Welding is a Beautiful Thing

I’ve been reviewing some of the pictures I’ve taken in the shop recently and decided to put some up on the blog this morning.

Some of these pictures make welding look so cool. It’s hard to put pictures of welding process pipe up on the website or on the blog because it always looks like the same picture. Kind of like taking pictures of a blade of grass, they all look alike.

Fusing steel together is an “art”, not just anybody can do it correctly. Procedures are critical to success. The weld is stronger than the original base metal, when it’s done correctly.

We do it correctly!

Call us to find out how we can help you with your process pipe fabrication.

Working on the Next Project

Busy week this week. Making progress. We have 3 new prospects, 1 has sent a proposal already and has 3-4 more coming in the next few weeks. One has a proposal coming in the next couple of weeks. One of these is in the industries we normally work in, the other two are in totally different industries. So a successful week. We’re looking forward to working with all our customers, and are pleased to have 3 new possibilities.

The opportunities are out there, we just have to “work” to find them and keep them. Diversifying our customer base is essential to building our company.  Timken Company made lemonade from the lemons that were handed to them, in the 1890’s they were making roller bearings for horse drawn wagons. Their products, with a little work, would do fine for the automobile industry. They are still enjoying their place in business world today, successfully with $684 Million in revenue last year. Bet they didn’t make that kind of money with horse drawn wagon bearing sales.

Thinking outside the box is critical for all businesses for the foreseeable future. What’s outside the box? You’ll have to figure that one out. It can mean many different things to many different people and businesses.

There are a few books that I seem to read over every year or so and I’m glad that I do. I always find something I either forgot or just didn’t catch the first time or two that I read them. Good to Great and Blue Ocean Strategy, both are great books to help with perspective and forward thinking. Also helps me see what I did in the past that I have forgotten to continue doing today. Re focus on the basics.

We are the only ones who can limit our opportunities for our selves. We are the only enemies who can beat us. What we do with what we have is what we’re being judged by.

 

Prospects and Customers Are People Too

Prospects are not always the easiest group to find. Why? Because it takes hard work to do the proper research to find them. It’s work finding the kind of prospects you would want to work with and would want to work with you. So I always remind myself and everyone around me that they are people first, prospect second and customers is the end result of careful and honest interactions with them. Transparency in any relationship is key. Never lie to get a shot at work, or a job. You will always be “found out” if you lie to anyone for any reason. Plus it shows you lack character. Who would want to work with someone who has a bad character? No one in his/her right mind.

What do I mean by “prospects are people first”? That’s simple really. They have a life outside of their place of employment. They may be an estimator, Project Manager, Vice President, CEO, President, File Clerk, Administrative Assistant, Shipping/Receiving Manager, or any other profession. They could also be mountain climbers, drag racers, NASCAR fans, love gardening, maybe poker is their game. Get to know one another so the trust factor can be build honestly. Not fake, not because you have to, but because you want to. Everyone deserves respect, no matter who they are, what they do, or how they may treat us.

Everyone has likes, dislikes, hobbies, families, or whatever. They are people first and foremost. Treat prospects and customers like they are people first. We have to always keep in mind that they want to know what’s in it for them if they work with us. Well, I know I’m biased and so do you. I’ll just say it, we are the best process pipe fabricators anywhere. For a multitude of reasons. (And in my next few posts I’ll explain what I mean more clearly.)

I’m judged by the character I have, so are you. All I am is what I chose to be. Everything is based on choices the way I see it. I have the choice to ask you to work with us or not. You have the choice to work with us or not. We have to find a mutual benefit for working together or what’s the point?

We want YOU to get a promotion because we helped you get the job done on time and under budget. We want YOU to get that promotion you’ve been working for. We want YOU to get as much out of working with us  as we get out of working for you.  We know you have goals and dreams for yourself and/or your company. We get that and understand that, as well as keep that in mind as we build our relationship of trust with you. It’s a two way street, we both have a lot at stake working with one another. We have a reputation to uphold and so do you. We have a business to run and so do you.

Oh, another thing, fabricators are people first too. We’re not a commodity and don’t supply commodity items.

We all need to show respect, honor, understanding and empathy, even a sense of urgency to one another when it’s due. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t hold our feet to the fire to produce what we said we would, by no means. However, it also means we can hold your feet to the fire when you don’t perform in the manner you committed to us. It works both ways, a two way street, a partnership. That’s how we can make your project shine enough to get that next job, promotion or raise you’ve been working so hard to get. Neither of us is a “commodity” and we can’t treat one another as though we are. We’re both people and deserve to be treated like a person first.

We all work to make a living, but we can make “making a living” much more enjoyable working together. We can accomplish greater things working together than working against one another or not even working together at all.

 

 

Being the Best is Hard Work

Whoaaaa, Nelly! What kind of statement is that?? Are you asking for trouble??

No! We’re asking you to take a closer look at what we offer!

A partnership with the best pipe fabrication company anywhere. We’ll take it one project at a time until we build a trust in one another. Then we can begin truly working as a partnership with your company. We will help/assist you in being awarded more work, by giving you the deliveries and economics to win more projects. With a company like General Fabricators, Inc. you don’t need your “own” fabrication shop, with all the headaches and overhead that it would bring you. We work as an extension of your capabilities and offerings to your customers.

With our fabrication facility located in the middle of the southern United States we’re strategically located to deliver your fabrication just about anywhere in the country. We’re already shipped fabricated process pipe to ND, NM, Texas, GA, Penn., Florida, and LA in the last year.

Working with General Fabricators, Inc. is “user-friendly” for everyone. From Project Execution and fabrication to invoice processing and material tracking for data books.

We’re here for you, and we mean that literally. Give us your schedule and we’ll do our level best to get you what you want, need and have to have delivered so you can get this job done and get the next order under your belt.

We work hard to build relationships of trust with all our customers and their customers. We both have a customer to please, your customer is our priority in customer relations.

We look forward to hearing from you.