Fast-Moving Businesses Demand Variety from Small-Quantity Metal Suppliers

Time is money for businesses, especially those that specialize in moving people and products as quickly as possible.

Take the Port of Seattle for example. It’s the 14th largest port in North America and the 57th largest in the world. In 2013 it moved 34.7 million air passengers, and 1.88 million units of shipping cargo. Such a feat requires precise coordination of many moving parts. Suffice it to say, the port can’t come to a grinding halt every time a piece of equipment or machinery requires repair.

That’s where a small-quantity metal supplier like Metal Supermarkets truly shines. Paul Price, Chief Maintenance Engineer at Port of Seattle, turns to Metal Supermarkets Seattle (Kent) when he’s crunched for time. “Your response time is excellent when it comes to major repairs or emergency repairs,” says Price. When success is measured by the minute, even the smallest disturbances can impact operations. “The metals we purchase are used mostly on repairs and small projects,” says Price. “This could range from handrails, stainless steel motor covers, support gussets and drain covers.” The port’s diverse needs are met with diverse metals: Angle Iron, Square Stock, Steel Plate, Flat Stock, Diamond Plate, Stainless Steel, Pipe and Aluminum are regular items on the port’s shopping list. Variety of products therefore tops the list of things Price looks for in a small-quantity metals provider.

Variety of products is also important to Walter Casolino, a Metal Supermarkets (Scarborough) customer and Industrial Millwright Mechanic at F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant. The plant is one of four water treatment plants that takes raw water from Lake Ontario and converts it into safe drinking water for the City of Toronto in Canada. “The metals we use range from general cold rolled-C1018, ground shafting in either 1040-1045, 1020 hot rolled up to 4140 finished steel,” says Casolino. The metals serve a variety of applications including fabrications, machining production and general maintenance and repairs, which enables the plant to achieve optimal performance. The plant operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and pumps out nearly 239 million litres of water per day. Prolonged downtime due to repairs and maintenance is simply not an option, and Metal Supermarkets’ commitment to carrying a wide range of inventory enables the plant to fix problems quickly. “Metal Supermarkets helps us achieve our goals by providing top quality knowledge, services, and materials delivered to our door,” says Casolino.

Whether it’s moving passengers, planes, ships, or drinking water, maintaining high-levels of speed and volume are essential to success for these two businesses. The diverse needs and requirements of fast-moving businesses can only be met by a fast and efficient metal supplier that carries an equally diverse inventory of products.