Federal Industries Blog

Q&A with Gary Hamburg / 4-Week Lead Time for Ordering Cases | Federal Industries

Written by Federal Industries | Nov 22, 2020 9:15:00 PM

One of the primary reasons that sets Federal Industries apart from our competition is our quick turnaround time for customers receiving their merchandiser. We’re committed to ensuring that you have your merchandiser on-time and quickly. We sat down with Federal’s own Gary Hamburg,  Director of Sales - East, to learn more about what this means for customers. 


Is it true that Federal Industries offers a 4-week lead time on merchandiser case orders?


It is indeed true!  Federal offers customizable cases, along with many accessories within that 4-week lead time and, depending on the product family, sometimes less!


Has it always been this way?


In recent years, Federal has eliminated a lot of waste in the manufacturing processes through continuous improvement initiatives.  We call it “Operational Excellence,” and it has driven significant reductions in our lead-times.  We have been at a 3-4 week lead-time on the majority of our product lines for almost 2 years now and counting!


How does Federal accomplish this?


Because we are a made-to-order manufacturer, we must have a very flexible manufacturing culture.  We use many “Lean Manufacturing” tools such as KanBan, Cellular Flow, and 5S, to keep us nimble from a manufacturing standpoint so that we can deliver our promise of a 4-week lead-time.  We also spend a lot of time cross-training our factory personnel so that we can flex assemblers to where demand dictates.


What kind of merchandisers does this apply to?


It applies to all of our product lines!  Each has specific option lists to choose from to customize the display case to match the store decor or to match the merchandising application of the customer.  


We also have our “Elements” series on six of our product families.  The “Elements” cases are not customizable, and because of this, we stock these for immediate shipment if a customer needs a display case in a hurry.  


What do you mean by “customization”?


Each of our product families has a vast list of options to choose from to “customize” the display case to fit the customer’s needs.  Whether it is special laminate selection, legs, casters, different shelving materials, rear loading doors, locking security covers, stainless steel interior and exterior, remote refrigeration, reflective glass, etc., we still promise it in 3-4 weeks!


If I’d like to order a merchandiser, what are the next steps that I need to take?


Visit our website, federalind.com, where you can find all the information you need on our merchandisers.  You can also use it to find your local Federal Industries manufacturing representatives who are highly trained on our products and would be happy to assist you!