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ConMet’s Plastics Group

Since the 1980’s, the ConMet Plastics group has steadily grown to become the leader of plastic product content within the class 6-7-8 North American commercial vehicle market. Currently, we develop and manufacture for all medium and heavy-duty truck OEM’s including DTNA, PACCAR, Volvo/Mack, and Navistar.

The engineering and design staff at ConMet are unsurpassed in the commercial vehicle industry with backgrounds in automotive, aerospace, commercial vehicle, and manufacturing. These diverse backgrounds allow us to take on any engineering challenge and meet the evolving expectations required by our customers.

Our design and engineering development teams, based at the ConMet Corporate Office in Vancouver, Washington, are in a position to service the needs of our clients in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. With manufacturing facilities located in Canton, North Carolina, and Monterrey, Mexico, we have the capability and capacity to deliver parts backed by ConMet’s commitment to quality and excellence. Over the years, the team has developed an impressive portfolio of products including: instrument panels, sleeper storage systems, overhead storage systems, door trim panels, and miscellaneous interior trims. More recently we have developed exterior modules including: bumper systems, fairing systems, side extenders, sun visors, and hood/under-hood components.

ConMet plastics is unique because all design/development, engineering, and testing is done here in the USA. This provides an advantage for both ConMet and our customers by allowing for quick turnaround. Our devoted staff is equipped and ready to take on any challenge. Hardworking engineering teams are assigned to each customer and tailored to the specific requirements of each program from design concept to product launch. These teams are made up of program engineers, lead engineers, designers, material and FEA specialists, and tooling and manufacturing support staff.

The design process at ConMet is customer focused from the start. Early-on collaboration with the customer ensures that all attributes and technical requirements are met. The up-front design and engineering team work closely with our customers to determine the best material, most efficient process, and the optimum design to maximize the product’s look and feel while maintaining its durability and functionality. Our team excels at real-time feedback with solid, proven solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations.

An integral part of the design process is our software system. This system allows us to rapidly develop and deliver complex CAD models to the most exacting standards. Operating within the native CAD system of each OEM ensures our customer’s models are integrated seamlessly with their lifecycle management systems to provide efficient data transfer. Utilizing the latest CAD software and simulation techniques, materials, and processes, we are able to deliver products that meet the time, fit, and quality required by our customers.

Every OEM system is supported by a dedicated process and team which ensures delivery of quality products. The development process consists of:

  • Program definition phase, wherein the team, program scope, and performance criteria are defined
  • Feasibility assessment, initial design considerations, Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), and packaging requirements
  • Ongoing design development within the engineering group
  • FEA, material, process improvements, and aesthetic requirements
  • Prototyping and testing
  • Tooling kick-off
  • Production parts processed
  • Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
  • Delivery to our customers

This entire process would not be the success that it is without the backup of our launch and manufacturing teams in the US and Mexico. Recent evidence of the development process and customer focused manufacturing operations is the Masters of Quality Supplier award that our Monterrey Mexico Plastics plant just received by Daimler Trucks North America. The award is given to DTNA’s top suppliers for having superior scores on quality, delivery, technology, and cost performance. This is a reminder of our constant dedication to providing the best products by refining and perfecting our process which ensures a successful customer experience.

Our plastics team is dedicated to constantly seeking and creating new opportunities, and pursuing and adopting new technologies that allow us to support our customers in developing the products of the future. For questions or more information on our plastics team or ConMet, please contact us here.