Progressive Systems says it has the most accurate machines in the kitchen cabinet industry.

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Custom production machinery designer and builder Progressive Systems Inc. is producing faster, leaner and more precise machines than ever before, Vice President Gerald Joseph says. “Right now, we have the most accurate machines in the window and kitchen cabinet industry,” Joseph says. “We can position the tooling to plus or minus .001 inches, which is their guaranteed tolerance. We also offer those machines with automatic tool changers that allow the cutting tools to be changed very quickly.”

An example is the company’s CNC sizing and sanding system for house doors. Joseph says this system can process 18 to 20 wood doors a minute and change length, width and thickness in 30 seconds.

Because Progressive’s in-house engineers design their own computer-controlled software, the company stays innovative, Joseph says. “All of our management people have engineering backgrounds so we are able to design the machines the way we want them designed,” explains Joseph, who has been involved with machine design since 1964. “With every machine we manufacture we go over the design in detail and determine how we can build the next one better, produce product faster and be more accurate than the previous machine. If we can continue to do that, then we’ll always be the leader in these industries.”

Concentrated Innovation
Progressive recently implemented new AutoCAD systems, hired another engineer and instituted a new UL-certification program for its electrical shop. The company also works with suppliers to stay at the forefront of the industry and to identify the latest systems available in computer control, Joseph says.   

Progressive produces machines that are smaller than ever to make them compatible with its lean customers’ needs. “We’ve recently come out with a whole new series of machines that are very concise in design; they’re smaller than any machine for this on the market,” Joseph says. One such machine is its P-5 Five Station machine. Other manufacturers’ machines might be 22 feet long, whereas Progressive’s version is only 13 feet long. This was accomplished by developing a narrow but rigid mounting system for the CNC high-speed cutting motors, saving customers plant space and allowing them to process parts faster.

Progressive’s machines range from $60,000 to $2 million each and are sold and manufactured out of two plants in Minneapolis and Spring Park, Minn., which together total 110,000 square feet. The company manufactures many of its major components but uses commercial components as much as possible so customers can purchase them directly from their local suppliers, without having to go through Progressive. “For many years, the companies who manufactured the machines similar to what we build made all of the parts on the machine and the only place the customers could buy [the parts] was from them,” Joseph says. “This is a feature we give to our customers and they appreciate it.”

An Experienced Team
Joseph says the company continues to improve by retaining a dedicated work force that can, in turn, give the company constructive feedback. “The employees have been with the company for quite some time,” Joseph says.  “Our people are very committed to doing it right. The people that assemble our machines, in effect, have to learn how the machines work because those same people will be out installing the machines and instructing the customer on the operation and maintenance of the machine; they can also have comments about how to make the machine better the next time. You’ve instilled something in them where they know they’re an important part of the company.”

That “something” is pride – a feeling Joseph attributes to the progress the company has made in the past two decades. “I guess you can tell that we’re proud of what we have accomplished in the 20 years we’ve been in business: to become a leader in our industries,” Joseph says. “We have some company slogans that we strive to live by: ‘We do not and will not make concessions in the design and quality of our machines,’ and ‘That’s good enough’ is not good enough at Progressive Systems.”