Company Profile
Based in Cranston, Rhode Island, DiFruscia Industries is the industry leader in protective coatings, serving over 350 customers throughout the United States. With eight employees, the company provides environmentally sound and cost-effective coating solutions for use in a wide variety of industries, including the marine, electronics, computer hardware, semiconductor, furniture, industrial equipment, recreational, and consumer markets.
Situation
DiFruscia Industries had three legacy buildings that the company wanted to consolidate into one advanced manufacturing facility to improve efficiency and customer service. The company reached out to Polaris MEP, a NIST MEP affiliate, for guidance.
 IMPACTS
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Double-digit increase in jobs | |
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Invested in plant upgrades, new products, and workforce skills |
Polaris MEP … has been and continues to be a valued and trusted partner as we expand into our new facility and prepare for future growth.
Frank DiFruscio
DiFruscia Industries Owner, President
Solution
Polaris MEP Project Manager Carl Dwinnells visited DiFruscia Industries to document the company’s existing equipment in the three disparate buildings. He started planning the layout for the new consolidated facility using computer-aided design (CAD).
As with all of Polaris MEP’s Facility Layout engagements, the new design incorporated the 5S, a workplace organization tool that stands for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.
Dwinnells also built Visual Workplace concepts into the planning process to help DiFruscia Industries achieve maximum operational efficiency.
As Johnston, RI operations were moved to Cranston, Polaris MEP continued to support DiFruscia with a variety of services including updating evacuation plans, providing AutoCad drawings and interfacing with contractors to ensure a smooth move.
Results
Polaris MEP worked very closely with the company’s executive management team to develop the designs, paying careful attention to ergonomics, regulatory compliance, safety, and future growth potential. After moving to the new facility, DiFruscia Industries saw a double-digit increase in jobs. The company invested in new product lines, plant and equipment upgrades, workforce practices, and employees skills.