Reid Supply Company’s President, John Carrier announced today the purchase of an additional CNC machine at Total Quality Machining, Inc. TQM, Reid’s exclusive machining shop for customizing standard Reid stocked parts as well as quality precision tooling components and machining services, boasts customer savings and convenience through customization of standard stocked parts. Reid Supply’s offering of customized industrial parts, components and supplies is a key industry differentiator for the 60 year-old company. This and more are featured on their state-of-the-art web site ReidSupply.com, and in print form in their full-line catalog. Call 800-253-0421 or order a cat

Muskegon, MI (EMWNews) August 7, 2008 – Reid Supply Company, a Michigan-based global distributor of industrial parts, components and supplies, recently added an additional Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine for their exclusive machine shop to customize standard stocked parts, saving customers time and money. According to Mark Drum, manager of Total Quality Machining, Inc., (TQM) a Reid Entities’ company specializing in modification and manufacturing of tooling component items, it can be difficult for customers to locate hard-to-find parts.

Reid Supply Company’s Focus

“If a customer needs an M-12 by 175 tap through we can take a blank knob and machine it to the correct specifications for the customer,” says Drum. “Using the CNC machines is one way that we can customize thousands of stocked parts for our Reid customers and keep their costs down. Drill it, mill it, tap it, thread it, we do a lot of customization.”

Before TQM’s customization, customers were receiving standard product, sending it out to a job shop, and receiving it back. Now they can simply receive one product directly from Reid. John Carrier, President of Reid Supply stresses the importance of owning a machining company.

“TQM is a major differentiator for Reid Supply and a key advantage for our customers,” says Carrier. “We will bend over backwards for customers who need customization, or for any customer who needs our help.”

Reid Supply offers customization of thousands of stocked industrial parts through TQM. Working closely with Reid Supply’s Rapid Response Team, TQM offers customers a different channel for supplying just the right parts through customization. Drum says that he works very closely with Reid’s customer service team to make sure that customization meets or exceeds the customer’s needs.

“When the customer service people at Reid Supply let us know when parts are needed we coordinate our efforts to make sure that we do the job right,” says Drum. “And because we are part of Reid, their customers are TQM customers. We both have a vested interest to keep customers happy.”

Drum says that attention to customer service shows by a lot of repeat business. He says if a customer wants one-here or one-there, or hundreds, TQM is ready to customize. They also provide high quality precision tooling components and machining services using state-of-the-art programmable machining centers and business planning software. Modifications normally take one week, unless it involves ordering special non-stocked parts or CNC set up where they have to squeeze it into the schedule. In that case it can take four to six weeks but they have been known to turn rush parts around the same day or the next day.

“TQM is one of many bonuses for doing business at Reid,” says Greg Palmer, Director of Marketing. “ReidSupply.com offers customers access to FREE CAD drawings, Savings Promotions and Resource Guides. E-newsletters with features like e-library access, Ask an Expert Resource, Tools You Can Use, Industry Articles and Fun Facts, plus of course access to all of the products that you need separated into 12 color-coded categories online.”

2008 marks the company’s 60th anniversary year and Palmer says that Reid has definite growth goals. “We’ve been around for 60 years and that’s no accident. An obvious method to continue our growth is to expand our product offering, but perhaps more importantly is that we continue operating with the same excellent customer service and support as we always have. We want to serve the customer better than anyone in the industry.”

Reid’s product offering features 12 color-coded categories of everything industrial including:

– Manual Controls

– Clamps and Workholding

– Tooling Components

– Fasteners and Hardware

– Leveling Devices and Vibration Control

– Material Handling

– Bearings and Power Transmission

– Metalworking

– Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO)

– Pneumatics and Hydraulics

– Structural Systems

– Safety Supplies

In addition to the newly designed easy-to-use catalog and other print materials, Reid Supply re-launched their e-commerce web site, ReidSupply.com, with state-of-the-art search and navigation capabilities. The company is the only industrial distribution company that offers over 42,000 free CAD downloads on their web site. The web site also provides monthly sales fliers, free downloadable product information packets called Resource Guides, Reid SupplyLine monthly enewsletters and a new online catalog, which is a digital representation of their printed catalog as an easy online ordering alternative.

“We are serious about taking care of customers by offering them the best choices and industry leading customization of parts,” says Carrier. “We believe that our rallying cry, ‘While others may be bigger, nobody will serve the customer better’ is the key to staying strong and growing in a very competitive marketplace. Try us out.”