Steel prices exploded throughout 2020 and 2021. Largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting supply and labor disruptions, the price of steel soared 219% between January 2020 and August 2021 and reached a peak in September 2021. Since then, it has been falling and remains very unpredictable.

Steel prices are expected to stabilize, but it is currently unclear whether or how soon they will reach the pre-COVID-19 historical average.

Why did steel prices surge?

As you already know, the COVID-19 pandemic threw supply chains into complete chaos over the past two years. Steel is an essential metal found in everything from cars and heavy equipment to home appliances and furniture. At the very beginning of the pandemic, demand dropped as some manufacturing and building operations shut down, but then it quickly bounced back and surged to record highs.

The reason for the drastic increase in steel prices is the fact that many producers slashed output during the first half of 2020 due to a drop in manufacturing. Once manufacturing rebounded during the second half of 2020 and into 2021, demand massively outpaced available supply or production capabilities.

The increase in consumer demand for many products containing steel, like appliances, also strainedan already tenuous supply situation, further driving up prices.

The current state of steel prices

Since last September, steel prices have begun to stabilize as producers have made up the supply deficit and are now more accurately matching current demand. The problem that remains for steel producers and manufacturers alike, however, is the uncertainty.

It’s more difficult than ever to answer questions about where we are at in the pandemic and whether COVID-19 will worsen again, whether prices will go up or down, or whether steel demand for manufacturing will increase or decrease.

The good news for manufacturers and consumers is that most experts and industry leaders expect the price of steel to level out soon; they only differ on at what price.

What does this information mean for our customers?

The best anyone can say about the current steel market is that we will have to wait and see what happens to prices. A stable price looks likely, which means it will be easier for you to plan out your steel projects. At Highland Machine, we use vetted and trusted suppliers to source materials at competitive prices. Working closely with these suppliers, we will continue our efforts to mitigate the impact of any future market disruptions to our customers.

You’re our number one priority, and we will continue to work hard to make your projects as predictable, cost effective, and seamless as possible.

If you have questions, please contact us today.

From Sheet Metal Fabrication to Custom Metal Finishing to Final Assembly

We’re your one stop shop

When manufacturing a product, sheet metal fabrication only takes you half way there. Once the part or product is fabricated, it then needs to be machined to meet your specifications, powder coated, assembled, and stored. Handling all these different steps of the project with a collection of vendors will often lead to increased costs, longer timelines, and less consistent quality.

At Highland Machine, we’re more than a metal fabricator. We’re an end-to-end operation that takes your product from design to fabrication, all the way through assembly and storage.

What is the sheet metal fabrication process?

By choosing a sheet metal fabricator with broad in-house capabilities, you only have one point of contact for the entire project and don’t have to worry about shipping your product from vendor to vendor at each stage.

Here’s what the sheet metal fabrication process looks like:

1. The part or product is fabricated using laser cutting, CNC punching, TIG, MIG, and spot welding, robotic welding, and stamping and forming.
2. Your fabricated product is precision machined through CNC milling and CNC turning to ensure it meets your exact specifications.
3. The sheet metal is then finished using powder coating, stainless steel finishes, anodizing, or plating.
4. The finished components are assembled to deliver a completed product that is ready for your customers.
5. Storing inventory so that you can take advantage of the cost saving benefits of large production runs.

Benefits of a one stop shop sheet metal fabricator

Whether you need a simple component or complex assemblies, taking the sheet metal fabrication process and putting it all under one roof will help streamline production and make it much more efficient.

Lower costs—You can better control costs because you’re dealing with one vendor and one team instead of four or five. By contracting multiple services from a single shop, you’ll receive a break on the price compared to using multiple shops.

Quality control—From auditing to monitoring, it is much easier to ensure one shop is meeting your high standards than having to keep tabs on multiple. If there is an issue, you immediately know who to contact to determine the cause and get it fixed. You don’t have to coordinate multiple partners to find out where the process went wrong.

Save time—If you use different vendors for welding, finishing, assembling, and storing, you’ll need to ship your product to different manufacturers at each stage of the process. By not using a one stop shop sheet metal fabricator, you’re adding unnecessary costs to your production process as well as significantly lengthening the timeline for project completion.

Work with Highland Machine

Forget cutting metal with one shop, welding it in another, painting it somewhere else, and then moving to a new location to have your final product assembled. At Highland Machine, we handle each stage of your project. From concept to finished product, we focus on cost efficiencies and top quality.

