Testimonial
Video testimonial transcript
Identity & metadata
Video title
Real-Time Tracking, Automated Certs + Control | Metalex + Steelhead
Customer name
Metalex Thermal Specialties
Title & company
Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties, Heat Treating / Manufacturing
Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties, Heat Treating / Manufacturing
Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties, Heat Treating / Manufacturing
Date recorded
2025
Product/feature
Steelhead ERP; real-time tracking; automated certs; digital recordkeeping; invoicing; customer portal; cost tracking
One-sentence summary
Metalex uses Steelhead to replace paper records and disconnected systems with real-time tracking, automated cert generation, faster invoicing, and better operational control.
Problem described
The team struggled with paper-based tracking, duplicate data entry across multiple systems, manual spreadsheets, and long-term document retention requirements.
Solution described
Steelhead consolidated order entry, job tracking, cert generation, invoicing, customer communication, and recordkeeping into one system.
Quantified outcomes
• 15-year record retention handled digitally
• 1 to 1.5 hours saved every morning on invoicing
• Cert creation reduced from 20 to 30 minutes to one click
• Virtual deployment with day-one go-live and no downtime
• 1 to 1.5 hours saved every morning on invoicing
• Cert creation reduced from 20 to 30 minutes to one click
• Virtual deployment with day-one go-live and no downtime
Emotional tone
Confident, practical, relieved, forward-looking
Full transcript
Speaker labels
Every speaker is identified inline with name, role, and company before each segment.
Timestamps
Approximate timestamps rebalanced to fit a 6:00 runtime.
Key quote callouts
[QUOTE] “Now it's all consolidated into one program.”
[QUOTE] “We were up and running on day one—no downtime at all.”
[QUOTE] “I just click ‘make cert,’ and it's done.”
[QUOTE] “Everything’s digital and in one place.”
[QUOTE] “We were up and running on day one—no downtime at all.”
[QUOTE] “I just click ‘make cert,’ and it's done.”
[QUOTE] “Everything’s digital and in one place.”
Filler/redaction notes
Transcript reflects edited spoken dialogue based on provided notes.
Transcript
[00:08] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
My name's Chris James, and I'm the General Manager here at Metalex Thermal Specialties.
[00:18] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I'm Deborah James, President and CEO of Metalex Thermal Specialties.
[00:30] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Metalex is a family business founded in September 2020, and we've been running it for almost five years now.
[00:48] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We take in parts from many industries—auto parts, knife blades, molds and dies—and process them using various furnaces and ovens. We heat the parts up and then cool them down rapidly, which makes them harder, stronger, and more durable.
[01:18] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
One of our biggest challenges was keeping track of what was happening in the shop—knowing every step a part went through, who handled it, and keeping records. We’re required to keep paper records for a minimum of 15 years, and that was a major pain point.
[01:48] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We had a software program Chris used to create orders, but then that info had to be entered again into QuickBooks for invoicing. We also tracked hardness results manually in a spreadsheet. There was a lot of duplication across different systems.
[02:12] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Now it's all consolidated into one program.
[02:22] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
When we were looking at ERP systems, we came across Steelhead. We liked the way it worked and the hands-on setup approach. It fit our budget and met all our future needs, so we moved forward.
[02:48] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
The deployment process was great. We did everything virtually, which worked well because we could keep the shop running. The deployment leader was very knowledgeable and got us ready quickly. We were up and running on day one—no downtime at all.
[03:18] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Before, everything was done on paper—people wrote down which furnaces parts went through. Now I can just check Steelhead to see exactly where the parts are and what’s been done.
[03:38] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We’re required to keep documents for 15 years. With Steelhead, we’ve eliminated paper filing and storage. Everything’s digital and in one place.
[03:58] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I used to spend two to two-and-a-half hours in the morning on invoicing and getting jobs out. Now, I can do it in half the time. It saves me at least an hour to an hour and a half every morning.
[04:25] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
When I need to create certs for parts, all the information is already there. I just click "make cert," and it's done. I used to fill those out in Word, which would take 20 to 30 minutes—now it’s just one click.
