Spring Steel Customer Finds a Consistent Stamper

Badger Magnetics is one of the premier electromagnet manufacturers that specializes in the design and manufacture of custom electromagnetic products.  

When stamper after stamper let quality slide on their 1095 blue tempered spring steel parts, one question from Mead Metals changed the conversation.

A metal service center can help with more than material. When Mead Metals noticed this customer's ship-to addresses changing order after order, the sales team asked why. The answer was a stamping supply chain that kept breaking down. Mead referred a stamper it trusted, and more than a decade later, the customer's orders are 10 times heavier.

THE CHALLENGE

More than a decade ago, Badger came to Mead Metals for a small amount of 1095 blue tempered spring steel, .035 x ½ with a skived edge. They kept coming back for the same material in the same dimensions and spec.

The material never changed. The ship-to address did. Some addresses showed up a couple of times before disappearing. Others appeared once and never came back.

Each new address was another stamper. Badger couldn't find one who could hold consistent quality. A new shop would start strong, quality would slide, and the search would start over.

A few things made the problem hard to solve on their own:

• Badger ordered in small quantities, which can mean less attention from processors focused on big runs.

• They had no easy way to vet a stamper's track record before committing.

• Every switch meant more trial runs and more risk to their own customers.

WHY MEAD METALS

Badger needed a small amount of a precise material, and Mead's reasonable order minimums made that easy to buy. The material itself was never the problem. Badger came back for the same spec order after order.

The Mead sales team handled Badger's orders over time and knew the account well enough to notice when something looked off. In this case, the material was fine. The changing addresses were the clue. 

THE MEAD METALS SOLUTION

The Mead sales team asked Badger's buyer about the changing addresses, and he explained the stamper problem. Then he asked if Mead knew any stampers Badger could work with.

Mead did. Another Mead customer does metal stamping, and the team had worked with them long enough to know how seriously they take quality. Their DPPM (defective parts per million) rate was one of the lowest the team had seen.

Badger reached out, liked the conversation, and thanked Mead before a single part was run. Mead didn't sell anything extra in that exchange. The team noticed a pattern in the order history and shared a contact it could vouch for. At Mead Metals, a consultative approach to sales looks a lot like this.

RESULTS AND IMPACT

More than 10 years later, Mead is still filling Badger's order for 1095 blue tempered .035 x ½ with a skived edge.

✅ Ongoing customer for more than a decade

✅ Most recent order 10x the weight of his early orders

✅  One steady stamping partner in place of a revolving door.

If your parts keep changing after the material leaves your metal service center, look downstream first. Our guide on how to qualify a metal supplier

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At Mead Metals, we believe that exceptional customer service is just as important as the high-quality metals we supply. By treating every customer with respect — whether you're new or returning, ordering a small quantity or a full truckload — we prioritize your needs and ensure you receive the best possible experience. Our commitment to value-added services, accurate lead times, and personalized support sets us apart from other metal suppliers.

Experience the Mead difference? Contact us today and see firsthand why our customers trust us for their metal supply needs.