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From Progressive Die Stamper to Trusted Partner

Steve Peplin Discusses Talan’s Commitment to Relationship Building For IndustryWeek

In a recent IndustryWeek article, Julie Jusko discusses strategies for building mutually advantageous customer-supplier partnerships. According to Jusko, effective customer-supplier partnerships start with effective two way communication. Conventional wisdom often stresses suppliers listening to customer needs, but customers can learn from suppliers too. The result of this paradigm shift is often the discovery of cost saving ideas that benefit the customer. Jusko also points out that effective partnerships are often formed and nurtured at the C-Level. CEOs need to set the right tone for a collaborative relationship to flourish. Jusko’s emphasizes the notion of developing mutual benefits for no true partnership can be born out of a one-sided relationship.  Talan’s own CEO, Steve Peplin is cited on this score, noting that one of his company’s guiding principles is to develop relationships which in turn become integral to the success of his customers.  Jusko reminds her readers that effective partnerships require constant care and feeding, much like relationships between people. Partnerships take time and effort, but the rewards of better customer-supplier relationships will include a positive impact on your organization’s bottom line.

About IW-IndustryWeek uses print media and an online presence to connect C-level decision-makers within the manufacturing sector to share strategies that inspire action.  IndustryWeek is widely read and consulted among corporate and executive leadership; operations and plant management; along with engineering, research and development, IT, and purchasing and sourcing management.

Progressive Die Stamping Company Utilizes LEAN Manufacturing

A manager can’t pick up a business magazine or book that doesn’t extol the virtues of lean manufacturing. The benefits—reduced costs, less scrap and improved customer service, to name a few—are well documented.

But few small manufacturers are implementing “lean.” Maybe it seems like a big-company strategy requiring the hiring of consultants and additional training, and maybe it seems like it’s just not for your company. After all, everybody talks about the Toyota Production System but is anybody telling us what assembling cars and stamping metal parts have in common? Or,maybe it’s just the name of the concept itself.  After all, you’re probably pretty lean as it is. (more…)

Stainless Steel Stampings

Stainless Steel Stampings provide a high degree of corrosion resistance and a long wearing, brilliant finish.

Because stainless steel offers greater tensile strength than carbon steel, heavier stamping presses are needed in order to effectively form the finished product.  Talan Products operates 22 presses ranging up to 400 ton SSDC, with press bed sizes are up to 105″ x 50″, and press stroke ranges from 2″ to 8″ for stamping even the most difficult stainless steel materials.  Our equipment, combined with a highly skilled work force, and ISO 9001 quality standards, take your stainless steel stamping from the drawing board to completion on time and on budget.  Best of all, stainless steel stampings can be produced in a wide variety of grades and surface finishes suiting your specifications.

Physical properties of Stainless Steel

Stainless steel (also known as corrosion resistant steel or CRES) is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass.  Stainless steel offers better corrosion resistance than carbon steel, but it is not stain-proof.  There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel to suit the environment the alloy must endure. Stainless steel is used where both the properties of steel and resistance to corrosion are required.

Stainless steel differs from carbon steel by the amount of chromium present. Unprotected carbon steel rusts readily when exposed to air and moisture. This iron oxide film (also known as rust) is active and accelerates corrosion by forming more iron oxide. Stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to form a passive film of chromium oxide, which prevents further surface corrosion and blocks corrosion from spreading into the metal’s internal structure.

Stampings From Austenitic / 300 Series Stainless Steel

Austenitic Stainless Steel (300 series) is used for the vast majority of stainless steel stamping projects.  3oo series stainless steels are non-magnetic, and possess high ductility, low yield stress and relatively high ultimate tensile strength when compared to carbon grade steels.  Austenitic stainless steel also offers corrosion resistance in the atmosphere, in many aqueous media, in the presence of foods, and in oxidizing acids such as nitric acid. Non-magnetic properties combined with exceptional durability at a wide range of temperatures make 300 series stainless steels an excellent selection for a wide variety of applications.  The most common austenitic steel is Type 304 (also known as T304, 304, and 18/8 which describes the composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel).  The second most common form of austenitic steel, Type 316 stainless is used widely for food, surgical and medical, and pharmaceutical applications.

Stainless Steel Applications

Stainless steel’s resistance to corrosion and staining, ease of care, and brilliant, shiny appearance make it an ideal material for many applications, including:

• Appliances
• Automotive
• Cookware and Food Grade Applications
• Medical and Surgical

Contact the Stainless Steel Stamping Experts

If high volume, low cost, progressive die stainless steel stampings made with ISO 9001 certifications are required for your project, contact the experts at Talan products.  Learn more about our stainless steel stamping capabilities, or submit your drawing here.

Steve Peplin Interviewed in Plain Dealer about Creating A Culture of Trust at Progressive Die Stamper – Talan Products

The Sunday, November 14 2010 issue of The Plain Dealer ran a column: Talk with The Boss featuring a conversation with CEO Steve Peplin of the Cleveland based progressive die stamping company, Talan Products.

The column contained excerpts from a chat between Peplin and Plain Dealer reporter Robert Schoenberger. The overarching theme of the talk? “We trust our employees enough to be open with them.” Here are some brief excerpts and below is a link to the entire article.

The Question: How do you maintain a culture of mutual trust as the company grows?

The Answer: You have to have people who have your philosophy, your care, your attitude. Because you can’t be everywhere.

People have to be able to make their own decisions and do things their own way . . . but they have to know how we do things.

The Question: Talan has grown from a startup to having more than $25 million in annual sales. How do you craft a strategy to guide the company from an entrepreneurial phase to a professionally run company?

The Answer: You have to set your goals carefully. In the early days, it was all about growth.

We knew we had to grow the top line quite a bit. In our business, you have to have about $25 million to $30 million [in sales] to justify the costs.

A few years ago, we decided it was important to have our own product line instead of being a contract manufacturer. So we set that as a strategy and looked for products that fit. [Talan formed GoPro in 2008, a company that makes aluminum brackets for building staircases.]

The Question: You’ve said that as the company has grown, you’ve filled in weaknesses by hiring people with specific skills. Is that a strategy that can work as the company matures?

The Answer: There’s always opportunity in change. Last year, even though we shrank 30 percent, we managed to not lose money. We managed to expand, hiring a new plant manager. We had to right-size our workforce, but we added to the office.

When times are tough, it’s not necessarily a time to cut back. You can add if you’re adding for strategic reasons.

To read the entire article click here: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/11/bosses_need_to_trust_employees.html

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Talan products is a Cleveland based metal stamping company specializing in producing large-volume metal stampings utilizing progressive die stamping. They work with a variety of metals including aluminum, steel, stainless steel, brass, Inconel, and copper.