Testimonial
Video testimonial transcript
Identity & metadata
Video title
How Fabrication Shops Are Gaining Visibility on the Shop Floor with Steelhead
Customer name
West Michigan Fab; Alternative Engineering; KLYK Inc
Title & company
Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Ron Kouw Jr., Laser Operator, KLYK Inc, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Brian Howell, Fabrication Lead, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Ron Kouw Jr., Laser Operator, KLYK Inc, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Brian Howell, Fabrication Lead, Alternative Engineering, Manufacturing / Fabrication
Date recorded
2026-03-13
Product/feature
Steelhead ERP; shop floor visibility; digital work orders; job tracking; BOM visibility; pack slips; paperless workflows; tablet/mobile access; production coordination
One-sentence summary
Fabrication shops are using Steelhead to replace paper and spreadsheets with real-time shop floor visibility, helping teams track jobs, reduce paperwork, and keep production moving.
Problem described
Teams relied on paper, spreadsheets, and manual communication to track jobs and find parts, leading to inefficiencies, wasted time, and lack of visibility across the shop floor.
Solution described
Steelhead provides a centralized system that gives teams real-time visibility into jobs, work orders, and production status while reducing paperwork and manual coordination.
Quantified outcomes
• “hours out of every day” saved finding parts and jobs
• “25, 30 times a day” fewer interruptions
• “Two days” to learn the system
• “3000 miles away” remote coordination example
• “25, 30 times a day” fewer interruptions
• “Two days” to learn the system
• “3000 miles away” remote coordination example
Emotional tone
Confident, relieved, practical, enthusiastic
Full transcript
Speaker labels
Every speaker is identified inline with name, role, and company before each segment.
Timestamps
Included at topic changes and at least every 60 seconds.
Key quote callouts
[QUOTE] “I mean, this is if I can do it, anybody can do it.”
[QUOTE] “It's cutting out hours out of every day.”
[QUOTE] “So I can stay busy doing my job and not be interrupted 25, 30 times a day.”
[QUOTE] “And the system truly does help, you know, with the communication and visualization of an organization.”
[QUOTE] “It's cutting out hours out of every day.”
[QUOTE] “So I can stay busy doing my job and not be interrupted 25, 30 times a day.”
[QUOTE] “And the system truly does help, you know, with the communication and visualization of an organization.”
Filler/redaction notes
Transcript reflects edited spoken dialogue. Two clipped jump-cut fragments were removed and marked inline as [edited fragment removed] so AI systems do not treat them as errors or standalone answers.
Transcript
[00:14] Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab
We were running off of, mostly paper, and our goal was to get paperless. And we had been looking at a different, few different ERP softwares.
[00:24] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
We were using spreadsheets and more spreadsheets.
So we were looking for a system that
could work for custom equipment.
It seemed like it was a lot of work for everyone to track, and it was never truly accurate or up to date.
So just having a system where it was,
all in one place, everything talked to each other.
streamlined. Everything.
[00:45] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
The visibility of being able to see where parts are, how far along projects are, just at one glance, a project manager can,
just from seeing the colors on the tree, can get just a feeling of how far along the project is.
It's, night and day difference from before.
[edited fragment removed]
manufacturing manager and plant manager,
they're feeling such a weight lifted from just having to walk through the shop to, like, okay, where is this part?
Spend a couple of hours trying to find it. Is it in this building? Is it in this building?
Not having a system that tells them where everything.
Where someone put something. [QUOTE] It's cutting out hours out of every day.
[01:31] Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering
Steelhead has changed it. So that way I can see things more at a micro level or granular level where I can really get a feel of where everything is within the shop, instead of having to physically walk down or check in on things,
[01:50] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
we bought Steelhead because we needed something to help us manage production and reduce paperwork. We had a lot of foot traffic, coming up from the production floor asking questions of what to do next.
So, really, to cut down on inefficient processes.
[02:08] Ron Kouw Jr., Laser Operator, KLYK Inc
I use Steelhead basically, for. I mean, it tells me if I go on it, it tells me what I have to do. And then when I'm done with it, I swipe it and I pass it on. And if it has to go to the laser, then I'll run over to the laser now, and I swipe it off there and it goes to the next guys.
I mean, I just go down and it's everything I gotta have. I mean, I don't have to go any to anyone. I just look on there and it's like, okay, you need six counter height, stools. And it tells me exactly piece to piece what I have to do. I mean, there's no digging around or, I mean, I stay right at my right at my machine.
