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Feniex Industries Boosts Quality and Throughput with Operational Agility

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Feniex Industries, based in Austin, Texas, is a trailblazer in manufacturing emergency vehicle warning equipment, including advanced lights, sirens, speakers, and controllers. Widely respected for their innovative and affordable LED lighting systems, Feniex products help protect first responders by maximizing visibility and safety on the road. In a sector where reliability and precision are non-negotiable, Feniex has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, custom-engineered solutions that meet the diverse needs of its clients.

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Yet even with their deep technical expertise and rigorous manufacturing processes, Feniex, like many manufacturers, faced persistent challenges: how to effectively manage seasonal swings in demand without compromising product quality or straining their workforce.

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“We do have demand variation,” explains Amy Robertson, Director of Manufacturing at Feniex. “There are seasons where we see more sales than others. I like to keep a really solid, well-trained core group, then flex as needed. I don’t like the idea of laying people off. I don’t like the idea of firing people. I want us to grow and expand consistently but I don’t want to do damage.”

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Finding the Right Partner for Workforce Flexibility

Before finding Veryable, Feniex relied on overtime during peak seasons, which burned out its full-time staff and put quality at risk. In slower times, they were overstaffed, leading to idle workers, wasted payroll, and frustrated team members.

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The traditional approaches of seasonal hiring or temp agencies didn’t fit Feniex’s standards. Amy had seen those challenges before:

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“Having new people all the time means we have to really look critically at our processes and how we’re training, and that pushes us to be more efficient,” she shares.

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In 2022, Feniex turned to Veryable to build a scalable, flexible workforce that would let them to flex labor up and down as needed without compromising their manufacturing excellence.

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Building a Skilled, Reliable Labor Pool

After collaborating with the Veryable team, Feniex quickly established a robust labor pool skilled in quality inspections, assembly, material handling, shipping, and warehousing. As Amy describes:

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“From my viewpoint, the labor pool is about getting into all the available operators you guys have and identifying a group we can pull from at any time. Veryable’s platform is intuitive, easy to use, and we like the quality of operators, so we’ve streamlined to only using you.”

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Feniex’s manufacturing process is largely plug-and-play, making it easier to bring on new workers quickly. With Veryable, new operators could be trained and contributing the same day, which was critical in meeting tight lead times and maintaining throughput.

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“We’ve been really fortunate that our process is plug-and-play for the most part. We’re able to drop people in same day, and they’re already working,” Amy says. “It really gives me a sense of confidence that we can go into the platform, pick the people that we need, and get throughput.”

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In addition, the rating and review system on Veryable allowed Feniex to identify high-performing workers and bring them into a core group within their labor pool. This select group became familiar with Feniex’s expectations, processes, and quality standards, effectively becoming an extension of their full-time team.

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“They become one of us, basically,” Amy adds.

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Operational Impact: Throughput, Quality, and Confidence

The results so far have been remarkable:

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✅ Higher throughput thanks to rapid onboarding and scalable headcount

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✅ Reduced overtime and improved employee morale

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✅ Improved quality by avoiding mistakes tied to hurried, overstressed work

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✅ Lower cost per unit from matching labor to demand

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✅ Greater lead time predictability

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Amy elaborates on the benefits:

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“When I took over, we were establishing a very firm throughput target for each line so we could stock and meet orders. With Veryable, I’m able to expand or contract the workforce based on what the need is, and that really gives me confidence.”

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Now with a robust labor pool, Feniex is able to handle seasonal spikes without missing orders while also having the ability to rapidly scale down without costly layoffs when demand dips.

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“The more people we have in our labor pool that we get consistently, the more I can expand the line,”Amy explains. “At some point, we will grow up to the need for split shifts or even a whole new shift. This is a great opportunity to build future leaders — people I can plug in and trust.”

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Driving Efficiency Across the Organization

Veryable’s partnership has also pushed Feniex to refine its own processes and identify areas of waste. Amy reflects on how the flexibility of on-demand labor has sharpened their operations overall:

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“Having new people means you really look critically at your training and flow. That’s pushed us to be more efficient with our storing, our online systems, and our space management. So in that way, efficiencies are just a part of it now.”

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By challenging team leads to manage more effectively and keeping everyone accountable, Feniex has also been able to build a culture of continuous improvement.

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“It improves the quality of the line, it challenges the leads to step up, and it makes sure everybody’s accountable,” says Amy. “I think everybody’s really stepped up their game.”

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A Partnership for Sustainable Growth

Overall, Feniex Industries credits Veryable with helping them move from reactive hiring practices and overtime-driven burnout to a proactive, agile labor strategy that fosters sustainable long-term growth. The ability to rapidly respond to customer demand while keeping morale high and costs stable has put Feniex in a strong position for the future.

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“We have some really great quality people, and we’re really happy with being able to flex in that way,”Amy concludes. “With Veryable, I don’t have to worry about what happens next. We can scale up, scale down, and keep moving forward.”