Episode 108
Focused on Safety — Distributor/Manufacturer Cooperation Yields End User Solutions
Great partnerships yield great results. In this episode, Fastenal's Evan Hardin and Ergodyne's Tom Votel explain how a trusted distributor/manufacturer partnership led to an end user solution that will, and has, helped thousands of workers.
- By Sydny Shepard
- Nov 10, 2021
We have all heard the term supply chain a million times so far in 2021, and it continues to be in almost every headline. The term supply chain has an obvious visual – the chain. The links of that chain can be as few as two links or a thousand, but the pieces work together to accomplish your goals.
The Industrial Distributor Fastenal often says the shortest supply chain wins. The fewer the links, the simpler the solution, and the fewer opportunity for errors. That is where this story comes in.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Evan Hardin, Safety Sales Director at Fastenal Company and Tom Votel, the president of Ergodyne about how a distributor/manufacturer relationship turned into an end user solution that positively, and directly impacted thousands of workers in distribution centers around the country in a time when online shopping was deemed essential due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
First, a little bit about our guests in this episode:
Evan Hardin is a Safety Sales Director for Fastenal and oversees 35 safety sales specialists across the western United States. Evan started with Fastenal in 2006 and has helped grow the Safety Program from a product distributor into a strategic safety partner. Evan’s team supports Fastenal’s branch and sales teams with expertise in safety regulations, product specifications, and safety program implementation
Tom Votel has been President & CEO of Ergodyne since 1985. Taking the reins in the company’s very early years, Tom has helmed Ergodyne’s evolution into one of the safety industry’s most trusted and innovative leaders. He has also served as Vice Chair of the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) since 2020.
I know you are interested to hear more about how these two companies collaborated to alleviate a customer safety hazard. Download or stream this episode today at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify and more.
A special thank you to Fastenal Company.
Fastenal is a supply chain solutions company. They distribute and manage inventory on critical industrial and construction supplies. With 21,000 employees across 3,000 locations, you can find Fastenal in 26 countries. As a global product distributor with over $5 billion in annual sales, the company has an expansive logistics network. Fastenal specializes in supply chain consultation and the implementation of inventory control technologies. https://www.fastenal.com/en/927/safety-resources
About the Author
Sydny Shepard is the former editor of Occupational Health & Safety.