“It’s just nuts and bolts, why does it take 26 weeks to get my parts?” Lead times for fasteners can be frustrating and hard to understand when I can often go to the hardware store and get something that will work. So why does it take so long to get parts?
Standard off-the-shelf parts don’t require much lead time. Depending on the order quantity and the available inventory, parts can normally ship anywhere from one day to three weeks from the receipt of an order. For high volume standard parts or special parts, the lead time can increase substantially.
High volume standards may not be in stock, so a manufacturer will have to make them to order. Fastener manufacturers schedule their work to keep their machines busy and running as efficiently as possible, so when they receive an order to make a certain size, it may not fit into their schedule for several weeks. The same is true for specialty parts. Normal lead times for domestic manufacturers is 12 to 14 weeks on a first-time order. For overseas suppliers, transit time is added which can easily reach 24 to 26 weeks. Expediting an order is often possible, but break in fees and/or increased shipping fees may apply which raise the cost of the parts.
The best way to combat long lead times is to give plenty of notice for first-time orders, and then provide accurate forecasting for future orders.
For more information on fastener lead times, contact us at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.
Doug Jones
Applications Engineer
djones@bossard.com
