When emergency situations arise, response time is critical. For a refractory customer with a heat-processing equipment failure, rapid response, in the moment of need, is critical and can mean the difference between becoming operational in a matter of hours, verses days or in some cases even weeks.
Plibrico Co. reported on its swift, around-the-clock reaction to customer requests due to its agile customer service. In 2018 the company increased resources and hired additional staff to continually deliver exceptional service to its partners and customers across the country. The move comes at a time when Plibrico says system repairs, upgrades and retrofits are more important than ever.
Overall customer growth and production demands have fueled the need for continuous customer support, explained Brad Taylor, president and CEO of Plibrico Co. “In the world of refractories, things can change in a moment’s notice with the unexpected occurring at the worst possible time. By becoming a supplier that responds the quickest in emergency situations, Plibrico has won over new customers, and reaffirmed the trust of long-term partners and customers.”
Over the last year, the Plibrico team has demonstrated time and again how its customer driven core value, combined with swift response and flexibility, is enabling PliPartners and customers alike to get their critical heating systems back on-line and operational quickly.
“We stock many standard products in multiple locations across the United States so we can respond to emergencies quickly, in the moment of need,” said Jeff Smith, Plibrico’s plant manager, “It is our nonstandard products that provide us an opportunity to demonstrate our flexibility and agility. Qualities that separate Plibrico from the rest of the industry.”
Smith went on to provide a list of instances where agile response helped customers last year. “Late on a Sunday night, Plibrico’s customer service team had a customer reach out in dire need of refractory material for an urgent hearth repair project. The team quickly determined the optimal material for the project as well as quantities needed. The next morning, during the daily production meeting, the manufacturing facility was able to modify its production schedule and pre-arrange transportation. Plibrico delivered to the customer the truckload of material on-site in less than 24 hours from placement of the order.”
Smith also recalls an event over the July 4th holiday when a customer, an Oklahoma fertilizer plant, notified Plibrico of an emergency outage requiring, a small batch, of nonstandard Plicast LWI material. In less than 24 hours, the Plibrico team manufactured and shipped the required materials to get our customer back on-line fast.”
In another off-hour occasion, Plibrico’s Canadian PliPartner needed a truckload of refractory material for an emergency repair. Their customer’s operation was down, and it was costing their customer hundreds of thousands of dollars each day they were nonproductive. “The Plibrico team went into action and manufactured, coordinated and shipped the truckload of refractory in less than 48 hours,” said Smith.
At the end of the year, one of Plibrico’s construction office contacted customer service early in the morning on behalf of a local aluminum plant. “Production was off-line at the plant and the construction crew had an immediate requirement of several thousands of pounds of a finished good. Knowing what was at stake, again, the Plinrico team rearranged the production schedule, changed the line over, and had the material produced and shipped the same day,” Smith said.
Plibrico’s ability to respond quickly is one of the reasons Plibrico has become the first thought in the minds of clients that need quick, “in the moment”, refractory solutions. Plibrico’s concept to completion, services and resources allow for fast turnaround on refractory materials and repairs to bring heating processes back on line swiftly. Strategic investments in our customers provide one of the fastest turnaround times in the refractory industry – consistently.
