It’s the people who make the difference
The co-operation between Stålrör and Proton Engineering is a textbook example of how to succeed together.
– It’s a bit like a marriage. It takes mutual respect and good dialogue to nurture the relationship,’ says Thomas Eriksson, Sales Manager at Stålrör.
Stålrör, it’s exactly what it sounds like. A company that specialises in stocking, cutting and supplying tubes and rods to the Swedish engineering industry. But this is not a traditional wholesale business, emphasises Thomas Eriksson.
The whole idea of our business is that we work long-term and very closely with our customers. We must know our customers’ needs and challenges down to the smallest detail and adapt to them. Half of our stock is customer-specific and we adapt quickly and flexibly to our customers’ conditions. Having the technical understanding is crucial. Proton Engineering has its own unique flows that place demands on the material – there is simply no one-size-fits-all recipe. The concept has been a winner; running on pallets from steel pipes on the floor is almost standard practice for manufacturing companies. The small family business that started in Halmstad in 1966 has today grown to 53 employees.
We have created a shared history. Proton Engineering has been there and supported us when we have needed help and therefore we are ready to break our back for Proton.
Valuable expertise
The relationship with Proton Engineering is long-standing and based on mutual trust. Today, they supply a number of different basic items in the form of straight pipes in various dimensions and qualities, which Proton Engineering then bends and processes on behalf of the customer. ‘But of course it’s not the pipes that make the difference, it’s the people,’ emphasises Fabian Furberg, purchasing manager at Proton Engineering.
– We are experts at bending and end-forming. Thomas and the team at Stålrör are experts in pipes and we depend on their expertise. We may have an idea when we make an enquiry, but if we can get a counter-offer, for example a suggestion on how a different choice of material or a different solution can lead to better quality, flows and price, then everyone in the supply chain wins in the long run. Proton Engineering and Stålrör have a common goal and that is to achieve the best possible result for the end customer.
Mutual trust
It sounds simple – but how do you get there? Both Thomas and Fabian agree that everything depends on dialogue.
– We have to talk to each other all the time. Through constant dialogue, we at Stålrör can understand the difficulties and opportunities of a project and come up with our best possible contribution,’ says Thomas.
– It’s very important for us that Proton is clear about its needs and requirements. The fact that there is a long-term relationship also creates security. It’s like any other marriage. You get to know each other and each other’s way of being, and you have to give and take. Sometimes there are obstacles along the way that you navigate around. We have created a shared history, Proton Engineering has been there to support us when we have needed help and therefore we are ready to break our back for Proton. All of our 53 employees have a relationship with Proton and are ready to do everything to support if there is something that needs to be solved
We have created a shared history. Proton Engineering has been there and supported us when we have needed help and therefore we are ready to break our back for Proton.
Thomas Eriksson
Sales Manager Stålrör
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