[04:52] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I can email everything to the customer directly from Steelhead without switching to my email or attaching files manually. Even better, customers can log into the portal and pull their own certs and invoices.
[05:15] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
It’s also helped us track costs more accurately. We can see furnace time and other process steps, which helps us determine if our pricing is right or if we need to adjust.
[05:32] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Our current goal is getting our NADCAP certification within the next six months so we can start processing aerospace parts.
[05:44] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Being able to see where a customer’s part is at any point in time is a huge advantage. Instead of going out to the shop and asking around, we can quickly find the information and stay on top of things for our customers.
[05:57] Deborah James, President & CEO, James Legacy Corporation d/b/a Metalex Thermal Specialties
I’m Deborah James, President and CEO of James Legacy Corporation, doing business as Metalex Thermal Specialties—and our shop runs on Steelhead.
My name's Chris James, and I'm the General Manager here at Metalex Thermal Specialties.
[00:18] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I'm Deborah James, President and CEO of Metalex Thermal Specialties.
[00:30] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Metalex is a family business founded in September 2020, and we've been running it for almost five years now.
[00:48] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We take in parts from many industries—auto parts, knife blades, molds and dies—and process them using various furnaces and ovens. We heat the parts up and then cool them down rapidly, which makes them harder, stronger, and more durable.
[01:18] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
One of our biggest challenges was keeping track of what was happening in the shop—knowing every step a part went through, who handled it, and keeping records. We’re required to keep paper records for a minimum of 15 years, and that was a major pain point.
[01:48] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We had a software program Chris used to create orders, but then that info had to be entered again into QuickBooks for invoicing. We also tracked hardness results manually in a spreadsheet. There was a lot of duplication across different systems.
[02:12] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Now it's all consolidated into one program.
[02:22] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
When we were looking at ERP systems, we came across Steelhead. We liked the way it worked and the hands-on setup approach. It fit our budget and met all our future needs, so we moved forward.
[02:48] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
The deployment process was great. We did everything virtually, which worked well because we could keep the shop running. The deployment leader was very knowledgeable and got us ready quickly. We were up and running on day one—no downtime at all.
[03:18] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Before, everything was done on paper—people wrote down which furnaces parts went through. Now I can just check Steelhead to see exactly where the parts are and what’s been done.
[03:38] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
We’re required to keep documents for 15 years. With Steelhead, we’ve eliminated paper filing and storage. Everything’s digital and in one place.
[03:58] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I used to spend two to two-and-a-half hours in the morning on invoicing and getting jobs out. Now, I can do it in half the time. It saves me at least an hour to an hour and a half every morning.
[04:25] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
When I need to create certs for parts, all the information is already there. I just click "make cert," and it's done. I used to fill those out in Word, which would take 20 to 30 minutes—now it’s just one click.
[04:52] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
I can email everything to the customer directly from Steelhead without switching to my email or attaching files manually. Even better, customers can log into the portal and pull their own certs and invoices.
[05:15] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
It’s also helped us track costs more accurately. We can see furnace time and other process steps, which helps us determine if our pricing is right or if we need to adjust.
[05:32] Deborah James, President & CEO, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Our current goal is getting our NADCAP certification within the next six months so we can start processing aerospace parts.
[05:44] Chris James, General Manager, Metalex Thermal Specialties
Being able to see where a customer’s part is at any point in time is a huge advantage. Instead of going out to the shop and asking around, we can quickly find the information and stay on top of things for our customers.
[05:57] Deborah James, President & CEO, James Legacy Corporation d/b/a Metalex Thermal Specialties
I’m Deborah James, President and CEO of James Legacy Corporation, doing business as Metalex Thermal Specialties—and our shop runs on Steelhead.
Taxonomy tags
Industry
Heat Treating; Manufacturing; Metal Processing
Company size
SMB
Use case
Real-time tracking; automated certs; digital recordkeeping; invoicing; customer portal; cost tracking
Stage of journey
Advocacy