When you need to find a graphite and carbon material supplier or if you want to compare what your current supplier is offering to the competition, finding the right comparison can be a challenge.
There are many different considerations when looking at graphite material suppliers. While some considerations may seem more obvious than others, it is really the big picture differences that will be the deciding factors for most companies.
At the very least, compare at least these three factors when doing your research. A lot of information can be found online, but it is often most informative to call the companies you are considering and have the opportunity to talk and ask questions.
Pricing
While graphite is a lower cost option than many materials, there is still a range in pricing to consider. In addition to just the price, however, the quality will also be a factor as quality graphite materials will tend to have a higher market value than poor quality materials. Many of these may be imported from countries with different standards and quality control mechanisms in place.
Availability and Inventory
No matter how great the price and quality is from any given graphite material suppliers, when availability is an issue because of chronic low inventory levels or the inability to address large volume orders, working with the supplier becomes problematic.
Inventory and availability, both of stock or custom materials, has to be geared towards customer satisfaction and the ability to fill orders in a reasonable time frame even with large orders.
Delivery
Carefully consider if the supplier is able to offer JIT (Just In Time) delivery programs or to manage a continual supply. Many of the top suppliers with warehouses around the country are able to provide this level of service while the standalone warehouses may have more challenges with these types of delivery requirements.
It is worth the time to compare and contrast what different graphite and carbon material suppliers are able to offer. When companies can provide stock and custom production to meet your requirements you have found a good match.