Shop Talk | Job Costing: Balancing Fair Margins with Competitive Pricing

Service that Scales | Steelhead Shop Talk

In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, Dean Halonen sits down with Cody Whitehead, Operations & Engineering Manager at Advanced Precision Anodizing, to talk about scaling a finishing operation without losing the culture, quality, and customer service that made it successful in the first place. Cody shares how APA grew from a 20-person shop running on QuickBooks and tribal knowledge into a 70-person operation with expanded capabilities, stronger visibility, and a foundation built for long-term growth. The conversation covers operational scaling, retaining top talent, customer communication, automation, lead times, ERP implementation, and what it takes to build a manufacturing business that can continue growing without sacrificing service. Topics include: • Growing from 20 to 70 employees • Why customer communication matters • Building and retaining a strong core team • Scaling operations with Steelhead ERP • Improving visibility and reducing wasted time • Managing lead times and expedites • Expanding capacity and pursuing NADCAP • The role of automation and data tracking in manufacturing growth Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com [https://gosteelhead.com] #Manufacturing #MetalFinishing #Anodizing #JobShop #ERPSoftware #SteelheadTechnologies #ShopTalk Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:17 Cody’s background in metal finishing 05:56 What Advanced Precision looked like in 2017 08:42 Growing from 20 to 70 employees 10:00 The hardest part of scaling a finishing operation 12:13 Why APA moved away from QuickBooks 13:37 Improving visibility and customer communication with Steelhead 15:12 Building and retaining a strong core team 18:33 Quality, on-time delivery, and customer expectations 21:23 Scaling revenue without scaling headcount 24:01 How the customer portal improves customer service 27:52 Expanding capacity and pursuing NADCAP 30:59 Managing expedites and customer lead times 33:44 The future of Advanced Precision Anodizing 40:27 Financing growth and reinvesting into the business 42:37 Final thoughts on scaling with Steelhead

Achieving CMMC in Metal Finishing Job Shops | Steelhead Shop Talk

Modernizing a 70-person aerospace finishing shop is no small task. In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, James Bull of Sullivan Precision Metal Finishing shares how their team approached upgrading systems, improving visibility, and building processes that can scale with the business. From managing complexity on the shop floor to meeting the demands of aerospace work, this conversation breaks down what it really takes to move from outdated systems to a more controlled, data-driven operation. What you’ll learn: • The challenges of running and modernizing a large finishing shop • How better systems improve visibility across operations • What it takes to scale processes in aerospace manufacturing • Why structure and consistency matters as shops grow Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com [https://gosteelhead.com]

Capacity Planning & Scheduling | Steelhead Shop Talk

Do you often find your shop battling capacity overloads and overdue jobs? In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen is joined by Jarrod Wiesen, President and Owner of Coatings Plus, to discuss capacity planning and scheduling. Jarrod shares how aligning his shop around a clear scheduling process helped eliminate bottlenecks, improve visibility, and get the entire operation moving in sync. From his journey into metal finishing to the tools and strategies driving growth today, this episode breaks down how better planning leads to better outcomes across the shop floor.

Selling Your Shop: Preparing Your Exit Plan | Steelhead Shop Talk

In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen sits down with John Mosser, Founder of Triscend Partners, to talk about one of the biggest decisions a shop owner can make — selling their business. John works with manufacturing companies across the country, helping owners prepare for a successful exit by connecting strong businesses with the right buyers and creating positive outcomes for everyone involved.

Shop Talk | Job Costing: Balancing Fair Margins with Competitive Pricing

In this episode of Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen sits down with Ken Hannem, Project Manager at D&K Powder Coating in Mankato, MN — a shop recognized for its quick turnaround, exceptional quality, and disciplined approach to margins. The discussion dives deep into job costing — how to balance fair margins with competitive pricing and use real costing data to catch margin leaks early. Ken explains how D&K decides when to improve a process versus when to adjust pricing, builds customer trust by staying fair (and even lowering prices when it makes sense), and keeps the shop accountable with accurate time tracking. From protecting capacity for high-value customers to paying people well while staying profitable, Ken breaks down job costing in practical, plain-spoken terms. Shop Talk brings you authentic conversations with manufacturers — real shops, real results.