What Differentiates LAI from Other Contract Manufacturers

Innovative ideas, best-in-class people, optimized processes and leading-edge technology help LAI International re-define the traditional manufacturing and supply-chain model.

Our business is based on providing the most effective manufacturing and assembly solutions to the world’s most innovative companies. LAI is a strategic supplier to industry leaders who are driven to be the best in their vertical markets. Our customers are our partners. We collaborate to deliver innovative solutions to manufacturing problems, improve product throughput and optimize processes. LAI leverages its LEAN and Six Sigma processes, integrated material sourcing and intellectual property to deliver your mission-critical products and assemblies. We handle contract manufacturing ranging from single-engineered products to complex manufacturing requiring multi-tier supply chain management. We are a complete manufacturing solution provider with a passion to commit and the conviction to deliver.

Many of our manufacturing solutions are the result of technology and manufacturing skills that are genuinely unique to LAI. Together with our depth and breadth of processes we are positioned to offer complete supply-chain solutions for our customers. We work closely with our customers at every stage of the manufacturing and product-delivery process. LAI offers numerous leading-edge solutions to the manufacturing of mission-critical components for highly demanding customer applications.

Combining these skills and institutionalizing a LEAN and Six-Sigma manufacturing philosophy has resulted in our delivery of industry-leading time-to-market solutions at a highly competive level of cost. We find the best manufacturing solutions for our customers’ requirements, resulting in long-term commercial relationships built on mutual trust and understanding. LAI’s approach to delivering manufacturing solutions is driven by extremely focused research and development, extensive use of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and factory automation technologies, LEAN and Six Sigma processes, and a highly educated and motivated workforce.

Corporate Culture


LAI International's success centers largely on helping its employees develop a shared set of common values. These values are intended to serve as guides to behavior and decision making at LAI. The application of these values in our day-to-day work will enable us to maintain strong long-term relationships with our customers, suppliers and coworkers, which is critical to our growth and success.

Support of Charitable and Community Causes


LAI and its employees support a variety of charitable causes including those working to serve the poor, end hunger, provide disaster relief, improve overall health, protect the environment and support sustainable communities. 

                                     LAI International

LAI officially aligned itself with two national charitable causes -- American Cancer Society and The Humane Society of the United States -- following a companywide vote by its employees Aug. 18, 2010. LAI organizes efforts to support its two primary causes and additional causes through resources and volunteer support from employees. Representives from each of LAI's locations formed an Internal Communications Group in July 2010 in part to organize efforts to support charitable causes and help the community. The group's mission is to promote a happy and healthy workforce across the company, commmunicate internal news, support community causes, and encourage fitness and wellness.

LAI International and its employees contribute support and volunteer time to a dozen non-profit organizations seeking to make our communities better places in which to live, including:
- American Cancer Society is one of two primary causes LAI supports. The charity is dedicated to helping persons who face cancer, and supporets research, patient services, early detection, treatment and education. 
- Cars for Causes is the charity that gives to charities by facilitating the sale and transfer of the proceeds of donated vehicles.
- Empty Bowls, Southern Anoka County, Minn., a grass-roots movement to help end hunger. LAI donates funds, and an LAI employee volunteers time to provide free meals to emphasize hunger in the community, process donations and help with a silent auction to raise money for a local food shelf.
- Human Society of the United States is one of two primary causes LAI supports. The charity seeks a humane and sustainable world for all animals.
 - Katrina relief. LAI supports the efforts of employees who volunteer time rebuilding homes in the Gulf Coast damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
- Maine State Troopers Association is a law enforcement assocaition in Maine.
- MDA. LAI has contributed donations to the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul. LAI employees have volunteered their time to repair bicycles, work in the kitchen and stock items in the warehouse at the Phoenix center, dedicated to serving the poor and homeless.
- Special Olympics. LAI donated a used company car to Cars for Causes, a donation center, June 2010. Proceeds of the sale of the vehicle went to the Maine chapter of Special Olympics.
- Susan G. Komen For the Cure. LAI employees plan to participate in the Race for the Cure®  5K, in Portland, Maine, Sept. 12, 2010, and in Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 10, 2010. 
- U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation. LAI employees collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, donating them to Toys for Tots to distribute to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
- Veterans of armed services.

