This economy sucks. (rant about my work)

[gundog]

OK….this economy is getting me down.
I work at a steel fabrication company, we provide structural steel and various steel products like stairs, rails, ramps and we also are a certified small bridge fabricator. We also supply metals for Wastewater treatment plants.

Business sucks right now. No one with any money is spending it. The only money out there is public money, colleges, schools, state and federal projects. Developers are not spending money. We have diversified as much as possible. We were hoping there would be a few more bridge projects coming up but all the so called stimulus money have not translated to more projects in our area. (New England) We had a decent bump last summer after a bad winter…….it seems we are back to no work for this winter as well. Prices for material, insurance, taxes, is always rising…..and prices for projects are getting lower as people become desperate for work. I am seeing some movement in some areas…..but not in construction.


We are getting competition from large cities who would never chased projects this far away…….and they are taking jobs for nothing.

We have done layoffs, all the rest of us are going on 4 days a week with one day of unemployment. (again) (So now I am working 50 hours and getting paid for 32)

I should mention that I am the estimator….It is my job to find work. I’m feeling the stress. On a personal level I will be fine, I have many marketable skills…..but it’s my job to get work and 25 other families depend on me for that.  I know many of them are not prepared in any way to be out of work for any length of time.

I guess this is just a post to let off some steam.

[Amator]

Sorry for the stress.

I'm sure everyone there knows you're doing your best to get new business, but when there's none to be had there isn't much you can personally do.

Perhaps now would be good time to try and get together some seminars or classes on everyone's day off on topics like debt reduction, living frugally, growing a garden, and other skills to help out the 25 families depending on you.  Maybe try to get everyone to help ouch each other and realize that you're a community and will stick out the hard and easy times.  After all, if we do ever have a large economic collapse, after we get through the worst of it steel fabrication will be vital to long term recovery.

Good luck!

[Saint]

If I were one of those 25 families, you're exactly the guy I'd want out there as my estimator - someone who really and truly gives a crap and is genuinely concerned. Good on you Gun - can't offer anything more than, that's pretty flippin' cool to know the guy looking for work is looking out for everyone - not just his happy hide!

[gundog]

Sorry for the stress.

I'm sure everyone there knows you're doing your best to get new business, but when there's none to be had there isn't much you can personally do.

Perhaps now would be good time to try and get together some seminars or classes on everyone's day off on topics like debt reduction, living frugally, growing a garden, and other skills to help out the 25 families depending on you.  Maybe try to get everyone to help ouch each other and realize that you're a community and will stick out the hard and easy times.  After all, if we do ever have a large economic collapse, after we get through the worst of it steel fabrication will be vital to long term recovery.

Good luck!

You know....that's a great idea. Thanks for your input!

[gundog]

If I were one of those 25 families, you're exactly the guy I'd want out there as my estimator - someone who really and truly gives a crap and is genuinely concerned. Good on you Gun - can't offer anything more than, that's pretty flippin' cool to know the guy looking for work is looking out for everyone - not just his happy hide!

I have always tried to stress  that we can't move forward without everyone doing their part. My boss (the owner) does not drive a fancy car or live in a fancy house, no one in management does. We are all in this together.....to succeed we need to do a good job across the board. I need to estimate jobs correctly, we need to manage them, supply the shop with good drawings, they need to make product that is mistake free......if we do that we all will make more money. Making money is what we're all here for. The company shares profit (when there is any.....LOL)


I can't do it alone and I need all of them......but I do care, I've done every crappy job on the floor and started at the very bottom. I know what it's like.

[Greywolf27]

Gun,
I gotta say, with that attitude, I would be really suprised if the people working for you don't appreciate everything you do.  I understand that there will be times when they don't fully believe in what is happening... you can't please everyone all the time.  But, that mentality breeds productivity.  I think that is was is lost in the larger companies/corporations.  I have worked for the small guy, where this exists... and also managed for the big corporation where each employee is simply a number.  Employee turnover was the greatest were each was a number.  The small shop was where people believed in what they did.  They put there heart and soul into their work.  The other... simply paid the bills until something better came along.

