Campaigns

Design for Manufacture and Assembly Software

Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc., of Wakefield, Rhode Island, develops engineering software that allows manufacturers to simplify product design through parts reduction and ease-of-assembly strategies. The methodology, called DFMA® (design for manufacture and assembly), promised to change the face of American manufacturing productivity. In the late 1980s, the company needed to create visibility for this dynamic product.

Working with Parker Group, the company established an intensive campaign to educate product designers, manufacturing engineers and engineering managers about the sweeping benefits of the new methodology. We launched a program that explained historical engineering trends and that documented the cost savings to industry of the new approach. We placed feature articles in trade and business publications as the foundation for communicating the message.

To create visibility for the company's software, Parker Group undertook a program that ultimately resulted in 17 exclusive feature articles on the company, coverage in three industry overview articles and 37 placements of product releases in the trade press. These results were achieved within one calendar year.

The highlight of the program was a page-and-a-half feature about Boothroyd-Dewhurst in Business Week (October 1989). The article brought more than 1,000 telephone calls from around the world, mostly from CEOs and VPs who wanted to know more about the software. In addition, bylined articles written by the company principals appeared in such trade publications as Manufacturing Engineering, Robotics World, Assembly Engineer, Machine Design, and American Machinist.

Rewards came as a result of all the hard work. Our client saw a significant jump in the quality and number of inquiries. And Miles Parker, president of Parker Group, received a 1990 Bell Ringer Award from the Publicity Club of New England, the highest regional recognition for public relations work.