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 Greetings!
Welcome to our second edition of our newsletter. It's fun sharing our business with you, and answering your questions. Please keep the comments coming!
CHOOSING METALEX for your metal building solutions will make life easier for you. No, we can't get your coffee, fix your brakes or neuter your dog, but we can guarantee that your METALEX metal building solution will offer the greatest innovation, highest value, and best service you could ask for!
People ask me how we came up with our credo - "we love our job and it shows!" It's a result of our hiring and training practices. We hire people that truly want to work in this industry and let them know what they are up against - extreme weather, lots of travel, high-expectations, tight timelines, big challenges.
Then, if they are still smiling, they come on board and find our teams are excellent to work with, the training top-notch, and everyone shares in the challenges. Some of them are still smiling more than ten years into the job!
And when you're smiling, you do good work. We believe we leave each jobsite with a smiling customer too! And that is what the greatest reward is - knowing someone else loves your job!
Feel free to give us feedback anytime! And not just on our newsletter, but our products and service too! Send your comments in total confidence right to the top - Lorisa@mmbi.ca
Please visit our updated website and meet some of our staff, view some of our products and let us know what you think.
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"U" and "I" are in "COMMUNICATION"
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Irish Writer
... Truer words were never spoken. We'd like to say that we never make a mistake, but we do. And we try to capture, study and learn from every one. But as committed as we are to CI (Continuous Improvement) practices, and Lean manufacturing principles, we know that most mistakes come from ineffective communication or carelessness.
Reasons for mis-communication are manifold. We start each project with the clearest possible set of instructions, a project discussion, and an effort to identify potential problem areas. With years of experience we only issue projects with all the questions answered. Junior staff get mentoring when challenged with something new or complex, and as discussed in our last newsletter, we have great employee retention.
It's almost like magic watching our project team each day. It starts with a lot of communication, questions, and suggestions. Once all the blanks are filled in, stand back, because the likelihood that something will stall the schedule is minimized. You really get the sense of competency, confidence and experience when our team launches a project - no matter what size. And we open the door wide for ongoing communication with our customers as they are ultimately the recipient of our efforts.
Let's all work together to avoid the illusion that we are done communicating!
Q. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO COMMUNICATE?
A. AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE PROJECT PHASE. Our experience shows that the longer an error or unclear directive travels through the project cycle, the greater the ultimate cost to address it.
METALEX Metal Buildings is anxious to communicate with you. Call us to experience service and project execution evolved from years of fine-tuning. Consider us for your next bid request for any Metal or Steel structure requirements, and start the communication ball rolling!
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Have Plan, Will Travel
Success is 90% preparation, 10% execution
BEING PREPARED is something we do not take for granted. Sure, some of our projects are designed, prepped and constructed in our expansive facility, where problems are quickly addressed, but a lot of our work happens hundreds of miles away, on weekends or at night, and in all sorts of weather. Anything can happen, and some days anything does happen.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION, EXPERIENCE AND ROUTINE all combine to ensure the plans go off without a hitch. Well maintained tools, vehicles and staff (everything needs to be maintained for the whole to work) combine for success. Proper and extra materials, safety gear, backup plans and double-checking are essential and constant ingredients of each project. Our team leaders have seen the unusual and believe if you don't learn from history, you are bound to repeat it.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND OUR CUSTOMERS ARE OFTEN AMAZED at how inconceivable problems are addressed by our field crews on the spot. After all, they want to come home as planned and our schedule depends on an absolute minimum of interruption, as well as the elimination of re-work. And innovation is often the order of the day. As Red Green says - "you can never have too much duct tape!" (Trust me - we don't use duct tape, unless it is specified!).
AND KEEP IN MIND that METALEX's building crews work in all areas of Western Canada, in any weather (with some exceptions, of course), nights, weekends and holidays. And we do so very competitively. So don't hesitate to ask the impossible!
WE ASSURE YOU that no other building solution provider tries harder than METALEX to execute your project on time, despite the issues that arise. We know that doing it right the first time is its own reward, and helps to save our customers money, headaches and keeps them coming back!
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Western Canada Drilling Stats
If you draw any relation between your business, the economy, and the amount of drilling activity in Canada, the drilling statistics below might interest you. Below, you will find the latest week this year compared to last year.  Comparing a single week, year to year (2008 to 2009), Alberta has about two-fifths the active rigs during this past week. BC has nearly one half, while Saskatchewan has over one half, and Manitoba is holding the same. All together we have about 46% rig activity compared to this week last year. This is up 3% from our last newsletter (early August) and indicates what we all want to hear - things are picking up.
Another improved statistic is that Alberta has increased its resident rig count over the past 30 days, however it is still down nearly 5% over last year. Western Canada's total rig count is down 2% from last year, which is likely due to decommissioning, and delays to replace them.
If you derive your revenue from the Oil & Gas industries, the above statistics (a regular feature of our newsletter) might help you sleep (unless you sell drilling rigs!). Let's hope everyone is ready to do what they do best - be busy!
(Drilling rig activity statistics courtesy of CAODC and Divestco) |
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Absolutely Trivialicious
During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools.
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| CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL -
"Metalex supplies a high quality product. Their scheduling and estimating departments are very accommodating and prompt. Their field staff is knowledgeable and extremely courteous."
Estimating, Purchasing and Shop Staff
c/o Cathy Fika
Silverado Certified Energy Equipment |
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Building buildings is what we do best. And once again, we are expanding our Stettler fabrication facility to serve you better!
JUST 30 DAYS AFTER GROUNDBREAKING it is all starting to take shape. (There is more construction on the other side of the building too). Our 100% facility growth and consolidation plan is expected to be complete this fall. Environmental designs help control costs and set new building standards.
METALEX is expanding its Stettler fabricating facility to include full Self Framer and Foam Panel fabrication and assembly. This consolidation of divisions will also reduce travel, inventory and overhead and make us even more competitive than before! One more LEAN initiative under our belt! | |
Come see us!
(and don't forget to bring donuts!) METALEX Metal Buildings Inc.
Box 1058 4204 - 46th Avenue Stettler, AB T0C 2L0 Phone: 403.742.1300 Toll Free: 866.913.1300 Fax: 403.742.1308 info@mmbi.ca |
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