We’ve been in the sub-contract profiling industry for over 35 years and there was once a time when business was won and lost on the basis of cost and lead time alone.
Although these factors still play a major part in who should get your business, with the advancements in cutting technologies, diversification of profiling companies and introduction of legislation, there are now many more considerations that need to be considered.
1. Confidentiality and Trust
Trust forms a major part of any business transaction, however trust and confidentiality plays an even larger part in business to business transactions especially within the manufacturing sector.
A large percentage of our customer base is populated by fabricators, original equipment manufacturers and precision engineers, many of whom come to us to supply a cut part which is going on for additional machining or fabrication to then be supplied to the end client as a finished product.
We’ve always been proud of the fact we provide a dedicated flatbed cutting service, we’ve never needed to get heavily involved with machining or fabrication and so our clients have always been confident that we will not undercut their work or approach the end client.
We even find ourselves giving some of our customers occasional fabrication work if any of our other clients require it!
2. The Right Method for the Job
With so many different flatbed profiling methods available, it can be a bit of a minefield trying to choose one that best suits your job.
Some of companies only offer 1 or 2 cutting methods and so may suggest you use a cutting technology which is not completely suitable for the task at hand, in fear of losing your business.
If we can save you time and money by suggesting an alternative method – we will. As we have 4 cutting methods under the same roof (laser cutting, plasma cutting, flame cutting and waterjet cutting) we’ll be able to provide you with a profiling method that meets all your requirements.
3. Quality Accreditations
Nobody wants to pay for a poor quality product, this is even more important in the sub-contract manufacturing industry where a poor quality finished product is likely to reflect bad on the fabricator/OEM rather than a business further down the supply chain.
As quality is so subjective, it is hard to measure one example from the next, but by choosing a profiler who has implemented quality standards, such as ISO9001:2008, you’ll be sure to receive a product from a company cares about the production quality of their parts.
4. Legislation
In July 2014, CE Marking and compliance to BS EN 1090-1 for fabricated structural steelwork became mandatory across the EU.
Although we’re not directly involved with the manufacturing or fabrication of structural metalwork, much of the profiles we cut for clients end up being used within projects requiring CE marking.
Therefore, we underwent extensive auditing in order to achieve BS EN 1090-1 certification that complies with relevant EU legislation.
It is still debated between profilers whether 1090-1 certification is required but we believe full accountability and traceability is required and we’re proud to be an early adaptor of this standard.
5. Expertise
As mentioned above, it’s vital that the correct profiling methods is offered for your job. Having staff who know the industry inside and out will help provide you with advice to make sure you get the service you require, at a cost you need.
We’re one of the region’s largest independent profile cutters and many of our team have been here for 20+ years, meaning we’ve got a wealth of experience on-hand to answer any question you may have.
Cost and Lead Time – Still vital
There is no denying that cost and lead time are vital in deciding which profiler to choose, there is no point offering the above services if competitiveness in these categories cannot be offered.
We understand this and have made many strides forward in ensuring our on-going commitment to providing our customers with competitive profiling, short lead times and reliable, on time deliveries.
A few key examples of this include brand new 6kW lasers installed in 2013 and 2015, expanding to 24 hour waterjet cutting and we have plans to invest in a third waterjet machine later this year.
