It’s that time of year! Lots of sunshine, lots of green, and the smell of fresh cut grass.
Some of us who commute to our jobs even get to see farmers in the fields as they cut hay.
Watching a farmer deal with the challenges of growing food can give you a real appreciation for the security of a job where so many variables have been minimized.
Farmers have always struggled to deal with so many things that can go wrong. Weather, pests, soil nutrients and conditions, drought… it’s the age-old struggle.
It’s difficult to get the perfect bale of hay. Farmers study the weather and cut the hay when they see a window of opportunity. But sometimes, even after the best planning, they cut it only to have it rain the next day, but they keep trying all strategies to get the perfect bale of hay to feed the animals.
So many variables are beyond a farmer’s control. Modern agricultural with its integrated pest management and GPS guidance to precision plant and harvest crops, is still is at the mercy of the weather which offers downpours and flooding in the next county over while you struggle with drought.
Sure Flow Equipment, when we fabricate products for our customers, tries to eliminate literally all the variables and unknowns, to ensure we end up with the highest quality and most consistent end result.
When we have to go outside to source a product, we look for companies which share our commitment to quality. From steel pipe to mesh screen, we expect our suppliers to share the same commitment we put into our ISO 9001:2015 designation.
Once the raw materials arrive at Sure Flow our expert staff goes to work at their craft. Our engineers create the technical drawings to meet our customer’s specifications. They asked the questions before any work started, and the drawings have the answers. Each team member uses these to ensure that their part of the fabrication process is performed to the highest quality.
Sure Flow Equipment has 7 certifications that verify our commitment to quality. https://www.sureflowequipment.com/products/certification/
These certifications are an expensive, time consuming process but one we feel we need to continue so that our customers know we stand behind our commitment to quality. We have two dedicated individuals on staff whose soul mission is to test our product and ensure all certification protocols are being followed.
Once fabrication is complete our testing process begins. Again, more time, more employee resources, but essential for our customers. Once these products are installed and operational it is critical they continue to perform to their potential.
After testing and painting the product is ready for shipping. Many of our fabricated products are unique so shipping containers are often custom fabricated to ensure safety during shipment.
It’s all time consuming and labor intensive, but it’s how to do it right. It’s how to eliminate all those variables that can crop up to throw a curve ball at you. When the product ends up at a customer it should be the result of a huge effort to create the perfect product.
These are high standards to strive for, but our customers are worth it. Our customers deserve it. And we’ve spent years analyzing and assessing the variables that we need to control, trying to minimize the likelihood of a negative outcome.
Those farmers on the other hand, well, one summer they could be looking at fields too flooded to plant, and then the following with too little moisture for seeds to germinate. We respect what they do and the trials and tribulations of their craft.
Today we thank those farmers for their hard work and hope they’ll have great weather this year. And we thank our customers for the opportunity to continue providing high quality strainers and valves. Earning an income can be tough, and we are grateful to those who grow the food we are fortunate enough to put on our tables.
