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The Alro Reputation Customers, suppliers, employees and peers are unanimous in their high opinion of Alro Steel Corporation. "Alro is a superb company. Their on-time deliveries are fabulous. They will jump through hoops for you if something happens, even when it is your fault," says Doug McDonald, a buyer for Eaton Hydraulics, Jackson, Mich., which has sourced material from Alro for 30 years. "Some suppliers, if they cut a shape out of the wrong plate, it will take another week to correct it. At Alro, if it's due Friday, it will be there Friday," McDonald says. He also credits Alro with stocking a special type of plate in several sizes just to meet Eaton's requirements. Norm Zeiter, president of Swanton Welding, Swanton, Ohio, called on Alro after learning of an accident at a customer's plant in which workers were injured. The call came in on a Friday, and Swanton had to build a platform for the customer by Sunday. "We called Alro for a delivery. They respond very fast," Zeiter says. Northwestern Steel & Wire Co., Sterling, Ill., has supplied structural and merchant bar products to Alro Steel for decades, says Mike Venie, senior vice president of marketing, sales and distribution. "They are one of our largest customers, in the top five. They are unquestionably one of the most progressive and well-managed service centers in the country. Alro is very predictable. We know what they're going to buy month after month because they have the systems and management in place. We have very good personal relationships at the top of both our companies. They're all delightful, very loyal, very honest." Alcoa Engineered Products, Cressona, Pa., has sold soft alloy extrusions to Alro for 20 years. "They are very financially sound. They have strong ethical values. They strive for excellence in everything they do and are people who stand behind their words," says Chuck Strong, vice president of sales. A couple Alro branch managers are rather effusive about the support they receive from headquarters. Irving Rowen, sales manager for Alro Specialty Metals, Menomonee Falls, Wis., a 40-year industry veteran, says it's a welcome relief to work where staff training is stressed at every level, "from loading a truck to cutting material to how we deal with customers. We have a continual inflow of videotapes, many with Al discussing his expectations for the sales and warehouse people." Pete Savolidis, general manager of Alro's Tampa branch, says, "This is a great place to work, where the ownership does nothing but care about and strive to grow the company. Places like that are rare now." Arnold Tenenbaum, former chairman of the Steel Service Center Institute and president of Chatham Steel Corp., Savannah, Ga., knows Glick both through SSCI and as a competitor in the Southeast. "Alro has a very strong reputation, high integrity. Al is a fascinating guy. His whole life is the company. He has an amazing handle on lots of different aspects of it. His personality influences virtually everything they do."
Used with permission. Copyright 2000 - Metal Center News |