Whether it’s off-loading or outsourcing, there is an opportunity for outsourced tooling in the aerospace industry. OEMs are farming out a variety of tooling work. This opportunity comes with expectations, processes and standards that are beyond any industry CIT has ever worked with, requiring the utmost design, quality and expertise.

CIT’s interest in this highly advanced market fits with its capabilities to produce sophisticated tools and high end parts while being cost competitive at the same time. Large aerospace OEMs are looking to CIT because of our small size, competitive nature and talent to do the work faster, cheaper and better. This follows the business model that is prevalent in the automotive industry, with the obvious differences in scale.

CIT will work diligently to be the right supplier for the right aerospace companies where it can add the best value and create the best relationships.

When there’s a need in the market, CIT looks to meet it.

There was a noticeable lack in the robotics market and instead of sitting by and letting someone else handle it, CEO Kim Wuertemberger decided his team would solve the problem and start creating robots of their own. CIT builds robots for several reasons: cost, custom application, efficiency for the client and offered flexibility.

Cost

From a cost standpoint as they surveyed the market, CIT couldn’t find anything to fit its needs and the cost was just too expensive. So, instead of outsourcing robotics, they designed and built their own at a more affordable price.  

Custom application

There’s a very specific need around the manufacturing of returnable shipping racks, cabs and liftgates and, at the time, there was nothing in the marketplace that was able to fit this need. By implementing custom robotics, CIT’s clients can now have their own individual needs met.

Efficiency

By implementing a robotics system, CIT is able to create efficiency for the client instead of having parts manufactured from several different places. By not outsourcing robotics, CIT is giving customers not only a more cost-effective solution, but a more efficient one as well.

Flexibility

Customer robotics systems allow CIT to give customers the flexibility to utilize robotics for racks or fully welded cabs.

CEO Kim Wuertemberger focuses primarily on the small details that help make the big picture happen within the company. When these small details come together, CIT is able to provide top-notch custom robotics that are cost-effective, efficient and flexibly offered.

“I’m basically a shop floor kind of guy,” Wuertemberger said. “You’re most likely to find me working with our team on process improvement or reverse engineering. I’m obsessed with the details of how things work with safety and efficiency, and of course, we have to think about profitability- not just our own, but our clients’ profitability. It’s this type of design and process thinking that has been at the heart of our success.”

In case you missed it, CIT recently featured the cab that it produces for Mitsubishi at the CONEXPO Show. 

According to Dave Mahan, Senior Program Manager, CIT’s cab is not like the rest of them.

“What’s really unique about this cab is that it’s comparable to a tilt cab except that both sides open completely. So you just have engage the latch on both sides in order to completely open the side panels in order to reach the engine,” Mahan said.  

The way the side mechanism works, you can access the engine from either side of the cab. This slight distinction makes a big difference in the long run. It’s easier for maintenance departments to gain access to the engine this way, making repairs simple and the upkeep process smoother and more efficient.

This is a big win for the industry as CIT continues to showcase its ability to create innovative, cost-effective and quality cabs and other manufactured goods for the automotive industry.

For more information on our cab designs, read our “Cab Of The Future” roundup post here.

As CIT begins our 30th anniversary celebrations, we wanted to look back at our journey from a humble two person tool shop in Dayton, OH  to now being a supplier for global brands such as Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Rolls Royce and Volvo.

Our extraordinary growth and success is in no small part due to the incredible vision, innovation and commitment of our team.

When faced with customer problems they’ve used innovation even if it meant breaking rules or straying from common industry practices.

Company Values

That’s why our company philosophy is: Stay Customer Focused. Everyday.

It’s this simple phrase that drives us to put the customer first and solve problems with innovation. It’s also due to this philosophy that quality is a focus too.

Company culture is centered around this phrase: “Quality is our contract with you ensuring customer satisfaction.”

Today, CIT is one of the leading employers in Richmond, Indiana including 4 executive positions and 8 management positions.

As part of the accomplishments of the company, CIT has implemented a quality program which has reached compelling results.

“I started with CIT 9 years ago and could not believe the true team approach that existed,” Mike Owens, VP of Sales & Marketing, said. “Kim Wuertemberger and Mike Catey, the two principles of the company, truly have an open door policy and are willing to entertain any new idea or suggestion. The ‘can due’ spirit of CIT is direct reflection of culture that has been fostered here by the owners.”

As part of the evolution from tool shop to global brand supplier, it is worth noting the values of design and thought. CIT puts engineering to work to solve complex problems.

Whether it’s developing a custom built robot to a laser cutting system to other complex material handling systems, CIT has always focused on the customer needs. The company plans to grow by 20 percent over the next 18 months with plans to expand as well.

Our President Kim Wuertemberger is dedicated to being hands on and involved in all of the little details of the company.

