Margins matter in manufacturing. While fasteners likely make up a small percentage of your overall budget, inefficiencies and redundancies in your fastener supply chain can eat into overall profits.
With more than 50 years of experience supporting industrial manufacturers, we at All-Pro Fasteners help customers reduce supply risk, improve inventory control, and generate long-term savings. Below, we outline a few fastener supply chain services we offer and how they can streamline your operation for greater profitability.
Kitting Services: Simplifying Assembly and Reducing Waste
Kitting services are a quick and effective way to optimize fastener supply by assembling multiple hardware components into a custom, pre-assembled SKU that meets your exact specifications.
At All Pro, our fulfillment team prepares custom fastener kits that arrive at your facility or jobsite labeled, organized, and ready for use in assembly processes – reducing handling time and minimizing errors.
Our kitting options include:
- Poly bags (available in multiple colors)
- Preprinted bags
- Boxes
- Kegs
- Buckets
- Wooden crates
By delivering only what you need, when you need it, kitting programs can:
- Free up valuable warehouse space
- Reduce internal handling and sorting time
- Eliminate excess transportation costs
- Maintain optimal fastener inventory levels
- Help prevent over-ordering or under-ordering
Kitting services streamline operations, improve efficiency, and deliver long-term savings.
Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI): Optimizing Supply without Internal Stress
For operations looking to reduce supply interruptions without expanding internal resources, a VMI program offers a practical solution. VMI programs shift the responsibility of fastener inventory from your internal team to your fastener partner.
At All Pro, every VMI engagement begins with a consultation. Our fastener experts assess your usage patterns, identify supply risks, and develop an inventory strategy aligned with your production schedule.
A basic VMI program from All-Pro may include:
- Monitoring on-site inventory levels
- Maintaining optimal stock thresholds
- Organized storage of fasteners through binning and related strategies
- Automated or scheduled reordering
Beyond reducing stockouts and excess inventory, VMI programs provide valuable visibility into fastener consumption trends, supporting smarter forecasting and purchasing decisions.
A Real Example: Turning Insight into Savings
In one case, a manufacturer invited an All-Pro expert to evaluate opportunities to improve its fastener supply chain. Initially, the request was simple: quote threaded rods. APF expert Craig Schmucker recalls what happened next:
“We were initially asked just to quote rods. However, we found out that they were using the rods as bolts. We asked if we could provide a total cost impact report about switching from rods to bolts. Unlike their distributor at the time, instead of causing problems, we were solving them. They called us in and asked for us to be their fastener supplier.”
This example demonstrates that optimizing a fastener supply chain isn’t just about price per unit – it’s about application knowledge, inventory strategy, and long-term performance.
Optimizing Fastener Supply with All-Pro
Kitting and VMI services represent just a few of the ways All Pro helps manufacturers reduce costs and eliminate redundancies.
As both a fastener distributor and manufacturer, we offer sourcing, custom manufacturing, and a wide range of services to create supply strategies tailored to your operation. We call our comprehensive approach to fastener supply All-Pro Connect™.
If you’re evaluating ways to reduce supply risk or improve fastener inventory management, our team is ready to help. Call 800-361-6627, email [email protected], or visit the contact page to start a conversation with a fastener supply expert.