How can coupling companies help decrease lead time and downtime?

Timing is everything. Lead time and downtime that is. Minimizing both of these parameters is at the forefront of every coupling end user’s business model. So what are coupling manufacturer’s doing to help? We asked Ringfeder President Ross Rivard about how his company works to keep its customers competitive. Here is what he had to say.

The two main areas of focus for eliminating our customer’s problems is access engineering expertise and minimization of lead time and downtime.

We are tackling the in-house engineering support from two sides. Our US-based engineering staff is fully staffed with full CAD drawing capability. We have augmented that capability with an expanded offering of on-line CAD drawings straight from our website. We continue to add to this database of available drawings, making it easier for our customers to find and make use of the information available from Ringfeder. We will move to an online product configurator with an order entry portal at some point in the future. Second, and equally as important, is providing access to our European-based colleagues. We have expanded that access primarily through an internal communications portal to improve both the flow of information and timeliness of response.

Speed is critical. We oftentimes hear that the long lead time product for a project is the coupling. In an effort to bring about a change in this area, we launched and continue to expand our Rapid Response Program (RRP). The basis of the program is getting the customer up and running which means either keeping a project on track or getting an end user operating quickly. Our RRP covers Metal Bellows and Servo Insert couplings of all sizes of the four most popular hub types.  We are expanding the program to include certain Gear and Nor-mex Couplings in the very near future.

The P-T world’s reality is that without our customer we as a manufacturer are irrelevant. Any company can provide price or product with quality being assumed. Companies that are providing true value are focusing on the quality of the customer experience. Simplifying the work of our customers must serve as the driving force and is a driving force behind nearly every program or advancement Ringfeder is pursuing.

Ringfeder
www.info.ringfeder.com