Software helps new metal fabricator generate quotes like a seasoned pro

Software helps new metal fabricator generate quotes like a seasoned pro

Situation

After 15 years in software sales, operations, and other leadership positions, Kyle Cleaver was ready for a new challenge. So, naturally, he purchased a metal fabrication shop. That wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, except that he had no previous experience in the industry whatsoever.

“My father-in-law has been very successful in fabrication and manufacturing for the past 40 years. In speaking with him, I began to investigate the industry, and the more I learned, the more interested I became,” he explained.

So, in 2019 Cleaver purchased AmTech Manufacturing in Fort Worth, Texas. With more than 30 years of combined experience in the metal fabrication industry, the company provides a variety of services, from fiber and CO2 laser cutting, bending, milling, welding, and painting to powder coating. It serves customers in such industries as industrial machinery, oil and gas, automotive/trucking, construction, health care, and warehouse/retail.

Although Cleaver acquired an established and reputable company with an arsenal of equipment, there remained plenty of challenges, not the least of which was the quoting process. Because Cleaver was responsible for estimating and sales, he sat down with a longtime industry veteran to learn the process.

“I saw quotes being created based largely on subjective experience. There seemed to be no consistent formula for determining machine run times, material costs, labor costs, and other variables,” Cleaver explained.

While he had great support from the previous owner and support of others in the industry, he knew the learning curve would be steep. In addition, he recognized that to be successful he would need to turn quotes around faster than his competitors while maintaining extreme accuracy.

“I knew that it would be extremely difficult for me to consistently hit the margins I needed to run the business without an accurate and repeatable quoting process,” he said.

Given his software background, he knew that he needed to find an automated, objective quoting system to simplify the process and make it more consistent.

Resolution

Cleaver saw a SecturaSOFT quoting software demonstration and decided this automated system was his answer.

The software, designed specifically for the fabrication industry, includes an easy-to-use interface, a customized estimating engine, and sales tools not accessible in other platforms. This allows employees with little experience to create winning quotes in days. And these employees are able to turn around four to five times the number of quotes as a typical estimator, according to the company.

Cleaver now uses the software, which allows him to set profit margins and generate bids automatically, to complete an average of 30 quotes per week. It allows him to concentrate on running the business, confident that the quotes he sends are competitive and meet the needed margins.

“Anyone can lowball the competition and win the job,” concluded Cleaver. “The key is to turn a profit; and with SecturaSOFT I don’t have to be an expert or have years of experience to create winning, profitable quotes.”