The Benefits of Sourcing Locally
There seems to be a lot of talk about buying local goods these days – mainly when it comes to buying food - but the importance of sourcing close to home extends far beyond the things you stock your fridge with. By maximising the amount of goods that are sourced and purchased locally, we can experience great benefits in many aspects of our communities, as well as some that extend to the rest of the world.
Another major factor in where we source our goods is how it affects our local economies. While consumers may be able to pay slightly less for foreign-bought goods, it is important to remember that when you buy locally, you are essentially increasing the amount of money that stays within your region – which can in turn increase the profits for other local businesses and create a chain reaction of prosperity on your doorstep.
There are many cases where a British-made product is slightly more expensive than foreign counterparts, and this is what has driven so much international trade with countries such as China, Pakistan, Indonesia etc., but in many cases these low prices are achievable due to poor, unsafe working conditions and minimal wages for workers.
Here in the UK, we have strict standards on working conditions, fair wages, product quality standards, safety both for workers, end users and consumers, environmental practices and many other factors relating to ethical practices. These standards mean that locally-purchased end products come with assurances of product quality and good ethical practices, the importance of which should not be understated.
At Pulman Steel, our industry requires that the raw materials of our products come from overseas, but we still provide our customers with many of the advantages that come from sourcing goods in your region.
Based in the North of England, our steel stockholding and processing facilities offer our customers unparalleled service, first-rate product quality standards, short turnaround times with our bespoke cutting and profiling services and speedy, efficient deliveries. When this is combined with the excellent working conditions we provide our employees and the minimal impact we have on the environment, Pulman Steel is the steel industry’s equivalent of your local farmers market.
- 15th March 2017