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Issue 13 July/August 2017
e-Newswire
Importing and Domestic Sourcing

By McGustavus Miller, Jr., National Sales Manager, SIGMA-OEM
As the political climate calls for localization and more manufacturing within the United States, many companies are reevaluating their production and purchasing strategies.  Some are considering a relocation of operations or a change in their suppliers.  While locally producing may be an option, it is often more expensive. Ultimately, the bottom line cost must be the deciding factor for successful businesses.  Companies with the lowest value stream maximize their profits, optimize growth and create more opportunities for employees. 

Whether a company has historically preferred offshore or domestic manufacturers, many are finding that that their best strategy going forward is to incorporate a mix of the two.  This generally enables companies to realize the lowest cost. In addition, it ensures a diversified supply chain to offset any potential issues that may arise.  

Recently, there has been much industry chatter about anti-dumping duties associated with purchasing castings overseas. Understandably, companies wish to avoid paying a duty on top of the price of the products.  For many years, there have been anti-dumping duties in place on cast iron construction castings from Brazil, Canada and China. The products in this category include manhole covers, rings and frames, "heavy" catch basins, grates, "heavy" cleanout covers and frames, "light" valve and service boxes and "light" meter boxes.  These items serve as just a few examples of duties influencing the desire to purchase outsourced products.

SIGMA offers turnkey service on these and all other OEM products-fabrications, machining, assemblies and finished coatings. We eliminate the need for customers to investigate and manage the complex importation process. We handle every step in the supply channel from sourcing the raw material to design, manufacture, international duties and transportation/delivery. 

For information on SIGMA's OEM services, please contact McGustavus Miller, Jr. at  gmiller@sigmaco.com or (609) 901-1073.
SIGMA OEM Customers Share their Experience

SIGMA OEM takes great pride in serving our customers with quality, efficiency, and convenience. We meet with our customers at the location of their choice, respond promptly to their inquiries, and, even when operating overseas, adhere to American business principles and contracts.  We are always eager to receive feedback from our customers; two share their experiences with SIGMA OEM here:

A Railroad Professional:

"When we purchased materials offshore in the past, it was frustrating. The lack of understanding between the business cultures created problems. The time zone difference required phone calls at odd hours, which was inconvenient. Overseas travel to meet with the suppliers was time consuming and costly.  We learned that we could save a lot of time, money, and hassle by using an OEM service that handles the overseas process from start-to-finish for us. SIGMA provides full range services that will simplify our entire process. We anticipate that their local presence and interaction will be invaluable."

A Strategic Buyer for a Global Pump Supplier

"As a supply chain leader dealing directly with both offshore suppliers and with SIGMA OEM, the added value that SIGMA OEM brings to the table makes our supply chain much more seamless. SIGMA OEM takes the planning and replenishment of product into their warehouse upon themselves, and they manage it through our forecast and historical data. They are responsive to any issues that arise and provide both quality and engineering support in addition to the great customer service."  
 
We'd like to hear more from our customers! Please send your feedback about SIGMA OEM to: oem@sigmaco.com .
SIGMA | 800-999-2550 | djones@sigmaco.com | www.sigmaoem.com
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