Prefix Corporation was conceived in 1979, by Kim A. Zeile. Armed with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Valparaiso University and 18 months experience at Saginaw Steering Gear, Zeile set out to bring his entrepreneurial vision to reality. Industry at that time was broken up into highly specialized groups, mechanical design, electrical design, machine controls design, hydraulic controls design etc. Whenever a problem arose in one of these areas, a specialist was assigned. Zeile perceived this as inefficient and set out to train himself to be knowledgeable in all areas. With his multifaceted background, Zeile marketed himself to special machine manufacturers as a professional troubleshooter. The name of the company came from the idea that if you utilized Zeile’s approach he would be able to pre fix your problems.

Over the next five years, Zeile kept very busy traveling the United States consulting on all types of specialized equipment. Significant programs include connecting rod and piston assembly systems for GM, transmission assembly and test equipment for both GM and Ford, radiator guard machining line utilizing a first ever air castor transfer system for Caterpillar, piston assembly and test for Mercury outboards and most notably the controls design and installation of the entire lights out packaging assembly line for the original IBM personal computer. Spending the better part of a year at IBM and learning what this new Personal Computer was all about led him into the next significant phase for Prefix.

The IBM Personal Computer was going to revolutionize the home and office, but Zeile felt that there was application in the manufacturing area and set out to find these applications. The first such application was the design and build of a jet engine nozzle adjustment machine controlled solely by a PC. This machine worked sufficiently well that a patent was granted. Other noteworthy projects include design of a continuous horizontal casting system for metals, development of a SPC system for tracking wheel alignment data in assembly plants, design of the computer controls for a thermodynamic aero buck for Chrysler and designed and built a flexible manufacturing assembly and inspection system for cruise missile engine components. Throughout this period, Zeile’s passion for cars kept him looking for opportunities to apply his unique skills to assist in the design of automobiles. The combination of computer controls systems and love of cars led him into the most significant development of his career, The PVM. Prefix would change its focus one more time.

The PVM, Programmable Vehicle Model, was conceived and developed as a tool to be used by the automakers to speed up the development time of new models. In the old days, as designs progressed the automakers would construct seating bucks out of wood and foam. These were crude representations of the interior package of the proposed vehicle. The typical seating buck would take six weeks or so to build and most often were already out of date by the time they were finished. The PVM would change all of that. Designed as an adjustable seating armature controlled by stepper motors complete with a software package that allowed the user to quickly and easily modify the interior package dimensions, the PVM changed how vehicles were developed. Prefix has expanded the PVM concept to include five unique types. Each is specific depending on the customer’s requirements. PVM’s have been sold to automakers around the world, and the development of the technology continues to this day. Our most recent sale of a PVM to Toyota would indicate that the PVM technology while 16 years old continues to be attractive and useful in the development of modern automobiles.

As Zeile looks into the future, he believes that for Prefix to continue, it is imperative that Prefix continue to focus on the growth of its products/services and the growth of its customer base. The transportation industry is truly a global industry. A sale to a foreign manufacturer presents a twofold problem in that oftentimes the expectations are very different and the culture as it relates to relationship building is unique. In order to optimize the potential opportunity, Prefix has added to its sales and marketing staff, developed new and innovative program management methods called the Program Management Advantage and invested in two new and exciting areas. Prefix has constructed a dedicated fabrication facility; where it can do everything from fabricate verification model bases to modifying existing bodies in white. Prefix has also invested in a dedicated paint facility, which allows it to process low volume paint programs such as limited edition striping to aftermarket service parts and body kits. Prefix’s latest state of the art machine tools and inspection equipment leads the industry in sophistication and potential thru-put. These investments all serve to compliment our other services including custom interior trim, prototype lighting development and show car construction. Zeile believes that the range of products and services Prefix offers along with the dedicated team of employees Prefix will realize its vision of placing its distinct fingerprint on the transportation industry by the end of the decade.