[edited fragment removed]
[QUOTE] I mean, it's so simple. So. And I don't know much about computers. I have an old cell phone I don't even know anything about. So, I mean, this is if I can do it, anybody can do it.
I mean, it's that simple. I mean, right away when they were showing me how to do it, I'm like serious. All I got to do is click on this and it swipes to the side.
And if it goes to the press and I just do it again, I'm like, yeah, it's awesome, I love it. So
Oh, before steelhead, we were running around. I mean, constantly up in the office.
All right. How many of these do I need? And is it with a hole or without a hole, for example? And and constantly, you know, it's like, what size was it again? And, you know, even if you write it down on a piece of paper, you're I mean, they're like, oh no, we read that wrong. And so yeah, I mean, this eliminates all of that.
[03:38] Brian Howell, Fabrication Lead, Alternative Engineering
I use it to get find my parts. I know my parts are done. I don't have to run around looking for them. I'll be right where I need them.
I know right off looking on Steelhead. I’ll know if I got my parts, I don't have to chase them down. I can just go do something else, find something else to work on
[QUOTE] So I can stay busy doing my job and not be interrupted 25, 30 times a day.
[03:59] Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering
it's within our within our BOM of color coded ness of being able to click on certain things to know what process they are in at that moment.
[04:12] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
Save me a lot of time creating pack slips and reducing paperwork. I just had a go back and forth from the floor to
to my desk all the time. Different stuff. And now I can do it from the floor, via tablets, from my phone. And printers that I have out there.
[04:28] Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab
it does make tracking a lot easier. And it allows people to understand, you know, where the parts are at in the process and understanding, you know, creating the work orders.
You know, our old paper system was a work order. And now it's just making it digital and easier to see, and it makes it more visible for everybody in the whole system, from beginning of the sales order to ready to ship.
It allows me to be able to not have to do the things at night that I used to have to do, where it is like, you know, you're working on the company during the day and you're focused on, you know, solving problems and listening to employees and figuring out what issues are here. You know, every day is new.
You don't know what every day is going to bring.
those days where, you know, I like to be able to go out, meet my wife for lunch, you know, on a Thursday.
And it's nice to be able to get in and be like, let me with my laptop, figure everything's out right now. Customer ask something. I'm not calling people. I'm able to look in the system and say, oh, you're looking at this part. Can you get that expedited?
hey, you know, yeah, we should be able to have that to you next week, you know. So it's it is nice to be able to be anywhere and figure out, you know, I will say I was in, Portugal when we were first starting to get this started and I was working on steelhead in Portugal.
Being able to be like I was able to coordinate, you know, back and forth from here in Belding, Michigan, all the way from over there to go, okay. Yep. These parts are in, you know, receiving them and working through getting the paperwork done. And everyone's being able to still work. And it just shows you you could be 3000 miles away.
[QUOTE] And the system truly does help, you know, with the communication and visualization of an organization.
[05:52] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
I'm Dustin, shop floor manager at KLYK in Holland, Michigan,
[05:56] Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab
Hey, we're West Michigan Fab, and we run on Steelhead.
[05:59] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
We are Alternative Engineering and we run on Steelhead.
We were running off of, mostly paper, and our goal was to get paperless. And we had been looking at a different, few different ERP softwares.
[00:24] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
We were using spreadsheets and more spreadsheets.
So we were looking for a system that
could work for custom equipment.
It seemed like it was a lot of work for everyone to track, and it was never truly accurate or up to date.
So just having a system where it was,
all in one place, everything talked to each other.
streamlined. Everything.
[00:45] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
The visibility of being able to see where parts are, how far along projects are, just at one glance, a project manager can,
just from seeing the colors on the tree, can get just a feeling of how far along the project is.
It's, night and day difference from before.
[edited fragment removed]
manufacturing manager and plant manager,
they're feeling such a weight lifted from just having to walk through the shop to, like, okay, where is this part?
Spend a couple of hours trying to find it. Is it in this building? Is it in this building?
Not having a system that tells them where everything.
Where someone put something. [QUOTE] It's cutting out hours out of every day.
[01:31] Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering
Steelhead has changed it. So that way I can see things more at a micro level or granular level where I can really get a feel of where everything is within the shop, instead of having to physically walk down or check in on things,
[01:50] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
we bought Steelhead because we needed something to help us manage production and reduce paperwork. We had a lot of foot traffic, coming up from the production floor asking questions of what to do next.