We can even help you with the design of your product, in order to ensure it’s suitable for long production runs and engineered in the most effective way possible. Once you’re producing a large number of products, you can use our inventory management services to be confident you’ll always meet demand.

If you’re looking for end-to-end sheet metal fabrication and custom metal finishing services, contact Highland Machine today.

Whether it’s for sheet metal fabrication, assembling electronics, or any other type of manufacturing, many U.S. companies use overseas manufacturers to reduce labor and production costs. Although creating products abroad may result in short term cost savings, in the long run, there are a number of valuable benefits to using a U.S. manufacturer.

Top reasons to use a U.S. based sheet metal fabricator

When it comes to choosing a sheet metal fabricator, there are several factors that you should consider:

1. Shorter lead times–With your sheet metal fabrication completed within the U.S., your products have less distance to travel from the manufacturer to the distributor or retailer. The result is that you can get your sheet metal component or product to the end user much faster.
2. Reduced logistics costs–Although using manufacturing facilities based in other countries may help you save on labor and production, you’ll then have to pay substantial logistics costs to move your products halfway around the world. With a U.S. sheet metal fabricator, you’ll save significantly on inbound and outbound delivery and shipping costs.
3. Better quality control–It’s difficult to monitor the practices and quality of manufacturing facilities in far away countries. Sheet metal fabricators in the U.S. must be certified and adhere to certain quality standards. Rules and regulations may be different in foreign countries, potentially leading to a lower quality product. It is also easier to visit U.S. manufacturers to ensure your standards are met than it is to travel abroad.
4. Environmentally friendlier–Using a U.S. based sheet metal fabricator not only reduces your transportation and delivery costs, it also cuts down the amount of energy needed to move your goods. By manufacturing in the United States, you can do your part to lower greenhouse gas emissions and gain the appreciation of eco-minded customers.
5. Superior customer service–By working with an American sheet metal fabricator, you’re more likely to be dealing with customer service representatives who are based in the United States, reducing the chances of miscommunication or disconnects about what is needed.
6. Creating more jobs for your community–Choosing U.S. based manufacturers means you’re helping create jobs for Americans in communities like yours. You’re supporting both the local and national economy and enhancing the ability of families in your town, state, and country to be successful and thrive.

Work with Highland Machine, your U.S. sheet metal fabrication partner

To complete a sheet metal fabrication project successfully, you need a manufacturer that acts as your partner. It’s much easier to be a part of the process and control costs and quality when you work with a sheet metal fabricator based in the United States.

A fabricator’s supply chain can have a big impact on pricing and availability, so it’s crucial to know where they source their products and complete the manufacturing. Working with a partner that sources materials locally, such as Highland Machine, can help ensure that your lead times and costs are not impacted by international shipping delays and trade requirements.

Contact Highland Machine to quote your next project today!

When you’re looking for a new sheet metal fabrication partner – or vetting your existing one – it’s important to consider more than just the number on a quote. You need to factor in their overall capabilities, communication, quality, and the team you’ll be working with. The best way to do this is by visiting your sheet metal fabrication facility.

On-site visits allow you to take a wholistic look at your potential partner to determine if they’re the right fabricator for your needs, which is why we invite all our customers to see our shop for themselves.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of visiting your sheet metal fabrication facilities.

Open Lines of Communication

Having an open dialogue ensures your metal fabricator understands the nuances of your products and works as a partner to you, rather than just churning out parts. Site visits allow you to develop a personal relationship with your fabricator; talk through your design; look for cost-saving, quality-improving enhancements; and create a rapport beyond digital communication.

See The Sheet Metal Fabrication Process

It’s one thing to hear how your sheet metal fabricator will develop your products, it’s another to see the process from start to finish. During your visit, you’ll see firsthand how their products are fabricated, including any additional value-added capabilities such as engineering, powder coating, assembly, and inventory management.

Determine Equipment Capabilities

In addition to seeing how products are made, visiting your sheet metal fabricator allows you to see what equipment they have. Knowing the machines they have, maximum sizes they can fabricate, and any machinery they don’t have enables you to make an informed decision on who to partner with.

Plus, you can see how well they maintain their equipment. If machinery looks worn down, it could be a sign that maintenance is looming, potentially delaying your lead times.

Review Sample Parts and Products

When you’re on a site visit, don’t forget to request seeing sample products. If they manufacture products like yours, try to time an in-person visit with when they’re fabricating that product. This lets you evaluate their quality of work on relevant parts and components.

