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Demand for U.S. Fasteners Boosting Birmingham Sales
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2012-11-26
Sales for early 2012 rose 20% for Birmingham Fastener's manufacturing and distribution operations, and a significant part of the increase is a demand for domestic fasteners.
"These are exciting times to be a domestic manufacturer," vice president Brad Tinney told GlobalFastenerNews.com. "There are good things in the future." What is a key reason? "More and more people are ordering, 'domestic'," Birmingham general manager Leland Brown explains. "The 'Buy America Act' has altered the market. Now orders are written for U.S. products.""Business is good," vice president Brad Tinney declared. Sales had dipped in 2008, but have "worked back up since."
Founded in 1980 as a distributorship by president Howard Tinney, Birmingham Fastener expanded into manufacturing by the end of the 1980s.
Brown added people are saying, "'I want to support the U.S.' l like the sound of that." And buyers are looking at documentation, Brown added. He recalls earlier in his career when "no one asked for documents and test reports." U.S. Department of Transportation inspectors are asking for the documents, he noted. Brown envisions the domestic trend is going to continue as China's costs are going to rise rapidly 2015. "Their people are wanting more pay," he observed. "Shipping costs are up."
With domestic orders up, Birmingham Fastener is planning a USD2 million expansion of its facility in the Pratt City area of Birmingham. The company will receive Enterprise Zone tax credits from Alabama for the expansion. Birmingham Fastener also recently updated its entire computer software system for all companies and operations, Brown said. Birmingham Fastener has manufacturing operations in Birmingham, and distribution centers in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Wisconsin.
"These are exciting times to be a domestic manufacturer," vice president Brad Tinney told GlobalFastenerNews.com. "There are good things in the future." What is a key reason? "More and more people are ordering, 'domestic'," Birmingham general manager Leland Brown explains. "The 'Buy America Act' has altered the market. Now orders are written for U.S. products.""Business is good," vice president Brad Tinney declared. Sales had dipped in 2008, but have "worked back up since."
Founded in 1980 as a distributorship by president Howard Tinney, Birmingham Fastener expanded into manufacturing by the end of the 1980s.
Brown added people are saying, "'I want to support the U.S.' l like the sound of that." And buyers are looking at documentation, Brown added. He recalls earlier in his career when "no one asked for documents and test reports." U.S. Department of Transportation inspectors are asking for the documents, he noted. Brown envisions the domestic trend is going to continue as China's costs are going to rise rapidly 2015. "Their people are wanting more pay," he observed. "Shipping costs are up."
With domestic orders up, Birmingham Fastener is planning a USD2 million expansion of its facility in the Pratt City area of Birmingham. The company will receive Enterprise Zone tax credits from Alabama for the expansion. Birmingham Fastener also recently updated its entire computer software system for all companies and operations, Brown said. Birmingham Fastener has manufacturing operations in Birmingham, and distribution centers in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Wisconsin.