Video Transcript
Narrator: This episode is brought to you by Tru-Maxx. If you're looking for real-world insights, tips from leading industry experts, the latest trends in products and technology, you've come to the right place. From MSC Industrial Supply, this is Tooling Up.
TONI NEARY: Hi everyone and welcome to Tooling Up. I'm your host, Toni Neary, and I'm so glad that you've joined us today. Before we get started, let's take a moment to click those like and subscribe buttons so you never miss an episode from MSC and our industry partners. Today on Tooling Up, we're talking about abrasives and how manufacturers can help get the performance they need while keeping productivity and cost in mind.
More specifically, we're taking a closer look at Tru-Maxx, MSC’s exclusive line of industrial-quality abrasives and how these products support a range of metalworking applications. Joining me today are Brad Heraghty National Account Manager, and Alex Logan, Category Manager for MSC Industrial Supply. Alex and Brad, welcome to Tooling Up.
ALEX LOGAN: Hi Toni. Happy to be here.
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, it's great to be here as well. Thank you.
TONI NEARY: So Alex, let's start with the Tru-Maxx brand itself. For viewers who may not be familiar with us, tell us a little about Tru-Maxx and what it brings to MSC customers.
ALEX LOGAN: Of course, Toni. Tru-Maxx is an MSC exclusive brand focused on abrasives, including quick change discs, deburring wheels, grinding and cutoff wheels, abrasive belts, pads, and more. The brand is designed to deliver reliable performance at a customer-friendly cost. Because Tru-Maxx is owned by MSC, customers also benefit from MSC support and consistent inventory availability.
TONI NEARY: So it's really about giving customers another strong option. They're getting the performance they need, but there's also a real focus on overall value.
ALEX LOGAN: Exactly Toni. Manufacturers need solutions that deliver dependable performance while helping manage costs. Tru-Maxx provides that.
TONI NEARY: And that balance between performance and value is really important. So Brad, when you look beyond cost and get into the actual application, abrasives have a lot of different jobs to do. Where did they come into play across the different metalworking processes?
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, great question, Toni. Honestly, they touch on everything. Whether it's cutting, surface finishing, grinding. There's a full breadth and a full scope there. So we really look to go beyond just the application itself, but understand the customer need and where we can help fit; and this product line is the full breadth of line that covers that.
And it's great that we're able to help at multiple ends. Rough, cut, surface finish, you name it. The idea is that we can get the job done and contribute to the overall productivity with one line.
TONI NEARY: So with all those different applications, choosing the right abrasive really comes down to the job that you're trying to accomplish. So, we talked a little earlier about a few Tru-Maxx products that represent that range really well. Can you walk us through some of those and where they fit?
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, absolutely. So, quick change discs. They're used everywhere. We have a couple of lines here, but in particular the zirconia product; it's a great, better-tiered item, so to speak, that really meets the customers' needs. And you see it everywhere in the marketplace. We have zirconia flap discs as well. Again, the idea here is we've got a versatile product that gives you the best bang for buck on price and performance.
We have our non-woven hand pads, which is a staple in the MRO world, that everybody uses—high-quality product at a great price point. You know, in this world, you know, obviously they're used for cleaning, blending, surface prep, and finishing. Everyone is using that in some capacity. And then we also have tool room wheels. It's everywhere.
I keep saying that, but it's in the back of the house. It's in the front of the house. Precision grinding, finishing, you name it. We have this in both a sort of a good and a best quality in our aluminum oxide and ceramic brand wheels.
TONI NEARY: So rather than thinking about each of these as individual products, it's really about having the right abrasive available for each step of the process. Is that accurate?
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, absolutely. When you look to address this, and you try to understand the needs, you know, through one product line as opposed to having a shop for multiple suppliers. Tru-Maxx has it, like I said earlier, whether it's cutting, grinding, surface prep, surface conditioning. It can really be a one-stop shop for the customers and simplify the selection for the customer itself.
TONI NEARY: And I think that brings us back to something we touched on earlier. And that's for manufacturers, especially smaller shops. Managing costs is always important, but focusing only on the price of the abrasive can miss that bigger picture. Brad, what should customers be thinking about when they're looking at the overall value of an abrasive?
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, I mean, hey, listen, we live in a world where we understand price is important, but how can we help that total process, right? Is there a way to reduce a step, consolidate lines? Look at your overall productivity and throughput. This line has that, whether it's on an everyday aluminum oxide or on the ceramic side. You know, we really want to look at performance, the quality of it, and really help with overall productivity from the beginning to the end of an entire application.
So whether it's a small-size or mid-sized opportunity, whether it's cutting or grinding, finishing. Tru-Maxx has it all, and we're able to help support the customer in any capacity. And really, the goal is to find the right balance of performance, productivity, and cost for the application.
TONI NEARY: So ultimately, it's not necessarily about finding the least expensive abrasive. It's about finding the solution that helps you get the job done efficiently and gets those results that you need.
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, absolutely. It's really about discovering the need behind the need for the customer and understanding where performance, productivity, and value really have to work together, and be an advocate for the customer with that.
TONI NEARY: And, Alex, all of this assumes the customer knows which abrasives are right for the job that they're doing. But what if they don't know? What kind of support can they expect from MSC?
ALEX LOGAN: That's a great question, Toni. MSC offers metalworking specialists who understand customer operations and are able to identify the right solutions. When deeper abrasive expertise is needed, we can always reach out to someone like Brad. This gives customers access to MSC’s knowledge of business along with additional technical support.
TONI NEARY: And the goal is really just helping your customers find the right solution for that particular process, and you just have a myriad of experts on board. Brad, what does that collaboration look like from the supplier side?
BRAD HERAGHTY: You know, we're partners with MSC and we’re dedicated to working in the field together. And the idea is, as we go in and we look at the application start to finish to see where we can help and understand what the customer's needs are and really what they're trying to accomplish. Sometimes that might mean looking at things with a different step or a different approach or a different product, but still trying to really understand what it is they're doing and evaluating the material they're grinding, any of the particular process that they're using, desired finish. There's a whole different variety there, but it's a partnership at the MSC level, and ultimately it's a partnership for our customer to get them the best overall outcome and help their abrasive process.
TONI NEARY: And before we wrap up, if there's one thing that you would like manufacturers to take away from our conversation about Tru-Maxx today, Brad, what would it be?
BRAD HERAGHTY: Yeah, I think it comes down to giving customers another option, another strong choice, in that there's quality here with this product that's full breadth of line, which I can't stress enough, but it's really performance-based and that we're looking to be competitively priced, backed by quality, availability, and technical support from MSC in the field sales.
TONI NEARY: Alex and Brad, thank you both so much for joining us today and sharing your expertise.
ALEX LOGAN: Thanks, Toni.
BRAD HERAGHTY: Thank you, Toni.
TONI NEARY: If there's one thing I'm taking away from our conversation with Alex and Brad today, it's that MSC is here to help you find the right solutions. To learn more about Tru-Maxx abrasives, visit www.mscdirectcom/trumaxx or contact your local MSC representative or metalworking specialist. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel so you never miss an episode. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time on Tooling Up.
Narrator: Want more insights and ideas to improve the efficiency and productivity of your operations? Check out the Tooling Up video playlist to hear tips that can take your company to the next level, and subscribe to our channel so you won't miss out.