Keep up the fight.  I think with support from others (in this case here in TSP) we will make it through.

[donaldj]

Just off the top of my head...

Can you buy/sell steel to other industries? I know the Big 3 in Detroit are actually ramping up production a lot?

Does your company have the capability to machine and manufacture steel parts for other things?

Can you quote jobs from other industries to make steel parts?

Does your company have a good in-house validation lab for steel product that they could offer outside companies to utilize?

[joeinwv]

Hey brother - I am in sales. My job is to try and sell your company office equipment. At a time when you are laying people off and trimming every bit of fat off the budget to save people's jobs.

Those of us in sales know what the economy is doing - we are selling, but it is competitive as hell and people are buying on price and not quality. Making short term decisions that will hurt them long term.

It sucks - keep plugging away and look for unconventional vertical markets. Most importantly, you have to force customers to be even more decisive than usual, as you can't waste time on people who are not viable prospects. The other biggie is don't lose any current customers.

[gundog]

Just off the top of my head...

Can you buy/sell steel to other industries? I know the Big 3 in Detroit are actually ramping up production a lot?

Does your company have the capability to machine and manufacture steel parts for other things?

Can you quote jobs from other industries to make steel parts?

Does your company have a good in-house validation lab for steel product that they could offer outside companies to utilize?

Those are all excellent suggestions........many of them we have and are exploring. Were are AISC certified supplier for structural steel and for small bridges. We just received our bridge certs last year and are trying to build that part up a little.

We have two CWI on staff and we do provide training/inspection.

And we do try to diversify by providing metal products outside of construction industry......and we are always looking.

Thanks for your input.

[gundog]

Hey brother - I am in sales. My job is to try and sell your company office equipment. At a time when you are laying people off and trimming every bit of fat off the budget to save people's jobs.

Those of us in sales know what the economy is doing - we are selling, but it is competitive as hell and people are buying on price and not quality. Making short term decisions that will hurt them long term.

It sucks - keep plugging away and look for unconventional vertical markets. Most importantly, you have to force customers to be even more decisive than usual, as you can't waste time on people who are not viable prospects. The other biggie is don't lose any current customers.

LOL....yeah we are not buying anything right now......I don't envy your job.


I find like you that price is the only factor people are looking at right now.......they want my level of service and my competitors price.

[Greywolf27]

I find like you that price is the only factor people are looking at right now.......they want my level of service and my competitors price.

AMEN!!!!  How true is that.  I work inside sales.  I get the calls from people asking technical questions to educate themselves... and then they go and buy from the competitor.  IMHO, that is theft.  They take my expertice and time, and then buy from someone else...

[gundog]

AMEN!!!!  How true is that.  I work inside sales.  I get the calls from people asking technical questions to educate themselves... and then they go and buy from the competitor.  IMHO, that is theft.  They take my expertice and time, and then buy from someone else...

Happens here all the time. I nip it when possible of course.

[nanodec]

@GunDog -

Where is your business located at and what states can/do you service? I work for a construction supplier and keep on top of upcoming projects in the area. Being in VT, there isn't alot going on, but I know that we are selling wood for temporary bracing for a company who's going to be rebuilding a bridge up by Crown Point, NY... the old bridge was demo'd last year, but I'm not sure if they have negotiated a contract yet for the steel...

I'll keep my eye out for ya and shoot you PM's if I catch wind of any steel getting thrown around up here...

Craig

[gundog]

Funny you should say that.......We are supplying some of the temp steel for the bridge. The bridge itself is a scope that is way too big for us.

We also built all the temp steel for the ferries that are running there right now.

Since my last post we have won several decent jobs and one very large one.....I can take a deep breath now. While all problems are not solved it looks like we will be moving forward for a few more months. 



Thanks everyone for the ideas and the support.

[TNVolunteer]

Glad to hear Gundog, glad to hear.