Leading design company shares ‘spectacular’ Springs & Things experience

As an implementation expert and technical guru at Swave Studios, John Schmider has worked with many domestic and foreign suppliers. Most, he says, leave him wishing for more, mainly because they are little more than order takers.  

Then there is Springs & Things, a Mississauga, Ont.-based family owned spring manufacturer.  

“They have a wealth of knowledge on the shop floor and they use that expertise to bring forward ideas you don’t get from lesser suppliers,” says Schmider.   

His most recent project for Springs & Things involved the design of a spring for a high-performance bicycle brake — a rush project that had initially been handed to an Asian supplier at the direction of the client.   

“It just didn’t work out,” he recalls. “They were focused on mass production, not product design and development.”

Just the opposite was the case with Springs & Things.  

“They came up with helpful suggestions that allowed us to get to the prototype testing stage very quickly, which was important because we were working to a very tight deadline,” Schmider adds.  

He was equally impressed when the project moved into the production phase.  

“We needed a lot of springs very fast, and that’s exactly what Springs & Things delivered. The performance was just spectacular.”

If he has any regret, it is that he didn’t go to Springs & Things first.  

“The sooner you come to them, the better, because they can save you time and money by pointing out potential pitfalls.”  

Schmider also appreciates that the company’s senior spring designer has the unique ability to increase a part’s functionality by developing an innovative design or pushing the performance of a material beyond what is considered normal.  

Schmider looks forward to working with Springs & Things again in the near future.  

“I always enjoy going there. They are so accommodating, patient and helpful. I always leave there with a smile on my face.”

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