Visit Your Sheet Metal Fabrication Facilities

From building rapport to vetting product quality, site visits are an important consideration for choosing a sheet metal fabrication partner.

If you’re near Highland, IL, contact us to schedule a visit to Highland Machine. We can take you through our facilities, plus you’ll get to meet members of our sales and engineering team. Can’t make it? Check out this virtual behind-the-scenes look at our space.

For many businesses, in-house sheet metal fabrication can be a lucrative option, but it’s not always the most efficient, cost-effective option. While some work may be suited for maintaining within your company, there are a few signs that you might want to seek an outsourced sheet metal fabrication partner.

If you find your company in one of these situations, it might be time to look for an alternate solution.

Your Product Requires Services Beyond Sheet Metal Fabrication

Are there products you’re fabricating in-house that then get sent to another company for powder coating or assembly.

Frequently, it’s more cost-effective to work with a single sheet metal fabrication partner that can handle all of those services under one roof. The price to create the materials and then ship them to another location to finish ends up being comparable, if not more expensive, than outsourcing the product in full.

It’s essential to look for an outsourcing partner that offers a wide range of capabilities in-house, including engineering, powder coating, and assembly.

Meeting Needs for High-Volume Orders

It’s one thing to manufacture in-house. It’s another to produce a high-volume of products on a recurring schedule. And even if you can keep up with the increased schedule, as order sizes increase, quality may suffer.

To help keep up with high-volume orders while maintaining product quality, work with a company that specializes in large volume orders. This allows you to focus on smaller in-house fabrication needs while trusting your partner to manage the bigger orders.

Plus, to ensure a quality product no matter the volume, look for a manufacturer that holds quality certifications like the ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Allowing for More Accessible Inventory

If you manufacture your product in house, you need to ensure that you also have available space to store the inventory, otherwise you end up with two options:

1. Make every product run to order. While this may sound like a viable option at first glance, if you get a call for an immediate rush order you may struggle to fulfill the request on time.
2. Ship your finished products to a secondary location to store excess inventory. This option allows you to preassemble ready-to-ship products, but it does require you to pay for a secondary site and to transport the products to that location.

Instead of risking delayed shipments or overpaying for a secondary location, it can be more efficient and cost-effective to work with an outsourced metal fabrication partner that also provides inventory management services. This way you can keep your finished, ready-to-ship products at your manufacturer’s facility and have them available for rush orders.

Customized Product Needs

Custom products often require custom-fit solutions. These solutions can require specialized products, unique configurations, and team members with specific skill sets.

Between the expensive equipment, time to reconfigure machines between product runs, and the need to possibly hire a specialist, handling these products in-house can come at a high cost. By finding an outsourced partner that specializes in custom metal fabrication, you can get a custom product without the stress on your production line or overhead costs.

Choose the Right Outsourced Sheet Metal Fabrication Partner

If you decide to outsource your sheet metal fabrication, it’s crucial to make that decision confidently. If you’re not sure what to look for, we have some further tips on how to partner with the right company.

Ready to team up with a high-quality, ISO 9001:2015 certified partner that can help with everything from engineering to fabrication to custom-finishing and inventory management? Contact us today or get a free quote.

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When deciding on a sheet metal fabricator, you’re not just hiring a company – you’re choosing a collaborative partner. To ensure successful sheet metal enclosure fabrication, make sure your partner has the experience and resources to complete the work on your timeline.

Deciding if a company fits your needs starts with asking the right questions and researching their past work and current capabilities.

Here’s where to start:

Experience

A company’s experience, especially with a specific type of job, can help make the decision a lot easier.

Don’t stop at asking how many years they’ve been around. While working with a business who’s been in the industry a substantial amount of time can be comforting, inquire about the style of products managed and industries served. Even a company that has been working in sheet metal enclosure fabrication for 50 years may be of little use if they’ve never tackled a project similar to yours.

Here are some additional experience-related questions to ask when meeting with a potential fabrication partner:

• Have they worked on products similar to the one you’re proposing?
• What experience do they have in your industry?
• What employees or specialists do they have that work in your industry?
• Do they have the capabilities to powder coat and finish your products?

The goal when asking about their experience is to make sure this company can prove a level of competence in projects that makes you feel secure about working with them.

Equipment

Even a very experienced company may not have the necessary equipment to see your product through to completion. When speaking with a sheet metal fabricator, be specific about your requirements and timeline to ensure they’ll have the necessary equipment.

