Kathy Knowlton has been the company ’ s administration and engineering assistant for over five years . She enjoys the various tasks and the people she works with , including employees , customers , and suppliers . Knowlton said she is proud of the company ’ s mission statement : “ Qual-Fab is dedicated to the singular task of delivering the highest quality sheet metal products on time and at the lowest possible cost in a managed inventory environment .” Knowlton believes in U . S . - based manufacturing and looks forward to seeing the company grow . She , like Williams , noted that they ’ ve had some challenges following the pandemic . But they ’ ve realized new opportunities for improved communications and employee training . “ As you know , COVID changed everything . Recently , we upgraded our systems to allow us to chat live with customers and vendors , giving us instant feedback . Better communication is vital , especially for fast-track projects , and it ’ s also great for training our employees .”
Qual-Fab ’ s outside strategic marketing vendors , Jennifer Eby , president and CEO of MaRCTechnologies and MaRCTech2 , and Krystal Fitzpatrick , manufacturer ’ s representative for Qual-Fab , specialize in helping their customers achieve greater productivity and profitability . Eby said they represent Qual-Fab and serve as their sales force . “ We connect them with potential clients , discuss project requirements , and ensure smooth communication between them and our local manufacturers ,” Eby said .
38 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS