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FAB 40: Team approach helps Robinson Metal scale up
Robinson gives customer single point of contact
- By Tim Heston
- June 12, 2014
- Article
- Shop Management
When customers call Robinson Metal’s fabrication division—No. 8 on this year’s FAB 40—they don’t call a main number but instead the cell phone of a member of a crew. That person then talks to other members of the crew. These people don’t deal with hundreds of accounts; they probably know the customer, the job history, and common questions. That’s because the crew works mainly with only specific accounts.
That one team member is the single point of customer contact for the company’s fabrication division. Our internal structure makes it very easy for us to adapt to growth,” said Paul Leicht, manager of the fabrication division at the De Pere, Wis., company.
The fabrication division added two crane bays to handle large industrial projects, including a major one in the water treatment arena, one of the firm’s strongest markets right now. Leicht added that the paper business is rebounding.
Besides its fabrication division, Robinson also has an enclosure division dedicated to fabricating custom enclosures; a machining division; and a heating and cooling division, a commercial and residential HVAC installation service that operates as a separate entity.
Following increased customer demand, Robinson launched yet another division about a year ago, this one dedicated to processing piping and vessel work. This division, which employs people with ASME Section IX and related certifications, remains the smallest in terms of revenue but, according to Leicht, has the greatest potential for growth in the coming years.
About the Author
Tim Heston
2135 Point Blvd
Elgin, IL 60123
815-381-1314
Tim Heston, The Fabricator's senior editor, has covered the metal fabrication industry since 1998, starting his career at the American Welding Society's Welding Journal. Since then he has covered the full range of metal fabrication processes, from stamping, bending, and cutting to grinding and polishing. He joined The Fabricator's staff in October 2007.
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The Fabricator is North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry. The magazine delivers the news, technical articles, and case histories that enable fabricators to do their jobs more efficiently. The Fabricator has served the industry since 1970.
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