Ask questions like:

• Do they have the right equipment and materials available for your type of job?
• Can they handle the type, grade, and gauge of metal required?
• With what kind of supply chains do they work?
• How much of your job can they complete in-house?
• Can their facilities handle the job on your timeline?

Capabilities

Often, professional sheet metal fabricators will have additional services beyond sheet metal fabrication and can save costs and reduce delivery timelines by not shipping products to multiple manufacturers.

Services to see if your sheet metal fabricator offers to include:

• Precision Machining
• Mechanical Assembly
• Powder Coating
• Inventory Management
• CAD Services 

Your sheet metal fabricator’s capability to finish the project goes beyond their services – it also includes their schedule. By working with a company that provides a full range of services from engineering through inventory management, you gain a partner who can help oversee all aspects of your work, identify additional cost-savings, and have your product completed under one roof.

Availability

Once you’re confident they have the experience and tools necessary to complete your product, make sure to inquire about their availability in terms of scheduling and the workforce they have to offer.

For example, if a company has all your necessary qualifications but won’t be able to accommodate specific deadlines, it may be time to look into other companies or decide to put the work on hold for the time being.

Certifications

To guarantee a sheet metal fabricator’s quality standard, inquire about any certifications they hold that signal a higher standard and commitment to quality such as an ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Knowing that a company holds this certification can make your decision a little easier by ensuring the company that has a recognized level of professionalism and consistent quality.

Past Work

In addition to learning more about their equipment and services, take some time to research a company’s previous work.

There are a few ways to learn more about the companies you’re vetting:

Review Their Websites

Take a look at the sheet metal fabrication services on their website and look for a gallery of completed products. If the quality is consistent and you see products similar to the one you’re requesting, that’s a good sign they can handle the work.

Also, review their website for additional information such as case studies and testimonials from past clients. 

Ask for References

Don’t be shy about asking a sheet metal fabricator if they can provide client references that you can contact. Learning more about a fabricator by talking to people who’ve worked directly with them is one of the best ways to get a feel for your potential fabrication partner.

A few questions to ask include:

• What was the quality of work?
• How quickly was the job finished?
• Was the team professional and communicative?
• Did you encounter any problems while working with them? If so, how did the team handle them?

Look at Online Reviews

Another way to gauge the quality of their work is by checking their reviews on websites like Google Business, Yelp, and Angie’s List. Finding that other people have consistent and positive feedback over the years is a good sign you’re working with professionals.

Visit the Company

While references, case studies, and product galleries can give you a look into the quality of work a sheet metal fabricator provides, the best way to gauge the professionalism, quality, and the overall team is to visit the company in-person.

Though it can be a significant investment to travel to a fabricator’s facilities, the ability to see their fabrication process first-hand is a valuable investment in the quality of your finished product.

If a company doesn’t allow you the opportunity to visit their premises, be wary that they may be hiding something within their machines, process, or team.

Pricing

No matter what you’re working on, it’s a good rule of thumb to get a second (or third or fourth!) quote from another company to see how they differ in pricing. Many companies will offer a free quote, which doesn’t require a commitment to work with them.

When comparing quotes, see how they align to get an idea of the market standard and how much a skilled, qualified job will end up costing you. If one company offers a significantly higher estimate than the rest, ask yourself why. Bear in mind that estimates could differ based on the quality of their work, employees, and materials. It’s important to look not only at the price on the quote but also the quality of products they’re known for delivering.

In the same regard, if a company stands out for a significantly lower quote than the rest, make sure to research them further. Low bids can be an immediate red flag that the quality or timeline may not be on the same level as the other companies quoted. It may also mean that there was a miscommunication in the requirements of the job, which may lead to requesting a revised quote.

When getting a quote, ask for more than just a final, total number. A professional sheet metal fabrication company should be able to give you a quote that’s broken down into individual costs such as a materials surcharge, tooling fees, design fees, freight, no matter how complicated. Be sure there’s no hidden costs or surprises down the line.

Make The Right Choice for Your Company

Once the research is complete, it’s time to make a decision. You should choose the company that meets both your product’s requirements and that, after careful consideration, you trust the most. Take your time to make a thorough decision on who will be the right fit for your company.

If you’re looking for a sheet metal fabricator with the experience and people you can count on, contact Highland Machine today. We’d be happy to offer a free quote and discuss partnering with you.

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