Listen to this articleKMM Group, Ltd. is an innovative and collaborative fusion of three top-tier companies: KV Inc., M&S Centerless Grinding, Inc., and Meron Medical. With 100 years of combined experience in leading-edge milling, turning, grinding, engineering, and assembly, KMM Group manufactures high-precision, mission-critical components for medtech, aerospace, space exploration, and other high-tech industries.
KMM Group specializes in holding exceptionally tight tolerances, navigating extreme and difficult jobs, and delivering top-notch quality with a 99% key client delivery performance and 99.7% best-in-class quality achievement. However, KMM Group’s founders, John Shegda (CEO) and Eric Wilhelm (President) were worried about sustaining this success since their company operations were dispersed across buildings that they were quickly outgrowing.
So, John and Eric envisioned expanding and centralizing its precision machining and grinding operations under one roof in a modern, cutting-edge facility. They wanted to dismantle outdated perceptions of dark and dingy production environments and build a light, bright, and technologically advanced complex where exceptional innovations are born.
So, in the spring of 2021, they acquired an outdated two-story, 100,000-square-foot building in Hatboro, PA, and began transforming it into an impressive state-of-the-art facility.
“We viewed the investment as a critical step toward securing our position as a globally recognized contract component manufacturer for mission-critical applications,” said Eric Wilhelm, President of KMM Group.
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Partnering with an exceptionally qualified team of architects, designers, engineers, consultants, advisors, and a general contractor, John, Eric, and their teams embarked on a winding journey to revitalize an outdated space into a modernized facility with:
- Approximately 100,000 square feet, including 74,000 on the first floor and 22,000 on the second floor
- Remarkable curb appeal with a clean, contemporary aesthetic inside and out
- High-end, high-capacity manufacturing environment
- 100+ milling, turning, grinding & EDM machines
- 4,000 square feet of R&D space
- ISO Class 8 Cleanroom
- Robust quality control areas
- 30-40,000 square feet of expansion area for dedicated equipment and projects
- Grand entrance with a natural light-filled atrium and staircase to the second level
- Modern cafeteria equipped with walls of refrigerators and microwaves and a café-style eating space
- Comfortable and contemporary lobby spaces
- Multi-purpose training center and conference room
- Breakout conference rooms outfitted with NEAT technology
- Well-equipped employee gym space
- Expansive automation space for engineers to tinker
- Professionally designed offices and workspaces for executive leadership, engineering, estimating, finance, and administration
As KMM Group completes the final phases of its massive construction project, it released a progress update in February 2023 confirming the completion of the deconstruction phase and roof elevation work. In addition, it poured new floors to support its advanced machines, and the roof decking and insulation installation are underway. The company is currently gearing up for its final phase, which is interior finishing. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to be ready for move-in by the summer of 2023.
“Soon, our building will better represent the collaborative, innovative, and leading-edge company we’ve worked hard to cultivate for many years. We will no longer be limited by capacity or other restrictions – whatever we want to do and however we want to grow, we can. We’re incredibly excited for this next phase.” said John Shegda, CEO of KMM Group.
Modern Manufacturing Solutions for Today’s Mission-Critical Components
KMM Group is committed to innovation and has developed proprietary precision manufacturing platforms for more efficient progress. The company specializes in precision machining, centerless grinding, and research and development for mission-critical industries.
Its continual investments in cutting-edge technologies and commitment to recruiting the best and brightest minds allow it to overcome exceptionally challenging manufacturing feats, such as tight tolerances, complex parts, and difficult materials.
As a forward-thinking organization, KMM Group values a supportive client experience, with direct and frequent access to key members of their team who are dedicated to listening and developing bold and groundbreaking solutions.
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The Road Ahead
KMM Group’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility has attracted the attention of highly accomplished talent, aiding the company’s aggressive hiring initiatives. New key team members this year include a Six Sigma Black Belt Director of Continuous Improvement and Project Manager and Drexel Coop, who will help facilitate the relocation. These employees join an ultra-talented team of manufacturing leaders, craftspeople, and professionals who will become the heartbeat of the new facility.
KMM Group expects more aggressive hiring throughout 2023 to fill new positions as the company expands its ever-growing capabilities to become a state-of-the-art contract manufacturing facility for mission-critical applications.
To round out this whirlwind year, the company plans to host a grand opening celebration, ribbon-cutting ceremony, and VIP open house this fall to celebrate the expansion and relocation of its cutting-edge new facility. It will also exhibit and promote its capabilities at key industry trade shows, including Device Talks Boston, OMTEC, BioMEDevice-Boston, MedTech Ireland, MD&M Indianapolis, MPO Summit, AeroDef, and BioMEDevice-Santa Clara.
A Strong Company Culture is Critical to Success
John and Eric believe that cultivating a strong company culture and team has been integral to their success leading to this remarkable expansion, which will allow them to bring their vision for the future of manufacturing to life.
“We’ve developed a strong company culture by defining specific behaviors fundamental to our company’s success,” explained John. “Then, we created rituals that put our culture-defining behaviors into practice, like our weekly all-hands meeting where we discuss one of our fundamentals as a team.”
John has seen the results of these rituals on employee attitudes, how they respond to challenges, and how they treat others.
“One of the most important ways we’ve committed to maintaining our culture is through our hiring practices,” Eric added. “We prioritize values alignment over technical skills during the interview process to ensure we’re bringing on new people who will integrate easily.”
Eric also noted that communicating, including asking for employee feedback regularly, and responding to it, helps senior leadership stay connected to the pulse of their team, further strengthening the culture and improving overall performance.
Beyond contributing to the company’s success, KMM Group’s strong company culture has allowed for more purposeful and meaningful work, higher employee satisfaction, and increased opportunities for personal and professional growth within the company.
With their unwavering commitment to cultivating a strong company culture and leading a successful team, John and Eric hope to continue fulfilling their dream of becoming leading-edge precision manufacturers with an eye toward the future.
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