“I’m basically a shop floor kind of guy. You’re most likely to find me working with our team on process improvement or reverse engineering,” Wuertemberger said. “I’m obsessed with the details of how things work with safety and efficiency, and of course, we have to think about profitability- not just our own, but our clients’ profitability. It’s this type of design and process thinking that has been at the heart of our success.”

Our Story

CIT began as a small, two-person operation that specialized in light contract manufacturing in Dayton, Ohio in 1987.

A few years later, the company relocated to the “L” Street facility in Kim’s hometown of Richmond, Indiana where they began expanding their service offerings to include the manufacturing of containers for the Automotive industry and custom shipping racks.

Due to its continued impressive growth, the company is now in an 118,000 square foot facility. CIT’s services now also include the manufacturing of medical tables, lift gates and CAB enclosures.

The CIT story is one that truly embodies the American ideals of constant creation, small business, free enterprise and inventiveness.

Here’s to 30 years of innovation at CIT.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our accomplishments from the past 30 years as we acknowledge our prior achievements and look to the future to provide more products of the highest quality and continue to revolutionize the industry.

An interview with CEO Kim Wuertemberger recently appeared in Construction In Focus Magazine. Wuertemberger discusses the history of CIT, the products CIT offers and the company today. You can read the interview below.

The following was originally printed in Construction In Focus Magazine. 

CIT lets you see the future NOW!

Kim Wuertemberger started CIT 30 years ago in 1987 with a burning desire to give his very best. Whether it has been adding new technologically, advanced machinery, hiring the most talented people possible, identifying and delivering what customers are looking for, Kim and CIT have unwaveringly pursued a vision of even greater customer satisfaction.

Q: Tell us a little about the company, a brief history of CIT and an overview of your business today.

A: I started the business in 1987 in Dayton Ohio as a small tool shop, a “garage” operation with two people. A few years later I moved the business to my home city of Richmond, Indiana to cut down on my drive time and increase my actual work time. In 1997, I decided I needed some additional help so I brought on a partner as Vice President with a vision for expansion into the returnable shipping rack business for automotive. This move started our advancement into other areas and today we are a full blown Contract Manufacturer of many products.

Q: Tell us about the company’s products.

A: We still have our own in-house tool shop but we utilize all of its capacity for our own needs. We design and manufacturer customer Cab solutions for OEM equipment manufacturers. This includes Cabs for the Industrial, Construction and Material Handling industries. Our first large production product was returnable steel shipping racks and containers for the automotive industry. CIT has become known for our ability to be very successful at producing the most complicated of shipping racks. The newest product that we produce are hydraulic lift gate components for the second largest lift gate manufacturer in the world. CIT also produces medical therapy tables for the physical therapy market and ship them all over the world. Lastly we do tooling (engine shipping containers) for the Aerospace industry, so you can see that we have become extremely diversified over the years. We are constantly looking to expand our opportunities with our current customers as well as expanding into new markets.

Q: How can our readers find out more about your company?

A: Call us, we love to talk to folks about their needs and how we can help them. You can also visit our website, www.c-i-t.com or even better stop by our booth at ConExpo, C22621 and meet us face to face. Please come by, we can show you the future!

CIT now providing Volvo with superior rack designs to cut transportation costs and increased part protection

As of early April 2017, CIT has begin working with global automotive giant Volvo Cars, one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales in about 100 countries.

“Volvo was interested in very specific design and prototyping approach for racks with two outcomes in mind – lowering transportation costs and increasing part protection. Our design team focused on maximizing parts per rack and size per rack. We worked with models of the parts and the footprint so we can achieve these goals,” said Jeff Hazelett, Director of Regional Sales at CIT.

CIT’s design team approached this design project with a full understanding of Volvo’s European precision standards. The company has built out a new automated manufacturing cell which relies heavily on custom robotics to dramatically increases flexibility and enabling 4 different components of the rack to be completed at the same time.

“We needed robotics that aren’t available – so we designed and built our own robots – all the with the intent of taking automation and flexibility to a different level. Racks are an important mechanism for ensuring safe transportation of class A parts – most people don’t realize all the design thinking that goes into them. Volvo does and that’s what make this partnership so exciting,” said Greg Mounsey, Plant Manager at CIT.

If you’d like to tour CIT and/or discuss a customized approach to solving a design and prototyping project for your manufacturing company, please call Mike Owen at 8664391439.

A Recap Of Recent Posts

CIT is back with The Cab of The Future 2.0. More feature, more benefits – and intensive design thinking that has resulted in improving operator performance and experience. So whether you’re in the construction, material handling, industry or utility markets – this is very positive news for you!

But, if you’d like an early briefing and discussion of capabilities, please call Mike Owens at 866-439-1493 ext. 266.

Introducing the Redesigned Cab of The Future 2.0 With More Advancements
CIT debuts cab with even more features and benefits

8 Things you’ll Love about the Cab of The Future
360 degree visibility, 20 degree tilt feature plus a lot more

9 Benefits of The Cab of The Future
Visibility, safety, better operator experience plus a lot more

Innovation & The Cab of the Future
Designing for better visibility, safety, and operator experience

And…*drum roll* we debuted the cab of the future at CONEXPO 2017 in Las Vegas earlier this month!

