Thread: Looking for a Sheet Metal Fabrication Shop

I am looking for a sheet metal shop in rural NSW and I wonder if anyone here would know one they could recommend. This will be for ongoing production work and as we will transporting the product to Sydney the distance from us is something to be considered. The quotes we are getting from Sydney based shops have caused us to think a country sheety would like the ongoing work and be more reasonable for that reason.

Hi Chris, Don't know if you looked on Google, but, found this crowd on there. Don't know what they're like, etc. https://pinkpages.com.au/sheet-metal...639808/listing
HTH
Kryn

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I am looking for a sheet metal shop in rural NSW and I wonder if anyone here would know one they could recommend. This will be for ongoing production work and as we will transporting the product to Sydney the distance from us is something to be considered. The quotes we are getting from Sydney based shops have caused us to think a country sheety would like the ongoing work and be more reasonable for that reason.

The two closest fabrication places to me in regional SA are busier and more expensive than the two I had working relationships with in the Adelaide metro.
If you’re surprised by the quotes I would suggest your expectations of price are not aligned with the cost of profitable production. Moving that production further away from centralised distribution isn’t going to make it cheaper.

Originally Posted by racingtadpole

The two closest fabrication places to me in regional SA are busier and more expensive than the two I had working relationships with in the Adelaide metro.
If you’re surprised by the quotes I would suggest your expectations of price are not aligned with the cost of profitable production. Moving that production further away from centralised distribution isn’t going to make it cheaper.

Thanks for your advice, all I asked for was a recommendation and I have been down this road before so I understand the problems.

Have you tried Hickeys in Penrith ? i'd imagine you'd be looking at $75-100 an hour for someone to stand in front of gulliote folder all day regardless of location.

Originally Posted by Iron triangle

Have you tried Hickeys in Penrith ? i'd imagine you'd be looking at $75-100 an hour for someone to stand in front of gulliote folder all day regardless of location.

That depends on the equipment in the shop. I used to have the use of a computerised folder and you could do a serious amount of folding in a short time but sadly that is no longer the case. We built a few trailers in that shop and the only time we used a tape measure was to make the perimeter frame and the rest was done using those basic measurements on the computer to set up the CNC coding. Everything fitted and the work time was minimal because we never had to do any re-work or fiddle to make thing fit or rectify mistakes. It pulls down the work hours but the machine costs are substantial.

Chris no longer is it the case in the country wages & costs can be even higher possibly due to having to truck in materials, discovered this when living in Tamworth in the 90's. There is a region with a number of shops or was. I think you'd be best locating one with in 100k for traneporting will sky rocket the cost getting it back to you.

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Originally Posted by wheelinround

Chris no longer is it the case in the country wages & costs can be even higher possibly due to having to truck in materials, discovered this when living in Tamworth in the 90's. There is a region with a number of shops or was. I think you'd be best locating one with in 100k for traneporting will sky rocket the cost getting it back to you.

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Ray, you might be right but I would rather support a rural business if it is possible. I never haggle over price, it is what it is but if someone gives me a lower quote then obviously I will take it provided they can supply a product I can sell. Conversely if someone asks me for a lower price I always tell them to buy it somewhere else, the price is the price and I never run specials. I am in the process of looking at a new business and looking for suppliers so this is part of the research and business development that goes with that. If it is not feasible then I have lost nothing by asking some questions.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

...... I would rather support a rural business if it is possible. I never haggle over price, it is what it is but if someone gives me a lower quote then obviously I will take it provided they can supply a product I can....

I would rather support my local business over going rural , the people in your area and community will reap the benefits which equal local jobs ect and then money gets recycled through the local economy. I've done plenty of business in the past with rural and its not that simple. For 1 you being a new buisness they wont know or have heard of you so as far they concerned your a nobody and a risk , and its of no benefit for them to give you a good deal that you would be looking for starting out. Personally i would go local and go talk to a few shops in person (owners) and see how you go, i guarantee you will get a better deal going local than going rural taking into account transport costs , time , ect ect. Good luck with it !

Originally Posted by Iron triangle

I would rather support my local business over going rural , the people in your area and community will reap the benefits which equal local jobs ect and then money gets recycled through the local economy. I've done plenty of business in the past with rural and its not that simple. For 1 you being a new buisness they wont know or have heard of you so as far they concerned your a nobody and a risk , and its of no benefit for them to give you a good deal that you would be looking for starting out. Personally i would go local and go talk to a few shops in person (owners) and see how you go, i guarantee you will get a better deal going local than going rural taking into account transport costs , time , ect ect. Good luck with it !

Thanks for your reply but it is my choice where I do business and in the past I have been fairly successful with my business ownership over the last 35 years. I said above I am not seeking business advice as anyone who knows me will tell you I have been there and done that more than once over the last 35 years and have a 100% successful in what I have done in the past business wise.