PMPA Technical Member Stainless and Aluminum Inc. Finds Success in Quality Materials and Customized Distribution
Stainless and Aluminum specializes in stainless steel, aluminum and steel bar distribution. The company also specializes in cutting with capabilities of plus or minus 0.005 inch in length and up to 14 inches in diameter for CNC shops that need larger sizes.
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Years before he started his own business from scratch, John Collins sold steel for some of the biggest metal companies in the world and had worked in mills and warehouses since 1971. After taking a buyout from his employer, Mr. Collins started Stainless and Aluminum Inc. in 1997 in Troy, Michigan. Today, the company is a leader in metals distribution and customized precision cutting solutions for a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace and food and beverage.
Stainless and Aluminum specializes in stainless steel, aluminum and steel bar distribution. The company also specializes in cutting with capabilities of plus or minus 0.005 inch in length and up to 14 inches in diameter for CNC shops that need larger sizes. Rather than ordering from mills using generic specifications, Stainless and Aluminum buys metal that is custom specified to be cut on a screw machine or CNC machine. The company goes through extensive processes to make sure its materials are sourced from the best mills in the world.
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“We have our own standards, which are as high as the mills can make,” says John Collins, president and CEO at Stainless and Aluminum Inc. “We find all the mills in the world that produce materials that, in our opinion, cut the best and deliver the best quality. The ability to do this comes from my 46 years of experience selling world-sourced metal.”
In addition to its vast expertise in sourcing materials, Mr. Collins believes Stainless and Aluminum’s greatest competitive advantage comes from its customized distribution and on-time delivery methods. To avoid potential logistical issues of hiring a trucking company, Stainless and Aluminum has its own fleet of flatbed trucks that deliver up to 45,000 pounds from Detroit, Tennessee and Canada to further guarantee on-time delivery. The company uses three cranes that load the shipment with straps instead of chains so the cargo isn’t harmed or scratched.
“When I say ‘just in time,’ that’s what I mean,” Mr. Collins says. “We can turn an order around in two hours, because we have our own trucks. If a customer’s annual usage is 100,000 pounds, but they only want 2,000 pounds a week, they get it when they want it at the hour they want it.”
Mr. Collins says because Stainless and Aluminum has always placed an emphasis on bar and keeping inventory, the company’s membership with PMPA has been a great way to meet and learn from new and existing customers. In addition to frequently attending shows and sending his employees to volunteer at shows, Mr. Collins served on the national tech committee for four years.
“Our membership with PMPA is very important to us,” Mr. Collins says. “I try to give as much back to the organization as I get in return. Our business has expanded fairly well from our membership, and to be in a partnership with PMPA is what I try to accomplish.”