Buying springs from the right manufacturer is an important job for any industrial purchasing manager. The springs need to be high in quality, the purchase needs to be on budget, and the shipment needs to be on time. It’s the purchasing manager’s job to ensure that the entire spring manufacturing process goes smoothly.

So, when it comes to purchasing springs, you should consider choosing a local spring manufacturer for your needs. Here are three reasons why taking advantage of the manufacturer’s close proximity can improve your business.

1. Customer Service

To make sure the process is on the right track at all times, you need to be able to talk to your manufacturer whenever you need to. If you think buying your springs overseas to save a couple bucks is worth it, I’m here to tell you that the headaches you will likely encounter from doing so aren’t worth the trouble.

When you work with someone overseas, there’s a huge time difference. When you’re working during the day and have questions for your supplier, the office will be closed and you’ll have to wait until night time to get your questions answered or your issues resolved.

Plus, the language barrier can cause confusion, miscommunications, and frustration. If you can’t fully understand each other, you won’t be able to talk things through as effectively as you need to. You also won’t be able to just pop in to the factory and check in on your purchase, so you won’t be able to see how smoothly it’s going, you won’t be able to check out the machinery, and you won’t be able to inspect your product.

When you go with a local spring manufacturer, on the other hand, none of these problems exist. The excellent customer service you get will not only make your job easier, it’ll also improve your business because you will have a firm understanding of what exactly is going on with your purchase to ensure no errors are made on the manufacturer’s end. So the springs you ultimately receive are exactly what you need.

2. Time Savings

The faster you can get your springs shipped out, the more efficient your own business can be. With an overseas manufacturer, you have to wait several weeks just to get samples of your springs sent to you. And if there’s any problem with them, you’ll have to wait longer to have the error fixed and another sample sent. Additionally, you’ll be waiting several months to get your purchase delivered to you from overseas, and if there are any issues with customs or shipping, you’ll be waiting even longer. This wasted time lowers productivity on your end, since your workers will all be waiting around for your springs to get delivered so they can finish their job. And lowered productivity inevitably means lowered profitability, which isn’t good for business.

3. Cost Savings

Money is everything in business, and when you buy your springs from a local spring manufacturer you can save on costs. Even though the initial purchase may cost less overseas, you still have to account for the extra taxes and duty and shipping fees from importing them. These extra expenses can make you spend more than you had originally budgeted. And as mentioned above, the wasted time you’ll spend waiting on your product, your inquiries, and your samples will cost you money in labour costs and operational costs. But when you go with a local spring manufacturer, you save on these expenses because you don’t have to deal with the costs of importing from another country.