Thomas has been connecting industrial buyers and suppliers for more than 125 years. The Industrial Icons blog series celebrates the longtime customers who have grown their businesses with Thomas and the marketing and advertising solutions that have evolved along with them over the years.
For more than 20 years, Smucker Laser Cutting & Metal Fabrication has dedicated itself to enhancing the standing of its metalwork clientele. Based in Lancaster, Pa., the company provides laser cutting and metal fabrication services to equipment manufacturers, machine shops, architectural customers, and other buyers along the East Coast. Since its founding in 2002, Smucker has maintained steady growth, with substantial investments in cutting-edge metal fabrication equipment. Thomas has been a part of Smucker’s marketing strategy since the very beginning, when it advertised in the print version of the Thomas Registry. Smucker President Sheldon Miller discusses how Thomas has helped the company tailor its marketing approach over the years.
How and when did you get started advertising with Thomas?
I remember seeing the Thomas green books on our customers' shelves when I made customer visits, and I knew Thomas was a well-recognized brand in the manufacturing industry. We advertised in the print Thomas Registry from 2002 until Thomas went 100% internet-based in 2006.
What have been the biggest wins in your journey with Thomas so far?
Thomas has given us many avenues to get our name recognized. We did a little bit of local print advertising here and there, but Thomas was our way out of the local area, in a sense. We knew if we had a customer calling us from Baltimore or New York or Philadelphia, those were customers that found us through Thomas. Thomas has provided a consistent customer base for us.
"Thomas has provided a consistent customer base for us."
-Sheldon Miller, president, Smucker Laser Cutting & Metal Fabrication
What’s something you’ve learned from working with Thomas?
I’ve learned a lot about marketing and developing a good internet presence, how to show up in searches and be at the top of the page. Marketing for business-to-business is so different than marketing to commercial or residential customers, and Thomas has helped us refine that strategy.
We were an early adopter of the case study product from Thomas, using case studies on the Smucker website to showcase success stories and use cases for laser cutting.
Manufacturing has proven to be an enduring industry in America, even amid political and economic changes. What gives you hope for the future of the industry?
As technology continues to evolve, I think we're only going to get more efficient. Of course, there are political and economic changes that cause pricing to change in the steel market, but we're always going to need manufacturing, and we’re always going to need new equipment.
Everybody's so innovative, they're always thinking about the next new invention. And with AI it’s getting easier to develop new things. The other week, we received a CAD drawing for a fire pit that someone designed with the help of AI, and he was asking us to cut the parts. So it's becoming easier and easier to develop things. In the past, somebody would send you a sketch. We'd have to draw it and tweak the design until everything fit. But now, with the software that's out there, people can develop things that could be one-offs or could become very large quantity items going forward, too.
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