showing off four things: safety, quality, timely deliveries, and cost. It provides valve bodies, thrust rings, gate valves and other products to serve a variety of customers. Southwest Steel also has diversi-
fied by partnering with a Chinese metalcaster for over 15 years, provid- ing more offerings and options. “We manufacture castings for
Southwest Steel’s employees work in their stations performing grinding operations.
small lot-size and/or high production machining and other services. “Together we utilize our relation- ship in sharing resources to assist in keeping cost down,” Ingram said. Even so, Southwest Steel knows
the importance of diversifying its port-
folio of customers in a soft market. Beyond ARI, Southwest Steel does business with multiple com- panies that are prominent in their respective industries. When Southwest Steel tries to garner new business, it does it by
ARI, but not as much as one would think,” Ingram said. “Our largest industry served is the oil and gas industry. We are growing into other markets such as construction, heavy trucks, nuclear and military. “We are not a captive foundry.”
Diversifying Leads to Challenges One client might need some-
thing one way with one set of specs and one set of requirements, while another client might need an item completed in a different way. Add in what a parent company wants and needs, and Southwest Steel has
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