Does Your Partner Have 'Metal Mojo'?

At Ryerson, we don’t take this phrase lightly. It’s what helps us be the partner of choice for thousands of companies across hundreds of markets.

This involves being a critical partner in their supply chain, whether finding the right processes or solving critical bottlenecks. Take, Resource West Inc. (RWI) for example. This manufacturer of water evaporation equipment ran into a hiccup with its primary piece—large stainless steel fan units.

“We had a local HVAC company making the majority of our units, and that was very difficult because they really had no sense of manufacturing or production,” says Jenny Nichols, RWI’s supply chain specialist. “They were used to making just a few units per month and we really needed them to be making a lot more.”

There was also no quality control and no repeatability, says Nichols. “We would get one cone that was 42 inches in diameter and another that was 41 inches in diameter, which means we would either have to take it back to them or try to fix it so that they could work on our units.”

This is where a partner like Ryerson adds value. We manage the manufacturing and quality processes. First article inspections as well as in-process audits are used to ensure that your part is made to print every time.

For Nichols, tipping point with her previous manufacturer came when she needed to place a large order. “The production manager told me that they had just taken on a big job and would not be able to help us for about 6-10 weeks.”

It was about that time that Nichols began to look elsewhere. And her search led her to a partner whom she was already doing business with.

What the story unfold in the video above.