E-Archive
VOL. 3 August ISSUE YEAR 2002
Articles
in Vol. 3 - August Issue - Year 2002
A New Concept in the Surface Finishing Industry
Surface Blasting Systems, LLC (SBS) is a new fully employee owned company providing automated grit blasting systems, replacement parts and service and production runs for customers in the surface finishing industry.
Market Focus
Three of the members of SBS decided in the fall of 2001 that it was time to get back to basics: providing one of the most robust automated grit blasting systems for 24/7 operation that the industry has ever seen.
"We bring to the table a key element that was missing at the former Surface Automation - and that's market focus" states SBS's General Manager Jerry Gurney.
"Our successes over the past 10 years have been with extremely robust and very specialized automated grit blasting systems. And as a result, this is our new target." The systems provided by SBS are not off the shelf, they are individually engineered and manufactured to meet specific customer needs.
Developing the Competitive Edge
In order to compete in the marketplace, the members of SBS decided to join forces with a local CNC machine facility, Signet Machine. By joining forces, SBS and Signet are able to share costs and resources, thereby offering a more competitive price for a high quality system.
Mike Tubergen, owner of Signet Machine states: "The combination of forces has been exciting. We are developing a business model here that we predict others in the industry will follow."
Tubergen and several of his key employees also bring to the table many years of experience in machining and the actual production end of grit blasting and thermal spraying. "The backbone of our company is automated systems" states Gurney, "but production runs are a key element in our product / services mix-and by joining with Signet we have increased our capacity to meet and exceed our customer's demands."
A New Level of Service
When a new or existing customer calls SBS, the chances are 100% that an employee/owner will answer the phone. Arlyn Westrate heads up the parts and service department and keeps his finger on the grit blasting industry pulse. "Automated attendants are not our way of doing business" he states. By being easily accessible to their customers, any issues such as product delivery, engineering assistance, and systems knowledge are answered immediately.
The Customer Benefits
By getting back to basics, sharing resources, being competitive with the product line, and providing a high level of service they hope to achieve their one main goal: a satisfied customer.
For Information:
Surface Blasting System, LCC
3404 Busch Drive
Suite A Grandville, MI 49418, USA
Tel: +1.800.727.2442
E-mail: sales@surface-blasting.com
www.surface-blasting.com