Why we don’t say yes to every project

We don’t take every job – and honestly, you wouldn’t want us to.

No matter your industry, growth is important. But for us, it can’t be the only thing. That means that sometimes we have to make tough choices about the projects we take on. Moffatt’s core values have always been respect, family, and excellence. When we get the privilege of working with a new client, we want to make sure that these values stay consistent. Not just because it’s important to us, but because it’s important to our clients.

Here’s why we don’t say yes to every job we get. 

We never want to compromise quality

One of the tenets that has defined Moffatt’s goals from the beginning is our dedication to getting the right design required for the job. It started with task lights and continues as we grow into the cutting-edge field of Medical Technology. It’s important for us to keep that focus. We know how important it is for our clients that our flex arms perform well in every application.

For us, the client relationship is based on trust, and we want you to know that when we agree to do a job that we’re going to do it to the best of our abilities. 

So what does that actually mean on a practical level for you? We’re glad you asked.

A direct line to our design team – and the time needed to make the right choice

We can’t speak to what other companies do, but we will say this: when you work with us you’re getting direct access to our engineers and product managers from the very beginning. This is especially valuable for some of our clients with fewer design resources who really value collaboration, and even bigger companies appreciate what we bring to the table with regard to problem solving and creativity. When you hire us, you’re not just getting a deliverable, you’re getting direct access to a team of informed experts that can help you make sound decisions. 

Consistency 

It’s unlikely that the product you make now will be the EXACT same one you make in five years – but what if it is? You want a supplier with a track record of consistency, built from generations of doing things the right way. If you have experience with offshore suppliers, you know it’s much more difficult to establish trust and clear communication that leads to consistency in your supply chain for years to come. Sure, your first order might be exactly what you want, but how about your 5th order? Your 100th? 

With Moffatt, you can rest assured that we’ll be able to source the same part you need from now until you don’t need it anymore. That’s a big relief – especially when your device is high-end MedTech or a related field! The success of your device is important, but without consistency, it won’t ever be anything more than a prototype. 

Balancing the triangle: growth vs profitability vs culture

We view our business as a delicate balance between growth, optimizing profitability and our work culture. So what do those different corners of the triangle actually represent? 

Growth: Growing our business is important to us. No one wants to feel stagnant, so we relish the challenge to develop our business while becoming a leader in the flex arm industry. Our growth over the past twenty years has been a point of pride and God willing, we’ll continue to provide high quality, durable flex arms to the industries that need them for a very long time. 

Profitability: Businesses need to be profitable. We’re no exception. We pride ourselves on excellence and creating a great flex arm – but we also want to be able to hit our client’s budget constraints. Profitability for us comes from creating a good price point while NEVER sacrificing the quality that put us on the map. A Moffatt arm means something to people and we never want to take that for granted. 

Culture: Culture is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days, but for us it’s really true. At our heart, we’re a small town company. We have folks who have worked with us for most of their adult lives. Our lives are interconnected in ways that go beyond the work environment. We call it the Moffatt family for a reason – so when we make decisions we always want to take that into account. 

All three of these ideas are extremely important to us. That means that we can’t just take a job because it’ll prop up growth or profitability. Ideally, it will also empower our team and create meaning in their lives. That’s why we use sometimes that means making some tough decisions on what projects we take. 

We want our values of family, excellence, and respect to extend to every client we come in contact with. So suffice to say, if we’re working together you know that you’re getting the same Moffatt treatment whether you’re ordering 30 arms or 30,000.