Rhinestahl Honored as Supplier of the Year for BAE Systems

At the annual BAE Systems ‘Partner2Win’ Supplier Award ceremony, Rhinestahl was honored to receive the “Mk 45 Naval Gun International Supplier of the Year” award. As stated on their site, the ‘Partner2Win’ Supplier Awards recognizes top-tier suppliers’ exceptional performance and delivery to help meet current and future customer demand in weapon systems. Alan Oak, COO of Rhinestahl Corporation, said of the award, “At Rhinestahl, it is critically important that our focus on customer service and technical support translates into real value for our customers.  We are truly honored to be recognized by BAE which makes us even more driven to partner with them to support the end customer.”

The criteria of the award are simple: cost, quality, and speed. We pride ourselves on exceeding these expectations and instead strive to create a partnership that goes beyond basics. Nick Schmerler, Supply Chain Program Manager for BAE Systems, noted “Rhinestahl certainly doesn’t do the minimum amount of work. It’s a partnership…they go above and beyond to communicate, fix issues, or make improvements.”

What we bring to the table is an ease of doing business; factors that cannot be captured on a scorecard. An exemplary supplier is rooted in having a strong skillset internally. Our team, from our expert machinists to our technical engineers, maintain a portfolio of unmatched skill, able to deliver on difficult materials and tight tolerances. Taking it beyond simply delivering on drawings, we work to strategize with BAE Systems to regularly discuss manufacturability and mitigate risks. When discussing the partnership of Rhinestahl and BAE Systems, Tesla Ruser, Program Manager at BAE Systems, stated “It’s evident Rhinestahl will step up in terms of discussing manufacturability. We innovate together. There’s a lot of interest from the manufacturing floor and engineers to understand to end goal of a project, collaborate on designs, and ultimately seek out cost savings for us.” A true partnership is fostered by communication. Value is placed on transparency and proactivity with a goal of working on solutions together. We have a dedicated Program Manager who serves as a single point of contact, establishing a regular cadence of project updates. Schmerler added, “I don’t have to reach out with questions, they’ve already communicated solutions.”

Ruser further stated, “When I came on board at BAE, Rhinestahl was the first supplier relationship I was exposed to and I thought to myself, ‘I hope all suppliers are like this.’” We thank BAE Systems for this award and look forward to continuing our strategic partnership. To learn more about the 2020 ‘Partner2Win’ Supplier Awards, click here.