5 Questions to Ask Your Welding and Fabrication Partner Before Outsourcing

When you are choosing a shop to outsource your welding and fabrication, there are important things to know about that shop. Not every welding and fabrication company is created equal, and finding the right partner means looking for the shop that has the capabilities to get your project done right and on time.

1. Do You Keep the Whole Project In-House?

The best partner is one with a full-service shop that also networks with other skilled shops to provide a wide array of talents for your project. The benefits of this are numerous. When you choose a full-service shop that can also contract out part of the work, you will still have one point of contact. A partner with vetted sub-contractors can accurately quote project timelines and the ease of project management and communication through one point of contact keeps the whole project on track.

2. Do You Have Experience in My Industry?

The right partner should have the right experience. When you are looking for a shop to partner with, look for skills and capabilities relevant to your industry, the project history, including similar builds to yours, relevant certifications, and the ability to prove expertise. A good shop will have these qualities in every capacity of metal fabrication for your industry, including custom builds.

3. Do You Offer Design Support?

If you need help creating final drawings to submit to our team for a quote, the right fabrication partner can steer you in the right direction to a quality engineering firm and make sure the drawings are ready for manufacturing. The right design, including the right drawings, are crucial to a successful project, and the right partner can make sure that your project is ready to go. Design support is never something to ignore.

4. Do You Only Work on Local Projects?

While a local shop has many advantages, the shop you choose doesn’t need to be in your backyard. A quality fabrication partner can transit, ship, and deliver worldwide. They will keep the communication in place to ensure that you are involved throughout the process, even if you aren’t right next door.

5. Do You Offer Finishing Services?

You should choose a shop that offers finishing services. When you choose a full-service metal fabrication and manufacturing partner, you will have everything you need for your project from start to finish. Some of the finishing services you can look for are painting, powder coating, blast finishing, and galvanizing. The finishing services should include a variety of coatings. In addition, finishing services also require surface preparation such as sand blasting, coating removal, and degreasing. Your partner should be able to handle any and all finishing services you require to make your project ready for delivery.

Choosing a welding and fabrication partner means trusting another company with your product, and most shops understand the faith you are putting in them to get the job done right. By asking the right questions, you can find a shop that can get your project done on time, on budget, and with the best quality and expertise available. Contact Swanton Welding today to learn more about what to look for in a fabrication partner or to get a quote on your next project.