More Important Than Price

A large customer in the rolloff industry approached Star Engineering with a problem. Recently, a competitor offered to sell sheaves at a lower price. Although this customer had partnered with Star Engineering for over two decades, a 10% drop in price was difficult to ignore.

This situation set off red flags.

Undercutting prices is nothing new. Some companies start low only to gradually ramp up, hoping the customer won’t notice. Others offer the lower price simply to keep their doors open.

However, this wasn’t either of those situations. Rather than make assumptions and accusations, Star Engineering took the initiative to dig deeper. After getting a sample sheave, it was sent to a certified, independent lab for analysis.

As expected, the results weren’t good. Despite being promised a comparable product, the bronze bushing inside the sheave was not only low quality—it was less durable than any end user would expect.

The shortened life expectancy would have likely caused more frequent breakdowns and work stoppages. In addition to being an inconvenience, this would have eroded the cost saving gained by switching to a cheaper product.After showing the lab results, the customer decided not to go anywhere. With both ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications, Star Engineering continues to earn and maintain its reputation for reliability. Although price is important, there’s no substitute for quality and honesty.