Is one-stop shopping a good idea for foundries looking for competitive edge while keeping all their options open? Per Rud, General Manager, Customer Projects and Support at DISA thinks it is, as long as they shop with a complete foundry supplier.
Foundries all over the world are demanding more from their equipment suppliers than ever before. Rapid delivery of customised foundry solutions is essential in order to retain vital competitive edge, and the obvious way to achieve these benefits is to do business with a single, complete foundry supplier.
Complete range
There are huge numbers of different shapes, sizes and types of castings. The complete supplier must partner closely with the foundry to find the best solution for its individual needs, and to plan the configuration, installation and implementation of the solution. This is always the case, whether the project in hand is a complete new moulding line or integration of a single new module in an existing line.
There are a number of moulding technologies to choose between, of which the most common are vertical, horizontal and matchplate moulding for castings ranging from the smallest pipe bend to the largest engine block. Core making, core setting, pouring, cooling, shot-blasting, fettling, dust collecting, sand preparation and process automation all call for solutions that address a spectrum of foundry needs as wide and varied as those of all of their end-customers.
The first step towards qualifying as a complete foundry supplier is to meet this vast array of needs and options through a comprehensive, end-to-end range of solutions containing all of the choices and options that foundries need, and which is supported by a team of highly qualified and efficient sales consultants and agents.
Experience, knowledge and strength
A complete foundry supplier must have in-depth experience from foundries of all types and sizes in many different countries and climates. He must be able to focus the full power of his experience, knowledge and resources on the needs of the individual customer.
The foundry, however, is also dependent on a supplier who has the power and strength to contribute with experience and knowledge for the entire lifetime of the plant. The complete foundry supplier must thus have the solidity, capital and technology development resources necessary to provide innovative solutions to new needs as industries evolve and end-customer requirements change.
Single point of contact
A complete foundry supplier gives new meaning to the concept of one-stop shopping by ensuring one-stop access to experience, knowledge and overview through a single contact, the Project Manager. The task of the Project Manager is to coordinate and combine foundry equipment with human resources, knowledge and expertise to provide a solution that will help the customer achieve the expected improvements in his production and business performance.
Piloting and testing of applications, liaison with sub-suppliers and partners, equipment production and configuration, transport, installing and commissioning, staff training and follow-up service and maintenance are all part of the same end-to-end process. Whatever questions the customer may have, the Project Manager must do his best to make sure that the customer’s questions are answered before he asks them by providing regular status reports as the project progresses.
All the customer has to do is remember one face, one telephone number or one email address to be sure of receiving prompt and relevant attention, whatever the issue.
Openness and flexibility
From the moment the contract is signed, the complete foundry supplier must ensure the success of a project through clear and straightforward communication. And after commissioning, the complete foundry supplier makes a lifetime commitment to ensure constant and rapid availability of spare parts and service. This means that his organisation must be geared to managing a complex supply chain from the initial enquiry through the signing of the contract to the expiry of the guarantee period and beyond.
Rapid decision processes require transparent knowledge sharing and clear communication between project managers, engineers, technicians, logistics and transportation etc. Every person in the organisation behind the Project Manager must be committed to openness, flexibility and excellence in everything they do in order to provide prompt and relevant service to the customer at any time.
One-stop service and spare parts
The story does not end with successful installation and commissioning. The value for the foundry lies in the ability of the equipment to perform to specification in a cost-effective manner for many years to come.
Regular service contracts are the best insurance against unscheduled downtime. But if the worst does happen, the profitability of the foundry can depend on the availability of a qualified service technician and the necessary spare parts at short notice.
The customer must be able to trust and depend on local representatives who speak his language, and who can provide rapid support and advice by phone, email or via the Internet. In addition, he must have the reassurance that relevant spare parts are always available, and that he can call on specialised technicians to assist in fault diagnosis and installation of the necessary spares.
Going all the way
Any foundry supplier who is planning on staying in business will be able to deliver on at least some of the above qualifications. The more complete the resources in terms of equipment range and quality, experience and knowledge, synergies and overview, close contact and dialogue, service and flexible management, the better.
The complete foundry supplier is committed to providing all of these resources, anywhere in the world and throughout the lifetime of the equipment. That is what it takes to make one-stop shopping a profitable option for foundries.
At DISA we call it going all the way.