Tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve been with McInnes Rolled Rings.
I’ve been with McInnes Rolled Rings for 22 years, starting as an inside sales associate and then working in the field as a direct sales representative in the Midwest and Northeastern territories before returning to Erie, Pennsylvania, as general sales manager in 1999.
Please give us a brief description about McInnes.
Our chief mission is to combine the latest in ring rolling technology with an experienced team in order to offer the best value in our industry for seamless rolled rings. Every day, we are focused on remaining the fastest in our industry from the time we receive your inquiry to the time we ship your order.
We are AS9100C, ISO 9001:2008, and Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) certified, and we will be adding the ABS Certification to this list in 2016.
We serve a range of industries including power transmission, ball and roller bearing, oil and gas, power generation, and a variety of special industry equipment manufacturers and fabricators.
What products and capabilities does McInnes offer to its customers?
We are focused exclusively on un-machined forgings with rectangular cross sections. This focus on our core competency enables us to continually refine our process and improve efficiency. This approach also prevents a scenario where we are competing with our customer base, many of whom are machine shops. We have three different ring mill centers, each with their own furnaces, presses, and material handling equipment. We are surrounded by world-class material suppliers. Three major suppliers are located within 100 miles of our plant. This proximity gives us the flexibility to release material based on what we book each day, and we often unload it directly to our saws.
What products do you offer that are specific to the gear industry?
We offer seamless rolled ring forgings from 4-inch to 144-inch outside diameters and forged discs up to 54 inches in diameter in carbon, alloy, and stainless steel. Our equipment is especially effective on heavy walled (washer-type) rings for spiral bevel and bull gears and thrust bearings.
How does McInnes stand out from others in the same industry?
We are privately owned by members of top management who are dedicated to investing in the latest technology to remain the fastest in the industry. We have a team-oriented customer-focused group of associates who have shared productivity and profitability goals. All associates are stakeholders in the outcome of our goals. Each team benefits from goal achievement through profit sharing and productivity bonuses.
We were the first to promise delivery in days not weeks. Every customer, large or small, is offered the same fast delivery. This isn’t a special program; it is simply the way we do business, and there is never a premium. This speed isn’t exclusive to our manufacturing floor, but a focus in all areas of our business. Our fast quoting gives our customers an edge when responding to their customers. We quote everyone in less than four hours. If you are a small job shop, you can expect the same service as our most established customers.
Overall, we keep it simple by focusing on what we do best. We are in this for the long haul, so we don’t chase projects or programs that are disruptive to our culture. Instead of being all things to all customers, we would rather be the absolute best choice for customers that buy what we make. This results in mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships with our customers. If you read through the testimonials on our website, you’ll discover the high level of satisfaction that results from this approach.
Please describe the advantages you offer your customers.
Our consistent speed and ongoing reliability helps our customers effectively manage their inventory. Our customers know that our reliability enables them to eliminate stocking programs and speculative purchases. During busy times, having a fully cross-trained team working on ring mills with a large overlap in size capacity minimizes the risk of delays caused by spikes in demand or maintenance activity. During turbulent times, maintaining a full staff and material inventory ensures stability.
What’s in the future for McInnes?
This month, we will be completing a major heat treat expansion that will enable us to quench and temper forgings up to 144 inches in diameter. This 25,000-square-foot addition houses separate water and polymer tanks and utilizes a state-of-the-art material handling system to ensure consistency when transferring product from the furnace to the quench media. Not only does this addition give us the ability to quench and temper every size that we can roll, but it also provides a backup to our existing heat treat bay. The additional tonnage that can be processed on a daily basis will eliminate bottlenecks and help us maintain the fastest deliveries during times of peak demand.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?
We are a proud supplier member of the AGMA. If we haven’t done business yet, I would encourage you to ask a colleague about us or simply send us an RFQ. We’re dedicated to the gear industry, and we are investing to better serve your needs. I look forward to seeing you at the next AGMA event.
