How does one know when it is time to give up? If you are even asking this question, which I would guess some in the steel detailing services industry are, you are likely in a really painful and desperate place.
This is of course, an individual decision. There is no magic number of unprofitable months or years one must endure. Each person or Company has their own pain threshold. What might be bearable for some, is too much for others.
For Dowco, things are clear. The world has changed. The market has changed. The role of the detailer has changed. To survive, one must change with the times. End of story.
If you have read any of my previous rambles you know I argue that the steel detailing services industry has become commoditized and globalized. The question remains, how will the North American Steel Industry respond to this new reality? Will offshore or overseas services become the norm? Can North American companies be competitive? The answer to these questions will determine whether and when enough is enough, and whether the industry as we know it is ready to throw in the towel.
In June 2020 Dowco celebrated 50 years in business. People often ask what the secret to surviving 50 years in business is. The answer is simple: The things we found simple and easy to do, others found easy not to do. We set goals, invested in technology, ISO registration and learned to differentiate. Others found it easier not to. We found it prudent to participate in Industry associations and to listen and learn what successful companies were doing; we found it prudent to study trends and emerging markets. Others thought these things really didn’t matter. To sum it up, I would say that what we chose to do, others chose not to do. 50 years later, facing new challenges, we are poised for yet another Dowco re-imagination as we set our sights on the next 50 years. Others may blame the economy, globalization, Covid-19 and some even blame the government and policies, yet they fail to see the need to make basic adjustments.
We remain strong in our belief that we can and will adapt. We believe we can compete with any company in the world when it comes to delivering quality 3D modeling and detailing services.
