Plated fasteners play a critical role in both the assembly and installation of manufactured products. However, without a trusted fastener distributor, OEMs risk receiving plated fasteners that are under spec, which can impact the performance and longevity of the fastener. Additionally, any significant changes in the quantities required can take a long time to fulfill from overseas suppliers.
Industry insider Johnny Rose, President of AFT Industries, a leading fastener and industrial supply distributor headquartered in Mansfield, Texas, offers Tip #1 for OEMs:
TIP: Select a Fastener Distributor with In-House Plating Capability
Distributors that offer in-house fastener plating can deliver much faster turnaround and greater responsiveness when orders change or increase in quantity.
There are many reasons that this is advantageous to the customer, including the not-so-uncommon scenario where the number of fasteners required is substantially underestimated. In one case, Rose says a customer ordered 500,000 items from AFT and came back and asked for 800,000, which would have taken six months if sourced overseas.
“If there is an emergency, I can prioritize the OEM and ship parts within 24 hours or even the same day if necessary to at least keep them going,” says Rose. “Once I locate the fasteners from other distributors or in our inventory, we can plate them and supply the entire order even if it’s for hundreds of thousands of pieces.”
For distributors without in-house plating services, the costs can escalate quickly. The parts would have to be shipped to a nearby plating operation. It would then take a day or two for the plating to be completed, even for a rush order. Once plated, there are freight costs to ship the fasteners back to the distributor. The customer can expect to pay for multiple markups, adding to the overall costs.
Another benefit to selecting a distributor with in-house plating operations is to manage a “mix” of different types of coated fasteners more easily. For example, if an OEM needs clear, yellow, and black zinc fasteners, the items can be purchased, plated in various colors and quantities, and delivered as needed.
For more information on plated fasteners, visit the AFT website at www.aftfasteners.com; call (877) 844-8595; or email [email protected] .