Legendary Martin Guitars Uses Noventri To Go Digital With Workplace Communications

July 22, 2022 by Dave Haynes

I don’t play, but know enough about guitars to understand those made C. F. Martin & Co. are among the most celebrated and coveted among musicians. The company, based in Nazareth, PA, has been making guitars since 1833, and is now using displays around its facilities to communicate both with staff and guests.

Martin is using the Noventri digital signage solution for communications – replacing analog print-outs and notice boards – on the shop floor, new warehouse receiving docks, tour areas, and other spaces throughout its building in Smithsburg, MD.

After a successful pilot phase, says PR about the project, a network of Noventri displays was deployed throughout the Martin Guitars facility. Employees now benefit from seeing real-time production metrics, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), schedules, and company news from any of the strategically located displays. Managers are seeing improved efficiency.

After decades of producing one of the most recognizable guitar brands in the world, it was time to update how production metrics are communicated throughout the company. Quality control or stringing goal data are now reliably and automatically updated and displayed. Displays provide daily production goals and the actual count of completed tasks, supplying employees with real-time information.

The new warehouse required an updated system of showing truck delivery schedules and dock worker schedules. Noventri Digital Signage now displays both with real-time data. Employees in the receiving bays now know where the delivery trucks will be and who will be doing the receiving.

The HR department has also benefited. “The biggest benefit is saving the HR department time,” says Chris VanWhy of Martin Guitars. “Before the Noventri system was installed, they had to print out messages and attach them on around seven physical cork boards once a day.” 

“Noventri focuses on improving employee efficiency, boosting morale, and maintaining quality control through automatic and efficient communications,” says David Linetsky, Noventri Founder and CEO. “Displays located on shop floors, lobbies, break rooms and other areas display up-to-date information. This is achieved through the use of the Noventri Digital Signage solution for manufacturing. Either through an automated database driven presentation or through daily updates via the software, users now have the ability to keep news and metrics updated, and presented on the shop floor.”

The Noventri solution gives Martin Guitar the ability to store their data in Excel sheets, SQL, Oracle, or any ODBC compliant database. This data can then be accessed directly. Information, metrics, and KPIs on the displays are automatically updated in real-time or on a schedule. 

This post will particularly intrigue industry veteran/writer David Keene, who buys and sells Martins.