When it comes to their product and material suppliers, Bob says they are just as diligent, and he says they look for suppliers “on the leading edge of technology.” To find them, they attend light shows annually, conduct in-house research, and use other various methods to stay ahead of the latest technological advancements. They have also formed long-standing relationships with some vendors based overseas, and Bob has fostered those relationships by travelling to see those vendors’ facilities in Asia. That effort pays off when specialized products are necessary to do a job. Bob cites their recent work at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco plant as an example: “With Dofasco it’s a very difficult environment to work in with the intense temperatures,” he explains. “Essentially no product had ever been made to meet the requirements they needed along with what they wanted, which was a sevenyear warranty on the product. We went to a supplier in China and they came back with details on materials, then supplied a 10-piece mockup for us to test. We put in over 10,000 of these fixtures, and after five years of the seven-year time frame only a handful have been a problem.” Bob admits that in a lot of cases, clients are reticent to try the latest technologies, but Nexstar has invested in them anyway: “We’re at the point today in the lighting business where electric cars are,” he explains. “People don’t want to pay the price for a product they’re not sure about. It was the same with LED lights originally, but now no one thinks twice about LED lighting and the prices are coming down while the quality goes up. As a result, the customers are happy and it’s a long-term win for everyone.” As with LEDs, Nexstar has no choice but to keep moving ahead and looking for the next thing, THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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