Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii

Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii strives to always beat its competition by providing the best and most thorough service to its customers because its location makes competitive pricing a challenge.

The Honolulu-based company has been distributing and manufacturing rigging supplies, wire ropes and safety gear to construction and utility companies since 1976. The company’s products include wire rope, chain, nylon, web slings, swivels and shackles, and rigging assemblies designed to customers’ specifications, Vice President David Tavares says.

Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii has three plants located in Oahu, Hilo and Maui. The plants are stocked with more than $4 million worth of inventory that is maintained through an in-house computer system. “That’s how we compete,” Tavares says. “If we can’t compete with price, we let customers know we have a ridiculous amount of inventory. Construction is go, go, go and customers know they can come here and we will have the product for them.”

Service is Key

Because Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii is not located on the mainland, the cost of supplies and shipping is two to three times the cost. Therefore, competitive pricing is not always an option for the company, but it can guarantee exceptional service, Tavares explains. “We are very knowledgeable on the products,” he adds. “I get the salespeople to know the product, safety, and be able to recommend to the customer what they should be using. They can go to the jobsite and know the best option for the customer. That’s how we set ourselves apart.”

To ensure its employees are providing thorough service, the company trains its sales associates and customers on using various applications and technology to make product tracking and ordering seamless. “We are a local company, not just someone on the phone taking orders,” Tavares adds. “We are here for our customers and I’m always stressing that.”

Technology plays a major role in order placement at Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii. The company promotes the use of rigging apps, which can be downloaded to smart phones for instant information transmission and also for product tracking. “We can place a RFID chip on a sling and program it into the smart phone, which then tracks the sling from the day it’s made for 10 years,” Tavares explains. “We really have to stay on top of technology and where it’s headed.”

Training at the company not only applies to technology – or its employees. “We are the leading rigging trainer in Hawaii,” Tavares attests. “We hold four- and eight-hour rigging classes two times per week.” Government regulations require operators of rigging hardware and slings to attend training on the equipment before performing on a jobsite. Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii offers on-site training on its products for its customers.

Product Satisfaction

Although service is a key component to Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii’s success, its products are also a differentiator in the industry. The company maintains active memberships with the Hawaii Better Business Bureau, the Associated Wire Rope Fabricators and the Web Sling and Tie Down Association. Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii received its ISO 9000 certification in 2010, which means its manufacturing process is black and white, Tavares explains.

“Everything is done the same way every time,” he adds. “We perform product testing to ensure quality production, but also have a third party run tests on our products and certify them.”

Tests include the break factor, which measures the working load at which a product will break. For example, if a chain sling has a design factor of four-to-one and the working load is 10,000 pounds, the product should break at four times the working load or 40,000 pounds. Tavares says the company regularly selects one of its products at random to test to ensure its manufacturing procedures are working correctly.

Coordinated Wire Rope Hawaii is eager to see more growth in the area, which will result in increased product distribution and manufacturing for the company. “Last year wasn’t a great year and hopefully the economy has turned around because there are a lot of jobs out here and hotels are starting to be built,” Tavares says. “We are excited. We hope this will be a better year and we will continue to grow, produce quality goods, help our customers and make them satisfied with our service.”