Environmental Stewardship


LAI recognizes its responsibility to be a good corporate citizen and keeps a commitment of respect for the communities and the natural environments in which it operates. LAI encourage participation in community activities and its employees work together to help preserve the environment. The company supports comprehensive recycling programs at its locations across the United States. LAI Midwest, a division of LAI International, was recognized by the Anoka County Solid Waste Advisory Task Force with an Environmental Recognition Award for Recycling and Water Conservation in 2007. LAI takes pride in supporting annual tree-planting events organized by employees recognizing Arbor Day. 

Wellness Program


LAI's wellness program recognizing and supports a healthy lifestyle, fitness and overall wellness in its workforce.

LAI provides free health support offerings through its health insurance plan:
- 24-hour nurse advice line
- Fitness center discounts
- Healthy Start® Prenatal Support
- On-Line Health Assessment and Health Coaching Modules
- On-Line Wellness Center
- Opportunity Health Assessment
- Stop-Smoking Support

Our Corporate Values

LAI International's success centers largely on helping its employees develop a shared set of common values. These values are intended to serve as guides to behavior and decision making at LAI. The application of these values in our day-to-day work will enable us to maintain strong long-term relationships with our customers, suppliers and coworkers, which is critical to our growth and success.

 

Mutual Respect

  • LAI promotes an environment of mutual respect and trust that will cultivate enjoyment, teamwork and success in the workplace.

Integrity

  • Absolute integrity is the cornerstone of strong relationships. We seek to hire people of integrity, and avoid engaging in activities with people who are untrustworthy.

Openness and Communication

  • An honest and unimpeded flow of information is critical to our long-term success as a company. We strive to document and share the results of our work for the greater good of LAI.

Continuous Improvement

  • Our mission asks each of us to approach each day and task with a goal of continuous improvement. Implicitly, we recognize that no methodology or organization is perfect, and that people of good intent make honest mistakes. We recognize these as opportunities for growth, rather than for punishment.

Education and Learning

  • Continued learning and growth is the only way to respond to the rapid pace of change that will always be a part of our environment. We encourage our staff to improve and grow through learning on the job and outside of the workplace.

Technology

  • Our competitive edge is based on our technology.  Our competitors will not stand still; nor will we. We will continue to seek and master appropriate new technologies.

Pride and Craftsmanship

  • We ask each employee to bring a sense of pride to his or her work every day. People who are proud of what they do are more productive and satisfied. 

Enjoyment

  • Work should be enjoyable and rewarding. This pleasure comes from working with people we like and respect in the completion of clear and specific objectives. In support of this, we will celebrate our successes and applaud our coworkers. 

Delivery

  • When we set out to do something we will do it completely and correctly. We are committed to deliver on time to our internal and external customers with quality.

Quality

  • We expect to be judged on the quality of our work. Our customers deserve our best efforts at all times. Nothing less than this is acceptable.

Environment and Community

  • We have a responsibility to be good corporate citizens and will always be respectful of the communities and natural environments in which we operate. We will encourage participation in community activities and work together to preserve the environment.

Why Outsource with LAI?

LAI combines world-class people, processes and intellectual property to manufacture make-complete precision parts. LAI coordinates supply chain management to reduce the number of vendors to deliver make-complete precision parts on time.

LAI’s Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) teams help customers reduce production costs:

  • Management of risk with contractual obligation
  • Operational expertise
  • Access to larger staffing pool and wider range of skills and experience
  • Management of capacity
  • Improved quality of product
  • Six Sigma continuous improvement in quality
  • Reduction of time to market
  • Application of LEAN — extreme focus on eliminating wait states
  • Reduction in production cycle — 40%
  • Design changes — optimized for improved manufacturability
  • Efficient raw material purchases — supply chain leverage through volume
  • Lead-time compression to get new products to shop floor — 60% plus
  • Minimal scrap — 0.17% scrap rate
  • Reduction in product acquisition costs — average 3-7% annually