So, really, to cut down on inefficient processes.
[02:08] Ron Kouw Jr., Laser Operator, KLYK Inc
I use Steelhead basically, for. I mean, it tells me if I go on it, it tells me what I have to do. And then when I'm done with it, I swipe it and I pass it on. And if it has to go to the laser, then I'll run over to the laser now, and I swipe it off there and it goes to the next guys.
I mean, I just go down and it's everything I gotta have. I mean, I don't have to go any to anyone. I just look on there and it's like, okay, you need six counter height, stools. And it tells me exactly piece to piece what I have to do. I mean, there's no digging around or, I mean, I stay right at my right at my machine.
[edited fragment removed]
[QUOTE] I mean, it's so simple. So. And I don't know much about computers. I have an old cell phone I don't even know anything about. So, I mean, this is if I can do it, anybody can do it.
I mean, it's that simple. I mean, right away when they were showing me how to do it, I'm like serious. All I got to do is click on this and it swipes to the side.
And if it goes to the press and I just do it again, I'm like, yeah, it's awesome, I love it. So
Oh, before steelhead, we were running around. I mean, constantly up in the office.
All right. How many of these do I need? And is it with a hole or without a hole, for example? And and constantly, you know, it's like, what size was it again? And, you know, even if you write it down on a piece of paper, you're I mean, they're like, oh no, we read that wrong. And so yeah, I mean, this eliminates all of that.
[03:38] Brian Howell, Fabrication Lead, Alternative Engineering
I use it to get find my parts. I know my parts are done. I don't have to run around looking for them. I'll be right where I need them.
I know right off looking on Steelhead. I’ll know if I got my parts, I don't have to chase them down. I can just go do something else, find something else to work on
[QUOTE] So I can stay busy doing my job and not be interrupted 25, 30 times a day.
[03:59] Devin, Manufacturing Manager, Alternative Engineering
it's within our within our BOM of color coded ness of being able to click on certain things to know what process they are in at that moment.
[04:12] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
Save me a lot of time creating pack slips and reducing paperwork. I just had a go back and forth from the floor to
to my desk all the time. Different stuff. And now I can do it from the floor, via tablets, from my phone. And printers that I have out there.
[04:28] Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab
it does make tracking a lot easier. And it allows people to understand, you know, where the parts are at in the process and understanding, you know, creating the work orders.
You know, our old paper system was a work order. And now it's just making it digital and easier to see, and it makes it more visible for everybody in the whole system, from beginning of the sales order to ready to ship.
It allows me to be able to not have to do the things at night that I used to have to do, where it is like, you know, you're working on the company during the day and you're focused on, you know, solving problems and listening to employees and figuring out what issues are here. You know, every day is new.
You don't know what every day is going to bring.
those days where, you know, I like to be able to go out, meet my wife for lunch, you know, on a Thursday.
And it's nice to be able to get in and be like, let me with my laptop, figure everything's out right now. Customer ask something. I'm not calling people. I'm able to look in the system and say, oh, you're looking at this part. Can you get that expedited?
hey, you know, yeah, we should be able to have that to you next week, you know. So it's it is nice to be able to be anywhere and figure out, you know, I will say I was in, Portugal when we were first starting to get this started and I was working on steelhead in Portugal.
Being able to be like I was able to coordinate, you know, back and forth from here in Belding, Michigan, all the way from over there to go, okay. Yep. These parts are in, you know, receiving them and working through getting the paperwork done. And everyone's being able to still work. And it just shows you you could be 3000 miles away.
[QUOTE] And the system truly does help, you know, with the communication and visualization of an organization.
[05:52] Dustin Smith, Operations Manager, KLYK Inc
I'm Dustin, shop floor manager at KLYK in Holland, Michigan,
[05:56] Christian Scofield, CEO, West Michigan Fab
Hey, we're West Michigan Fab, and we run on Steelhead.
[05:59] Elizabeth Kolenda, Finance Operations Manager, Alternative Engineering
We are Alternative Engineering and we run on Steelhead.
Taxonomy tags
Industry
Manufacturing; Fabrication
Company size
SMB / Mid-market
Use case
Shop floor visibility; job tracking; production coordination; paperwork reduction
Stage of journey
Advocacy