68
already gone from being coerced into we knew Today, a fifth of PTS business
UIforwardUIforwardUIforward
doing the occasional delivery to taking quite a bit is export, literally supplying
responsibility for warehousing and distribution.
about the customers worldwide. Andy
“Then Trevor Davis joined us,” says Steve. “I’d
market
Knight joined with export
known him since I started in this trade. A self-
already. At
experience and steadily built
taught engineer he had been involved in
times we
both business and contacts,
fastener manufacturing. He brought a wealth
scrabbled to
until the company was able to
of technical knowledge; he knew whether a
get an order
commit to exhibitions to
part could be made, in which kind of
together to
materials, and on what kind of machine. That
meet
helped us tremendously in developing our
shipping
specials business.”
minimums
but now we have excellent relationships
Direct importing started very early. “We
with our suppliers, consolidating orders
imported micro screws virtually from the
and shipping every week.”
beginning,” says Jason, “and still maintain
close ties with those people today.”
PTS now has two catalogues – one
dedicated to stainless steel Metric micro
Maintaining good relationships with suppliers
screws starting at M1 diameter, ranging
and manufacturers has been fundamental to
generally to around M4, stretching to M6
PTS throughout the twenty years.
in some areas. The other is the American
Threaded Fasteners, again, in stainless
“The strength of these relationships has given
steel. “We produce our catalogues based
us peace of mind that we are buying the right
on the stocks we actually hold,” says Andy.
quality,” adds Jason. “We know we are not
“It was a very conscious decision. We sat
using the cheapest manufacturers. We get
down and said if we are going to produce a
broaden its recognition. Recent international
plenty of offers, from all over, to make our
catalogue of the complete range of micro
fairs have included Practical World, Fastener
screws cheaper. Some of the prices are
products, we need the stock to back it. It’s not
Fair Stuttgart, and the Las Vegas, National
fantastic, but if the product can’t be used then
a catalogue of wishes, it’s a catalogue of
Industrial Fastener Show, to which PTS expects
fantasy is exactly what it is. Our suppliers
facts.”
to return this year. The company website has
know us, they know how pernickety we are
been equally important in building recognition
about quality issues, they know what we
That commitment means a current stock range of their special capabilities.
expect, and it works well.”
of around 28,000 items. “Of course, some
sizes we do carry a million on the shelf,” says “Throughout all of the things that have
“Quality has always been number one,” says
happened to us, we’re learned lots about how
Andy. “We work on the principle of getting it
our business is developing and the ways we
right first time. That way it doesn’t cost you
want it to go. That has really driven us
money – or reputation.”
forward,” says Andy Knight.
The American threaded range has also been
“We know we’ve made some mistakes along
part of PTS for a long time. “We dabbled in it
the way, I’m sure we will in the future, but
from the early days,” explains Steve, “because
we do learn something every day,” adds Jason
Collyer. “The product doesn’t change so much,
but it’s the nature of the industry that it
changes all the time.”
Jason. “They’re the ones we
know we will shift regularly
The tone of Steve Edwards’ final word may be
all over the world. For others
light hearted, but there is no disguising pride
we’ve had to buy a
in achievement. “I believe our product
minimum production run and
knowledge and service is amongst the best.
Somebody said to me not so long ago, “you’re
we know we’re going to be
lucky having those boys” and I responded
holding that stock for a long
“they wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think they
time. On the other hand we
were the best”. Unfortunately Andy overheard
really do have the 7mm
the conversation and he was astounded – I’ve
long, the 14s, 18s and 22s.”
never paid any of them a compliment before!”
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