How Strategic Partnerships Improve Manufacturing Operations
Posted: August 3, 2023
The value of strategic partnerships is often overlooked in a world that praises self-sufficiency and only makes room for one winner. The energy industry is certainly no different— the right partnerships can fast-track a company’s competitive edge through operations management.
With over 60 years of experience in delivering essential flow control solutions for energy and industrial markets, we at Gilmore attribute our success as a leading provider of flow control solutions to our partnerships and valuable client relationships. Let’s explore how we go about choosing these partnerships with specific businesses to optimize processes and maximize growth.
The Role of Strategic Partnerships in Improving Manufacturing Operations in the Energy Industry
The energy and industrial sectors are constantly evolving and changing, due to both new technologies and market demands. Manufacturing operations are becoming more complex and diverse; remaining relevant, efficient, and competitive requires innovation and flexibility. In addition to maintaining superior quality and safety.
The problem is, in the complex landscape of the energy industry, no one business can be a master at everything. This is where strategic partnerships are key.
By working with partners who have expertise in digitalization, automation, or process management, technology providers can improve operational efficiency and performance and create new value propositions for their customers.
Technology providers can tailor their offerings and interactions to create positive and consistent customer experiences across multiple channels and touchpoints. And by collaborating with established partners in different regions and industry sectors, they can enhance brand awareness and overcome regulatory or cultural barriers.
When determining strategic partners to continuously optimize manufacturing operations, meet changing demands, and enhance quality, we at Gilmore also realize the significance of partnerships in reducing costs and risks. Partnerships help lessen uncertainty and volatility in the energy market by efficiently distributing and allocating resources and liabilities. By sharing the risk of disruptions from environmental, social, and political factors, all energy companies reduce their financial pressure and gain resiliency.
Gilmore Partnerships Maintain High Standards
While enhancing quality and efficiency is essential to maintain competitiveness and customer satisfaction, Gilmore also addresses issues such as environmental regulations, safety standards, and technological advancements.
Gilmore often faces challenges including material availability, price volatility, and long lead times. To achieve our high standards and mitigate these concerns, we partner strategically with:
- Suppliers who can provide the required materials and high-quality components at competitive rates
- Distributors who provide timely service
- Service providers who can offer specialized skills, installation, and maintenance support
Gilmore emphasizes the importance of partners who maintain quality standards and aligns with the company's QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment) values. Vendor reassessment, financial reviews, quality assessments, and sustainability considerations are all part of an ongoing evaluation process.
Gilmore Partnerships Optimize Manufacturing Operations
For manufacturing operations to be economically efficient—and to allow suppliers to run their business in the same way—Gilmore is positioning to run largely on a forecast model. This will provide a strategic advantage in an unstable supply chain environment, as an effort to expedite the products customers need.
In addition, we are implementing an economical batch-size strategy based on customer order cadence. With a combination of detailed forecasting, keeping on-demand items in stock, and economical batch production, we are pivoting to offer better pricing and availability for Gilmore customers.
“Planning through the course of the year not only translates into effective facility throughput but we can advise our suppliers to additionally plan their business around our requirements. This means, in turn, suppliers also get to work on their economical batch quantities, ensure availability, and optimize pricing.”
— Darren Johnson, VP of Operations at Gilmore
Gilmore's strategy for healthy partnerships is founded on open communication, collaborative problem-solving, and taking advantage of suppliers' and vendors' expertise. Fostering relationships built on mutual understanding and common objectives facilitates operational improvements and yields a competitive edge.
Nurturing Client Relationships: The Secret to Gilmore’s Success
Gilmore knows that when our clients succeed, we succeed too. To that end, we rely on the following strategies to build lasting relationships and form meaningful partnerships.
Strengthening Customer Differentiation and Innovation
At Gilmore, we interact with customers on a personal level, listening to their needs and objectives and developing a comprehensive understanding of their challenges and goals. This feedback and comprehensive understanding helps us customize reliable-quality flow control solutions by leveraging our manufacturing operations and strategic partnerships.
This includes designing and manufacturing solutions for ultra-high-pressure wells and creating products for specialized applications. In the drilling, production, and downhole markets, Gilmore provides high-performing valve products that integrate seamlessly into essential infrastructure and specialized valve products for specific fluid types, flow rates, and pressures.
Thanks to our customer differentiation strategy, we’ve also identified a need for more reliable products in the unconventional market. This led to the development of the Gilmore Agiliti™ product line including the Agiliti™ Relief Valve, Agiliti™ SAFEGUARD, and Agiliti™ Check Valve.
Increasing Customer Loyalty and Retention
Gilmore does more than sell a product. The team builds and maintains client relationships, providing ongoing support and services including installation, maintenance, training, and consultation. We keep in touch with clients well after the first transaction, so as to address any after-sales concerns promptly. With a comprehensive understanding of client projects, we can anticipate client needs, suggesting solutions before major problems occur.
Leveraging Customer Data and Insights For New Market Opportunities
Gilmore resources industry analytics to identify served market needs as well as new market opportunities. For instance, we broadened our customer base to non-conventional market suppliers and identified potential in the ROV intervention space. By listening to customer feedback, we continue to spot market trends and adjust offerings accordingly—for example, how we incorporated customer insights when creating GEN2 and Mark IV valve products, leading to increased adoption and market share.
Boost Your Competitive Edge With Strategic Partnerships
Strategic partnerships with both vendors and customers are key to improving manufacturing operations. By nurturing these relationships, we at Gilmore have established ourselves as industry innovators and leaders in reliable-quality flow control solutions.
Gilmore’s team of expert engineers prioritizes operational efficiency, safety, and reliability while striving to offer the best pricing strategy without compromising quality. Our established distribution partner network supports global markets. Contact our team of experts today to discover how we can assist you by reducing operational costs, improving productivity and maintaining safety in your energy operations.
