INSTALLING IMPROVEMENTS “As we’ve implemented the Fastenal onsite program here at Sellen, it really allowed them to meet some of their KPIs,” said Steve Leal, Fastenal’s district manager. “And so some of that was really getting control of that consumable inventory. We manage it, we maintain it. They have full inventory turns and now they really have value within inventory: where they know the asset, they know the turns that they get from that asset.” The key is deep visibility into usage. As products are issued for projects, Fastenal enters Sellen’s unique customer part numbers, allowing each item to be tracked within Sellen’s internal system. Where before Sellen only saw the total number of items used, today Sellen and Fastenal can visualize the exact items and amounts used at each individual build. The results: improved planning for Fastenal and simplified job costing for Sellen. Vending technology brings that same visibility (along with point-of-use access) to products used within the warehouse. Fastenal sent a team to examine how best to provide Sellen with a system that would maximize tracking and productivity. Together, they identified the strategic point-of-use locations for tools and equipment, then Fastenal custom-configured machines to automatically track and dispense those items. “The things that are going out more often, we wanted to make sure we didn’t have to walk a mile to grab them; we wanted it to be closer,” said Bowman. CUTTING BACK ON INVOICE COSTS The Sellen/Fastenal Onsite program also helped to simplify purchasing and reduce administrative costs associated with jobsite consumables. “We had multiple invoices coming from every different vendor,” said Bowman. “And we could never keep the right cost structure because you’d buy something one week and the next week you’d buy from somebody else and the pricing was different. And by the time we went to process our invoicing there were a hundred-plus invoices from all different companies. Descriptions were different; so, it was hard for our accounting people to decipher and figure out this description from the other vendors. So, things got pretty confused.” Both Sellen and Fastenal needed tracking of parts and it was made a priority. “When Fastenal came in, they worked with us on the descriptions, using long descriptions and using our program system with our CONS which is the consumable number,” said Bowman. “So anytime we order something from Fastenal, it has our CONS number on it. That was easy for us to track. So, it just saved all kinds of time on our invoicing. It really streamlined the process for us.” Fastenal streamlined Sellen’s invoicing and was able to improve the usage of labor and floor space. Sellen is also using many of the other services Fastenal offers, including: • Tool Repair • Hoist Inspection • Construction Specialists • Ladder Inspection “Being able to manage our supply chain in partnership with Fastenal has really enabled us to deliver that quality at every single point along the job,” said Adam Rohde, Vice President, Sellen Construction. “It takes one more variable out of the equation.” Check out the video: https://www.fastenal.com/innovators Knowing the Importance of Ladder Inspections Fastenal does inspections whenever ladders come back from jobsites. If they have the correct stickers on them and they aren’t damaged, they can go back into circulation and be used for another job. If a rung is bent or the ladder is damaged, it’s pulled for repairs and another is put into service. Ensuring Hoists are Ready to Lift Before Each Job When a hoist comes back from a job, it gets sent to a Fastenal servicing site. All hoists need to be inspected and ready for use on the next project before they are sent back out. Sellen can’t afford to learn something isn’t working once it’s already out on the site. They need to be able to trust a hoist before the first load is put on it. Adding Value with Construction Specialists Corey Roberts, one of Fastenal’s construction specialists for Sellen, heard a jobsite felt their impact drill wasn’t getting the job done on a project. He reached out to DeWalt to find a time when an expert could come work with the Sellen team at their site to find the best tool for the work. Inspecting and Providing Reliable Equipment Every time tools come back from a job they are placed in totes, ID’d, and sent back to get inspected (and, if needed, repaired). Retractables for fall protection are handled through this same process. Equipment needs to be trustworthy before it is sent to worksites. Sellen can’t afford downtime or the chance that a tool won’t last for the duration of a project.
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