Mills Supply and Gates & Sons: A Lasting Partnership
Long-term supplier partnerships can eliminate costly rework that plagues nearly a third of construction projects
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Key takeaways
Long-term supplier partnerships can eliminate costly rework that plagues nearly a third of construction projects
According to a study highlighted on Essential Construction News, broken communication in the construction industry lead to 30% of projects being reworked. Reworking a project caused businesses a monetary loss between 7% and 15% of the total budget. A potential solution to this issue is investing in long-lasting partnerships rooted in trust, innovation, and shared values that are integral in construction supply. A great example of positive relationship building is the relationship between Mills Supply and Gates & Sons Concrete.
Mills Supply is a family-owned company originating from a small shop in Louisville, Kentucky. Established in 1991, this business grew into a formidable player in the industry, boasting nearly 150 employees today. Remarkably, Mill Supply's core values have remained consistent over these decades, emphasizing the importance of customer-centric approaches and innovative solutions.
Gates & Sons Concrete stands out, not just for its product knowledge but also for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the industry. Their commitment to innovation, training, quality, and service has resonated with partners like Mill Supply. Amie Schardein from Purchasing at Gates & Sons Concrete comments, "The relationship between Mills Supply and Gates & Sons Concrete is one that we've built on friendship. Gates has always been a leader in the construction supply industry."
The relationship between Mills Supply and Gates & Sons Concrete is one that we've built on friendship. Gates has always been a leader in the construction supply industry.
— Amie Schardein, Purchasing at Gates & Sons Concrete
A true testament to the strength and longevity of their partnership is their shared ethos: always prioritize the customer. On this note, Amie provides deeper insights into this enduring relationship. "We feel it's important that we've partnered with vendors that have those same values. We look forward to working with Gates to provide our customers with the best quality product out there," states Amie.
We feel it's important that we've partnered with vendors that have those same values. We look forward to working with Gates to provide our customers with the best quality product out there.
— Amie Schardein, Purchasing at Gates & Sons Concrete
Amie Schardein, Purchasing at Mills Supply, shares her perspective on the partnership:
The relationship between Mill Supply and Gates is one that we've built on friendship. Gates has always been a leader in the construction supply industry that has taken product knowledge to the next level. Since 1991, Mill Supply has been in business. Instrinctly, We are a family company. Together, my parents started it together in a little shop in Louisville, Kentucky, and today has grown to almost 150 employees. Furthermore, the core values that we had 30-something years ago are still important today.
Given this, we feel it's important that we've partnered with vendors that have those same values. We put the customer first and delivered on the product, innovation, and training. Consistently, we deliver anything that our customers and salesmen need to get that product out. Currently, we look forward to working with Gates to provide our customers with the best quality product that is out on the market right now. And we feel that Gates can provide service, on quality, innovation, and on training. We want to partner with Gates to take the industry in Louisville to the next step. Because of this, Gates can deliver quickly to fix any problem that we have. Today, we value that partnership just as much as we did when we opened our doors in 1991.
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