Some things don’t get done over the Internet. Local metal fabrication is one of them.
The electronic age has vastly accelerated production and efficiency in every industry, and metal fabrication is no exception. Planning, inquiries, bids, orders, correspondence, and even metal fabrication designs and drawings all race through the virtual cloud.
When it comes time to push the “Start” button on massive machines that cut, bend, shape and mold metal, though, there are real-world, practical benefits to choosing local metal fabrication and working with a partner who’s in your region of the world.
1. Quality Control
Whether your job is one-off or an ongoing production run, there is no substitute for your own timely hands-on presence to ensure every critical detail of process and product. This is never more vital than with parts or components that have to fit perfectly in assembly with elements from other suppliers. Local metal fabrication facilitates this sort of hands-on contact.
At Mills, we welcome clients’ engineers and QC personnel for walkthroughs of every stage of planning and production, and to be on-site to oversee our own stringent QC standards. The coffee’s always on.
2. Collaboration
Some metal fabrication products demand close coordination for overcoming challenges and making changes. From concept to design, to computer simulations, to prototyping and beyond, each product is unique and requires some level of coordination and approval stages. Some can be done long-distance, but some benefit significantly from face-to-face collaboration and problem solving. Again, local metal fabrication proves its worth.
3. Logistics
Logistics are critical for large, oddly shaped, or heavy metal fabrication products. Shipping costs can add up fast for large and long hauls. Warehousing can be another cost monster, but using a nearby metal fabricator can cut down considerably on high inventory.
For example, Mills has clients who do daily pickups on milk runs, taking the parts to the next tier, which saves them the need of warehousing. Mills even can supply returnable packaging, saving both money and environmental resources.
4. Locations, Locations, Locations — Plural
If you have operations in more than one country, then “location” and “regional” take on whole new meanings — and can mean plenty on the balance sheet. Remember: local metal fabrication is ultimately relative to where your multiple facilities are located.
Mills has facilities that are centrally located in both the United States and Mexico. This has been a major boon to some of our clients, particularly in the automotive and appliance industries, who also have plants in both countries. In either country, we are within a day’s land travel of most major commercial and industrial centers.
5. A Strong Local Economy
If you can find a capable metal fabricator in your region, you’re being a good neighbor to other businesses in the area, and to all stakeholders who live and work in the region. The more that national or international economics wobble, the more we all benefit when we adopt business practices that keep our regional and local economies as robust as possible.
At Mills, we try in every way we can to support local and regional materials suppliers, contractors, and shippers — and, of course, customers.
Local Metal Fabrication Backed with Capability and Experience
Capability and experience are vital for any metal fabricator, no matter how near or far. If we’re in your region — the Southeastern United States — and you believe in local metal fabrication, call us at 423-745-9090 and tell us what you need or want to accomplish.
We’re the only metal fabricator in the South that has hydroforming, rolling and stamping all under one roof, so we can take on many tough challenges that other fabricators can only shrug at. We’ve also been doing metal fabrication since 1948, so there are few things we haven’t seen. Contact us to learn more about our capabilities, our track record, and all of our metal fabrication services, including custom design and engineering.
