I’m Michael Dodson with SleepSafe Beds and I’m the Fabrication Supervisor here. I started in welding fabrication when I was about 12 or 13 years old. My stepfather was a welding instructor for the United States Army and it just has progressed on from there. It’s something that I’ve done that I’ve just really enjoyed, and for the most part, it’s the only thing I’m good at. I’ve been here since 2008. Our product is a safety bed that is designed for special-needs people for in-home use. Our customers know that they’re getting a top-quality product. Our customer service is probably the best in the industry.
About five years ago we made a conscious decision to start moving as much of our production in-house as possible. When we were trying to prototype a new part, we would have to do our engineering and drawing and send them to an outside source. Of course, we had to fit their schedule and then we would get the part back. Then, we’d have to make our changes, send it back, and then we’d get it back to make any additional changes.
Whereas, now when we’re starting to introduce new products, we do everything here. So it’s a matter of minutes or hours as opposed to days and weeks. Our main use of the [Piranha] press brake is [making] a structural corner out of 14 gauge steel. The quality of the product has to be as close to perfect as possible because it is a visible part. When someone walks into their room, they will see the part exposed.
When we were looking at press brakes, I had explained to the owner of that company that the Delem controller was so easy that even he could use it, and he has absolutely no metal fabrication background. Setting up the machine was extremely easy with the touch screen controller. When the factory rep came, he stayed here for two days [and] went over everything very explicitly. [He] made sure I understood everything and when he left, [it was] like [I had] been running it for several years. The customer service has been more than you could ask for. If I have to get ahold of my contact it’s usually within a few minutes when he gets back to me. I wouldn’t buy anything else, quite honestly.