… And the Gold Metal Goes to Macomb’s Southeast Region

It was late in the day when we spoke with Ben Hedrick, Account Manager at Mechanical Supply Company in Matthews, North Carolina. After two years of working at the relationship, the first of several shipments of pipe and valves for Mechanical Supply’s massive, $1 million project with Haile Gold Mine in Kershaw, South Carolina, was finally nearing delivery. We spoke with Ben about the process.

“An order this size is the result of several peoples’ hard work,” Ben says. “It includes hundreds of valves and more than a couple of miles of pipe in different sizes and configurations.”

Making this project success even more impressive is the fact that Mechanical Supply team members are juggling this “considerable” project alongside their integration with us at The Macomb Group. We acquired this reputable and long-established business to expand our presence in the southeast.

Needless to say, the Haile Gold Mine project is a major step in the right direction, bringing us into contact with regions and end markets that are quite different from our typical orders.

Old mine, new technology

“This mine site dates back to the Civil War, when they got as much gold as they could the old-fashioned way,” Ben explains. “They knew there was still a lot of gold in the soil, but it took several years for the mine to pull the entire project together.”

For more than two years, the Mechanical Supply team has focused on developing relationships and fulfilling smaller orders for the mine operators. Their long-term commitment paid off in the form of the huge order they’re pulling together now.

Of course, securing this contract wasn’t easy — in fact, it was remarkably competitive.

Behind-the-scenes success

Not only is this order significant but it also comes with a real sense of urgency as mine operators are in a hurry to begin extracting gold and producing revenue.

To stay ahead, Ben worked with Southeast Corporate Quotations Manager Lee Kiser, Inside Sales and Valve Actuation Expert David Stone, and IT Systems Expert Bill Toomey, who all actually deserve the credit for this order. They dug in behind the scenes to take care of bids, pricing, and scheduling. To make everything come together, Lee and David focused on coordinating with their top vendors.

“We already have good relationships with certain suppliers, so we worked to get their product lines approved for the mine’s processes,” David says.

Even working with long-time suppliers presents challenges on a job of this scale, though, and they’ve had to remain vigilant about staying on top of vendors to obtain the necessary quantities and coordinate on-time deliveries.

“Communication is the key,” Lee notes. “The more information we can provide to vendors regarding our customers’ needs at the outset, the better we are able to meet our customers’ needs through the duration of the project.”

Thankfully, as the Haile Gold Mine receives its first shipment of PVF supplies, it’s clear that the hard work from Lee, David, Bill, Ben, and the rest of the Mechanical Supply team is paying off.

[cta]The Added Benefits of Integration
We can’t imagine trying to fulfill a $1 million order while undertaking a companywide integration, but the folks at Mechanical Supply Company are making it look easy!

“We’re doing this huge Haile Gold Mine project at the same time we’re integrating with The Macomb Group, and it is demanding to split our attention in several directions,” says Ben. “However, we’re integrating a lot of methods that Macomb would like to see, and their influence should help with our efficiency.”

Ben also notes that the transition has been made smoother thanks to the way everyone at The Macomb Group has made them feel welcome.

“I’m really impressed by not only how personable everybody is but also how interested they are in us coming under the Macomb umbrella,” Ben says. “They came in with open arms; that warm reception is really supporting the work we’re doing.”

David echoes this sentiment, explaining that while The Macomb Group team has helped streamline the Mechanical Supply crew’s inventory processes, they’ve also trusted everyone at Mechanical Supply to continue doing what they do best: selling PVF products and providing superior customer service.

“They’ve allowed us to continue being ourselves and do our jobs, and we appreciate it — we’re very happy to be a part of The Macomb Group,” David says.

At The Macomb Group, we’re proud of all the Mechanical Supply Company team members and their work on the Hailey Gold Mine Project and elsewhere. And we’re particularly excited that those at both companies are seeing the benefits of this recent acquisition![/cta]