Twin City Fan puts a new spin on inventory management
September 3, 2025
By Anthony Powell | Lean Solutions Lead
By Anthony Powell | Lean Solutions Lead
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Twin City Fan isn’t just about building fans. No, TCF is a team keen on solving problems. They knew they wanted to transform their OEM and MRO inventory programs at five sites across South Dakota. They knew they were looking for solutions to gain efficiencies and prioritize production. But they also knew they needed outside help to make it happen.
Their decision? Partner with Fastenal to tailor site-specific solutions and identify company-wide standardization opportunities. The goals were clear. Increase visibility, track consumption, and find cost savings along the way. “Having Fastenal on site has been an absolute game changer,” said Sam Perkins, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain for TCF. “Before, we were so decentralized as an organization. When their Lean team came, they were phenomenal. They helped bring organization and structure right away, something we never really had.” Making the pain disappearBefore providing solutions, you must first pinpoint the problems. For the Fastenal team, this meant conducting Site Assessments at each of the five sites to understand how products were procured, moved, staged, and accessed. The Site Assessments were handled by a team of Lean specialists trained to spot a facility’s pain points and design solutions to make the pain disappear.
Processes, pain points, products, the size and layout of the facility, the footprint of any existing inventory cribs – all these factors played a role in determining the type, number, and locations of inventory management devices needed for implementation. One facility was outfitted with 21 RFID setups (which allow Fastenal to digitally monitor inventory levels for OEM parts) while another only needed six. In total, 75 RFID setups, 26 vending machines, and over 50 first-aid cabinets were installed. All are staged for easy access and managed by local Fastenal teams, helping TCF capture time for production. “We used to have to dedicate multiple people at each plant location, sometimes up to four at each location to make sure things were coming in,” Perkins said. “So, this has freed up a lot of heavy lifting for our team. It’s given us a better opportunity to do what we’re supposed to do: build fans.” Setting the stage for successExecuting large-scale projects at multiple sites is no one’s idea of easy. The key to success? Consistent communication at all levels, from project stakeholders to end users on the floor. Thorough inventory analysis also made it easier to handle any challenges that popped up (like incumbent inventory issues). This is why so much time and effort were put into the project planning phase.
When the implementation was done and the “new normal” took hold, it quickly became clear that these new setups decrease walk time, reduce inventory costs, and (in the case of vending) improve consumption control. “The vending machines brought a whole new level of efficiency in helping us manage our tools and supplies,” said Perkins. “For example, with gloves, we were able to save about $15,000 right away by standardizing them for PPE and easily implemented it across the company.” Moving forward, Perkins and other TCF decision-makers are able to see their operations in a new light, with better visibility into spend and usage, a significant improvement in inventory management, and a reduction in spot purchase orders. “TCF now has a true understanding of what our spend is and what we’re buying. We can track and report by department. We can look for continuous improvement,” said Perkins. “We have such a good relationship with the Fastenal team that I have other categories that weren’t included in the initial quoting that have now been asked to be reviewed or incorporated.” What’s the next step? We’re not 100% sure, but we know this much: TCF now has a system in place to understand how inventory is moving in every corner of their business. They also have a strategic supplier in Fastenal to help them adapt, evolve, and improve over time. That’s the power of partnership. You may also like:Vertical Divider
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Investing time, talent, and technologyFastenal took on MRO and OEM inventory management using its FASTStock, FASTBin, and FASTVend programs. New OEM racking, point-of-use vending, and maintenance stock were installed throughout TCF’s facilities. Meanwhile, Fastenal’s digital reporting tools have illuminated new insights into inventory, usage, and spend – powerful data to improve planning, identify waste, and drive continuous improvement.
Fastenal’s commitment to TCF meant dedicating time, knowledge, manpower, and money to helping them in whatever way they needed. This investment included:
Twin City Fan group photo at the Martinsville Speedway in
Ridgeway, VA |
