Supply & Service Global Alliance • Pflugerville

Supply & Service Global Alliance • Pflugerville

Written by Eric Pulsifer Friday, 06 June 2008

Four years ago, two techies working in the PC industry started their own business repairing computer parts on a kitchen table in a garage.

Today, that same kitchen table sits in the 6,000 sq. ft. office of S2GA, Supply & Service Global Alliance.

Co-owner Patrick Forde’s table is reserved for more typical uses now; repairs are done in a climate-controlled room with rows of identical black monitors, grounded workstations and conveyors for larger projects.

Forde and co-owner Robin Shannon started S2GA after working for an electronic parts supplier. These suppliers have PC components built overseas and shipped to the United States to be assembled for companies like Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard. The pair realized there was a demand for rework companies: businesses that test, repair, reconstruct and reconfigure hardware and software for parts suppliers.

“In the place we used to work at, we played the role of what are now our customers. We noticed a few times where we had issues with the products and had to use a rework company,” Forde said. “We saw the potential revenue that was in that kind of work.”

Sometimes the labor is as simple as relabeling hardware with new barcode stickers, while other times computer cases are cracked open and parts on a motherboard are taken apart and rearranged. These reworks are for repairing and testing products and, more frequently, improving and updating components.

“We’re set up like a manufacturing site, but we’re different in that we have a different process going on in here every two weeks,” Forde said.

Though S2GA is a small business, that has not stopped them from competing with bigger entities and making a name for themselves with companies employing thousands.

“Early on, we were too naive to know to be afraid of some of the competition. We ended up beating several of them out before we realized how serious they were,” Forde said.

Now, the duo is experienced in the industry and their small business plays a big role in the PC world.

“In terms of quality, we’re probably among the top three [rework companies] for Dell in the world,” Forde said.

Shannon said their hands-on approach attracts customers to S2GA.

“Patrick and I have a real issue of letting go of responsibility, so usually we’re out on the floor with the people doing the work,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of layers of management in our company. We found that it could make it cumbersome when the customer is trying to communicate.”

Forde said their willingness to stay involved has proved essential to the success of S2GA.

“Having owners like us on the ground level is really convenient,” he said. “We can make decisions on quoting and processes very quickly where with bigger companies it can take days.”

Despite years of working together in the industry, Shannon said they still love their jobs. “It’s a situation where we actually enjoy coming to work, and that’s a situation that anyone would be thankful to have.”

The situation continues to look promising for S2GA – Forde and Shannon are now planning offices in Houston, North Carolina and Europe.

Technology in the classroom

Patrick Forde and Robin Shannon both live in Pflugerville, so when Forde caught wind that Pflugerville Elementary was in need of a digital projector, S2GA donated one to the school. “We stepped up,” Shannon said. “We try to give back as much as we possibly can.”

The high-definition projector allows students and teachers to view video clips and other multimedia projects. “The projector provides a classroom atmosphere that is stimulating and engaging for our students,” said teacher Rose Rolator.

Forde said he was happy S2GA was able to help give something back to Pflugerville. “We are proud to be part of the Pflugerville business community, and as believers in the value of our public education system, we are pleased to help our local teachers whenever possible.”

Supply & Service Global Alliance, S2GA13505-A Immanuel Road, 832-7870