Remember, if you’d like a personal briefing and discussion of capabilities, please call Mike Owens at 866-439-1493 ext. 266.

Designing for better visibility, safety, and operator experience

In case you missed it, CIT is back with The Cab of The Future 2.0. More features, more benefits – and intensive, innovative design thinking that has resulted in improving operator performance and experience. So whether you’re in the construction, material handling, industry or utility markets – this is very positive news for you! Especially since this cab can be customized for your industry and operators.

It’s news because innovation is at the heart of the design. This represents a transformational leap forward with cab performance, capabilities and experience.

As Jay Atkinson, the Head of Design at CIT put it – “for many years cab enclosures has started with a box. So, when you add features such as glass, doors and control – you’re just refining a flawed approach. We didn’t want slight improvements to the old paradigm. We wanted real innovation. Who wants more features on something that has significant limitations to begin with?”

Our design team started with creating an ideal operator experience that is based on real customer / operator complaints. This is the foundation of our innovative approach to creating The Cab of The Future 2.0.

Here’s eight reasons you’re going to love the cab of the future:

• 360 degree visibility
• 20 degree tilt feature
• Full vision escape hatch
• Push-out rear glass panel
• Recessed slider
• Optional heat and/or air conditioning
• Available as a fully integrated “plug and play” cab
• Customer specified components can be added

Here are the 9 benefits (you’ll call them advantages):

• Better safety and efficiency
• Better load visibility
• Overhead escape door which is an additional exit point for operator
• Ability to see overhead through the escape door
• Better overall ventilation
• More comfortable environment for the operator
• Take it out of the crate, mount and plug it in. No additional installation needed
• Customize the cab specifically for your industry/operators
• More finished look to cab side

And…*drum roll* we will be debuting the cab of the future at CONEXPO 2017 in Las Vegas on March x 2017.

But, if you’d like an early briefing and discussion of capabilities, please call Mike Owens at 866-439-1493 ext. 266.

Visibility, safety, better operator experience plus a lot more

In case you missed it, CIT is back with The Cab of The Future 2.0. More features, more benefits – and intensive design thinking that has resulted in improving operator performance and experience. So whether you’re in the construction, material handling, industry or utility markets – this is very positive news for you! Especially since this cab can be customized for your industry and operators. Now that’s innovation!

Why is this important or why should you care?

As Jay Atkinson, the Head of Design at CIT put it – “for many years cab enclosures have started with a box. So, when you add features such as glass, doors and control – you’re just refining a flawed approach. We didn’t want slight improvements to the old paradigm. We wanted real innovation. Who wants more features on something that has significant limitations to begin with?”

Our design team started with creating an ideal operator experience that is based on real customer / operator complaints. This is the foundation of our innovative approach to creating The Cab of The Future 2.0.

Here are the 9 benefits  (you’ll call them advantages):

1. Better safety and efficiency
2. Better load visibility
3. Overhead escape door which is an additional exit point for operator
4. Ability to see overhead through the escape door
5. Better overall ventilation
6. More comfortable environment for the operator
7. Take it out of the crate, mount and plug it in. No additional installation needed
8. Customize the cab specifically for your industry/operators
9. More finished look to cab side

And…*drum roll* we will be debuting the cab of the future at CONEXPO 2017 in Las Vegas on March 7 – 11, 2017Booth 22621

But, if you’d like an early briefing and discussion of capabilities, please call Mike Owens at 866-439-1493 ext. 266.

Let CIT show you the future!

360 degree visibility, 20 degree tilt feature plus a lot more

CIT is back with The Cab of The Future 2.0. More feature, more benefits – and intensive design thinking that has resulted in improving operator performance and experience. So whether you’re in the construction, material handling, industry or utility markets – this is very positive news for you!

Why is this important or why should you care?

As Jay Atkinson, the Head of Design at CIT put it – “for many years cab enclosures has started with a box. So, when you add features such as glass, doors and control – you’re just refining a flawed approach. We didn’t want slight improvements to the old paradigm. We wanted real innovation. Who wants more features on something that has significant limitations to begin with?”

Our design team started with creating an ideal operator experience that is based on real customer / operator complaints. This is the foundation of our innovative approach to creating The Cab of The Future 2.0.

And here’s eight reasons you’re going to love the cab of the future:

1. 360 degree visibility
2. 20 degree tilt feature
3. Full vision escape hatch
4. Push-out rear glass panel
5. Recessed slider
6. Optional heat and/or air conditioning
7. Available as a fully integrated “plug and play” cab
8. Customer specified components can bed add

And…*drum roll* we will be debuting the cab of the future at CONEXPO 2017 in Las Vegas on March x 2017.

But, if you’d like an early briefing and discussion of capabilities, please call Mike Owens at 866-439-1493 ext. 266.