Meet Dan Fierla, Senior Supervisor and Cutaway and Display Expert, at CalCo

Ever wonder how CalCo can continually make first class cutaways and always seems to know just what you wanted? We owe much of it to our production supervisor, Dan Fierla. Dan started at CalCo as part of a high school cooperative work program and has been here ever since. In his 32 years, he has moved up the ladder from high school intern to Senior Supervisor, in charge of production and managing our facility and workers. If you have worked with CalCo you may have spoken to Dan and you most likely learned that he has high standards for the work that we do. If it doesn’t meet Dan’s expectations, it is not going out the door. Customer service and satisfaction has always been a key component at CalCo and Dan is one of the reasons why. Another of his famous attributes is his dedication to time commitments. We pay close attention to deadlines and work hard to meet every one. While we always try to work projects into our schedule, we have turned away business because we could not have maintained our high standards and met the delivery date.

According to Dan the most important information that you can give us about your project is……

“information that will help me to make your project have that just right look.  Details like, what are you trying to show with this cutaway/display?  Is it the size/type of the internal parts you want to showcase? Or is it something special that separates your product from the competition? This information helps me to design the cuts to show what the customer needs and wants to see.”

His favorite project that he has completed is…..

“I had the honor to work on and am very proud of a Double over head cam V6 marine engine for a large engine manufacturer. This project from start to finish was done right.  David Meeler from their marketing department, came to Calco, told me all of the features he would like to show, which helped me to machine the engine and give it that personal touch.  Colors and color coding were all picked out by the customer. When the engine made its maiden voyage at the Florida Boat Show it was a big hit.”

Something you should know about him is……

“I get great satisfaction out of working with the other members of the CalCo team.  I am driven to make CalCo the Best it can be for both employee and customer. When I see pictures of  trade show booths like Navistar, DeZURIK and Kimray, and all of them use Calco cutaways/displays to show case their products,  I have a great sense of pride in knowing I played a part in helping them project a positive image.”

Dan’s level of experience and overall knowledge of products helps you in terms of deciding the best way to display the internal components of your product. Chances are great that Dan has the best and most cost effective way to show your products key features.  He can assist you in creating your ideal cutaway/display.  He also has innovative ideas to show off large products, create working models or design custom stands.

If you have a project that you are interested in discussing, give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 or email us at news@calcocutaways.com.

CalCo: Your Turn-Key Solution for Product Displays

CalCo likes a challenge! We have been in the business of solving our customers problems for almost 60 years.

CalCo started in 1953 as a cutaway shop taking products and cutting away a portion to show the internal parts since they can be a valuable selling tool.  We have come a long way over the years by adapting to customer needs and changes in product displays.  In that time, we have become a turn-key solution for our customers by adding new services.  Did you know there is a place you can go to get all of your product display needs performed at the same time?

In addition to cutaways,  CalCo provides :

• Working Models with or without a cutaway
• Product Displays
• Sales and Training Aids
• Lighting
• Custom Basemounts
• Custom Shipping Containers
• Acrylic covers  and Displays
• Point-of-Puchase Displays
• Custom Cases
• Scale Models and Rapid Prototyping
• Three Dimensional Printing
• Animation
• Sales Awards
• Corporate Gifts
• Plating
• Training Programs
• Professional Photography
• Waterjet Cutting

CalCo can solve your trade show or product display problems with just one phone call!  A typical project now involves creating a cutaway, attaching a brushed aluminum base or custom rolling basemount, building a custom shipping container and a shooting a professional photography session before the project is completed and shipped back to the customer ready to go directly to a trade show or presentation.

If you need help with your trade show, sales or training needs, call CalCo and let us make your idea a reality!

An Expert Agrees “It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts…”

It’s what’s on the inside that counts…

How many times have truer words never been spoken?  When recently introducing our newest outboard engine, this was truly where the story lie…on the inside.

I immediately thought of using a cutaway of this new engine to show prospective customers the game-changing thinking and technology inside it.  Having used CalCo’s services in the past, the cutaway they expertly prepared helped greatly by allowing me to both show and explain the internal technology that makes our new V6 outboard powerhead so one-of-a-kind.  In fact, numerous customers commented on the cutaway’s ability to help them see and understand the features that created the benefits, as discussed in various product introduction presentations and materials.

It should be noted that, at the time this cutaway was created, the product had not yet been introduced anywhere in the world, so strict confidentiality measures had to be followed.  In addition, the actual powerhead that was used for the cutaway was one of only four in the world at the time, so a replacement was not available.  Add in the fact that we only had a few weeks to get this fully prepared and on-site, and it’s plain to see there was absolutely no room for error!

You’ve heard it said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  Having this cutaway as a teaching tool was equally as invaluable.  In short, the level of detail shown in the cutaway Calco prepared stole the show, and made my job a lot easier.  It’s why I’ve used them 3 times previous, and will call them again next time I need cutaway services.

David Meeler

Product Marketing and Information Manager

What is so Amazing about an Engine Cutaway?

Much of the beauty of an engine is in the details. In order to see all of these details, such as the pistons, crank shaft and valve train components as well as how they function together, a cutaway is an ideal solution.

With a cutaway you can not only see how the individual parts function but you can see how they relate to each other.  From the exterior many engines may seem similar; but once the interior is exposed with a cutaway, you can see the unique attributes of the individual engine inside and its configuration.

These are the important elements that can mean all the difference in power, performance and efficiency.  Using a cutaway will clearly show where the advantages and benefits are and how a particular model can outperform the competition by showing the internal configuration and how the parts interrelate.

Even some of the external components, such as the fuel pump or alternator, can contain hidden features that benefit from a cutaway as well.

“Hands on education has always been, and will always be the best way to inform and educate an audience on products and mechanical relationships.”

View the gallery of engine cutaways below and you can see that CalCo knows engines and how to make them a work of art.

For more cutaway photos please visit www.CalCoCutaways.com and look in the Cutaways Gallery.  If you would like information on having your engine or any other product cutaway, please contact CalCo at 847/639-3858.