacturers are looking for ways to improve competitiveness. ZIGGY helps manufacturers maintain competitive cost structures, improve their cash flow, reduce their inventory costs, provide greater customer satisfaction, and develop competitive advantage.

AM2C’ ZIGGY provides intelligent, agent-based, distributed controls for factory automation allowing production batch sizes as small as one, in-line, with high-volume, mass production-like cost structures. The software provides a structured environment guiding manufacturers to design and implement Lean Manufacturing, realizing the Lean ideal of “Build to Order”. The product will be of tremendous value to manufacturing firms of all sizes and types.

IEC61499 Multi-agent Open Controls presentation:

"IEC61499 - a Multi-Agent Based, Open Control Standard" will be the final presentation at the Remote Monitoring 2005 and Onsite Power 2005 Conference in Orlando, FL on Oct. 7th.

This presentation describes a high-speed manufacturing process implemented with this underlying technology that meets the objectives of high-speed, high-volume, mass customization with a lot size of "ONE".

Software Agent-Based control promises enhancements to today's hierarchical control architecture allowing flatter, highly distributed, networked, autonomous, yet cooperative control.

(November 2004) WRC wins the 2004
Greater Akron Business Conference
"Top Success Story Award"

Taking control of destiny

By Abby Cymerman
Smart Business Akron/Canton - November 2004 - SPECIAL REPORT

An Akron company learns that wishful thinking doesn't always work in the business world.

Western Reserve Controls Inc. (WRC), an industrial electronics manufacturer, was founded by President Jim Barlow and Vice President for Technology Fred Billock in September 1990 as a management buyout from Rockwell International.

The company acquired a low-cost product line in Taiwan and planned to market the line through U.S. and international distributors.

The product line had more than 300 parts, and lead time to get products out of Taiwan was four months. The company didn't have the capability or the cash to forecast 300 parts accurately over a four-month period and couldn't afford to stock the shelves hoping it had the right mix. Barlow and Billock soon realized WRC didn't have the same marketing clout as bigger companies, and the founders took a leap of faith and moved their production facility to Akron.

This created new challenges -- such as organizing a plant, finding and training employees, and developing processes to manufacture a quality product -- but it didn't cost any more money. Wages were higher in Akron, but WRC eliminated a layer of margin built in by the Taiwanese contractor, as well as expensive freight and duty fees.

Nine years later, Barlow and Billock changed their business model again. They conducted a ruthlessly honest assessment of the company and found their strengths were engineering and manufacturing and their weakness was marketing.

In response to the assessment, they developed WRCoutsource, a plan to offer WRC's engineering and manufacturing talents as a package to organizations that either were understaffed or that had no electronic staff. This allowed it to approach a more focused set of customers.

As a result, WRCoutsource has grown from 0 percent of the company's sales in 2000 to 60 percent of sales in 2004, with 2005 expected to be another banner year.

Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic proclaimed Jan. 5, 2000, as Western Reserve Controls Day and recognized the "unique public-private partnership in forming WRC into a leading manufacturer of industrial controls and in recognition of the growth of the company." Today, WRC's 11,000-square-foot factory markets it products across the United States and in 20 countries.

WRC develops advanced control technology: Holonic Controls

(February 2004) Over the last 30 years, Ohio has continued to lose manufacturing jobs to foreign countries. Ohio's machinery industry represented over $9.4 billion of goods in 1999; 3rd place in the United States. Since 1999, Ohio's total manufacturing employment has decreased almost 16% as reported in 2003 employment data. This alarming fact calls for new and improved methods to improve the competitiveness and viability of Ohio manufacturing. Competing strictly on the basis of cost-cutting has not proven to be a successful strategy for American manufacturers. 
 
A local effort has begun to address this issue with the use of advanced control technology to make manufacturing companies competitive. Known as Holonic Controls, this new control technology is based on the international standard, IEC 61499. A local entrepreneurial company, Western Reserve Controls has initiated the domestic development of this new technology.
 
This technology applies to all types of manufacturing and all sizes of companies.  If you are interested in the revival of manufacturing in Northeast Ohio link to the WRC presentation on this subject.

This presentation was given by Jim Barlow, President of Western Reserve Controls to the Akron Chapter of the N.E. Ohio Software Association on January 15th, 2004 at Software Answers (http://www.softwareanswers.com) in Fairlawn, Ohio.

Link to html page of presentation here

Download the Power Point presentation

Download the pdf version (smaller file)

WRC is pleased to announce WRC Outsource
for OEM value-added design solutions.

Link to full story

Western Reserve Controls acquires assets of JNM Corp.

Western Reserve Controls has completed the acquisition of the assets of JNM Corp. JNM is a manufacturer of analytical sampling systems and panels for industrial and environmental applications. Founded in 1990, Western Reserve Controls is a manufacturer of "Blue-Collar," industrial electronics, signal conditioning, industrial I/O, solid-state relays, and SCADA products. Western Reserve Controls markets its products across the US and exports to 15 countries. Manufacturing of JNM products will be moved to WRC's Akron facility. Terms were not disclosed.

Industrial Incubator Hatches Another Success Story—by Mark Williamson

(January 2000 - Akron Beacon Journal) Western Reserve Controls, Inc., a manufacturer of electronic controls that got its start in the Akron Industrial Incubator in May of 1991, has graduated to its own facility. At his weekly news conference today, Mayor Don Plusquellic credited the Industrial Incubator and its director, Mike Lehere, with creating the proper environment to create new jobs in the city.

Mayor Plusquellic said, "Western Reserve Controls has seen steady growth since its beginnings in the Incubator complex when it was in the O'Neil's building. WRC has gone from a couple of employees to more than 35 and has gone from a relatively small operation to one that literally outgrew the Incubator. That's exactly what we want to see."

Mike Lehere said, "What began in 2,000 square feet in the original Incubator, grew to occupy 5,000 square feet when we moved to Canal Place. Now WRC is in a 15,000 square foot facility. I couldn't be happier with their progress."

Western Reserve's new facility is on Exeter Road off of Kelly Avenue in Southeast Akron. President Jim Barlow and Vice President for Technology Fred Billock started the company in 1990. By 1991, they acquired their current technology from Allen-Bradley Company. Production was gradually transferred from Taiwan to Akron with the introduction of expanded manufacturing processes. WRC President Jim Barlow said at the news conference, "Western Reserve has added new products every year and has grown from 40 outsourced products with 2 full-time employees, to more than 400 manufactured in Akron by a staff of 35. Without the help of the Industrial Incubator, we would not have the success we enjoy today."

In December of 1996 and again in 1997, WRC was honored as one of the fastest growing companies in Northeastern Ohio. Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management gives the Weatherhead 100 Outstanding Growth Companies award in association with the regional Enterprise Development Company. In addition, the Cascade Development Authority of Summit County recognized WRC as an Outstanding Company.

With the exception of one year, WRC has grown every year since its founding.

Western Reserve Controls is a manufacturer of data acquisition subsystems, signal conditioning components and products supplied to the industrial and commercial controls industries. Typical customers include machinery builders; control system engineering firms; heating, ventilation and air conditioning companies; manufacturing plants; motion, logic and process control manufacturers; amusement parks and others.

Four Goodyear Blimps Fly Over WRC Headquarters

In a historic moment, all four Goodyear blimps fly over WRC headquarters, located in the same industrial complex as the old Goodyear blimp hanger in Akron, Ohio. Three of the four ships usually represent Goodyear in other parts of the United States.

September 2002