Think Twice Before Shopping for Springs Overseas

Katy Spring & Manufacturing has been custom making springs for industries of all types for the past several years in Katy, Texas located on the outskirts of Houston. They are able to custom design compression springs, torsion springs, extension springs, flat springs and wire forms from all types of metal including music wire, oil temper and brass - just to name a few. But can a company in the United States make them cheaper than, say, China or India? The owners of Katy Spring & Manufacturing decided to take a closer look at this and discovered that what may appear cheaper at the front end can result in higher costs at the back end - as fees accumulate after final delivery. Although it is true that labor is substantially cheaper overseas than it is in the United States, one thing remains constant these days - the rising cost of fuel. Freight costs are naturally passed on to the buyer, which in the end means that the unit price of the spring rises. Overseas shipping costs are on the rise as well and are unlikely to ever match or beat domestic shipping costs pound for pound. Countries such as China must import the raw materials due to the lack of metallurgy technology. Many Chinese wire and spring manufacturers lack the knowledge of adjusting their spring material composition through heat treating and other metallurgy techniques, resulting in quality control problems as some of the raw materials used fail to meet U.S. standards. One of the most substantial differences found in shopping overseas is customer service. When dealing with such a technical device as a spring - communication is key. It is important to be able to communicate specific details and requirements that are crucial to the final outcome of the product. Customers no longer measure quality in the product alone it is also measured in terms of customer service. Katy Spring & Manufacturing is devoted to designing and delivering quality products made to the specifications of their customers - for environments they understand well. In a 2006 Springs Manufacturer Performance Rating, their customers gave them top marks in delivery, quality, service and pricing, something that can't be said for those guys overseas. When it comes to springs, the customers of Katy Spring & Mfg. Agree. "Made in the U.S.A" is better. Katy Spring & Manufacturing is a full service custom spring and metal company, log onto www.katyspring.com to view their online catalog, or to request an application-specific custom made spring today.