In recent editions of Last Word, some of the capabilities of the Starrett Tru-Stone Division have been profiled. In the most recent edition, we focused on specific granite add-ons and machining capabilities (Customizing Granite -- Holes, Slots and Inserts, Fall, 2008).

Project Management
Much of what Tru-Stone provides goes beyond specific operations. Many customers have come to rely on Tru-Stone for complete management and implementation for a key sub-system or project.

For example, we work in close conjunction with the customers technical and purchasing staff to help specify and source a broad range of components beyond granite. In one case we grew a customers’ product BOM in excess of 200 components.

Leveraging Core Competencies
In addition to component sourcing and management, we also assemble and align many of the precision components for the customers’ final product. Much of the equipment needed to conduct this assembly and verify precision is already at Tru-Stone. This allows customers to leverage our capital investment and expertise to build their products.

At times, we are given overall precision specifications and the customer relies upon Tru-Stone to create and/or specify the design and precision requirements of individual components. This is very common with porous vacuum chucks, a key core competency of Tru-Stone. The customer specifies the flatness and airflow requirements, and then we specify the tile, air plenum design, and related features.

Solution Provider
Our granite business defines not what we are, but where we start from. For our customers, Tru-Stone is as a solution provider.