Business World |
March 2015
290
Using geographic and corporate ties to their
advantage, Hy-Lok can easily leverage these
relationships and keep fluid interaction with
their vendors. As a part of their day to day
priority list, they ensure operations are run-
ning smoothly and that support is necessary
when requested.
“We have two tubing mills, one in
Canada and one in Japan. Both used
on a monthly basis for our inventory
selling points.” Lewington said. “Hy-
lok’s mills also help with upcoming
material costs and work with us on
that side so we don’t have to make
our customers suffer with large price
increase.”
“It’s just being in constant communi-
cation,” he added. “Our factory we deal with
every day – for pricing, for quotes, for main-
taining a key customer. Even for technologi-
cal engineering support, we get to work with
their team as much as we ever require.”
Effectively using their resources, Hy-Lok
Canada relishes its openness with their team
in South Korea rather than looking at dis-
tance as a detriment.
“Our 5 pm is their 8 am the next morning,”
Drolet said of the time difference. “It’s not all
bad. We can fire off a question at 4 o’clock in
the afternoon and they have the day to work
through it and get back to us. By the time we
come back in at 8 o’clock the next morning,
we can have our responses back from them.”
IMPORTANT COGS
The absence of a linear hierarchy within the
company illustrates a shared outlook from
the top of the company to the bottom based
on fair play, respect, integrity and account-
ability. From management being down on
the warehouse floor picking orders and driv-
ing forklifts to shippers who are answering
phones; life at Hy-Lok really does begin out-
