Steve Nanz

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STEVE NANZ ON “WHY CHOOSE NANZ?”

We know our customers have other hardware options and when asked “Why choose NANZ?” our founder, Steve Nanz, explains why.

“NANZ has always been a manufacturing company, not a distributor.  Most of our competitors began as distributors and in most cases still are either representing the products of others or piecemeal outsourcing the crucial tasks of production to foundries, machine shops, plating companies or finishers. At NANZ, every facet of manufacturing is carried out with pride and dedication by a NANZ employee.

We’ve always made our products and consequently we are experts in design, engineering, casting, machining and finishing. Each aspect is critical and for those who are less experienced the results are typically inadequate. Aesthetically displeasing shapes and proportions are oftentimes the result of poor design. Engineering lapses can result in inadequate dimensions for shank diameters, load bearing surfaces, or thread tolerances. The consequence: seating between parts will be prone to gaps, spaces, and the inescapable feel of loose fit. Handles, hinges, and pulls that aren’t engineered properly won’t endure the wear and tear of everyday use. Put simply, NANZ manufactures product which looks more appealing, works better and lasts longer.

Our manufacturing methods are systematic and repeatable resulting in high standards for casting, machining, polishing, and finishing. All cast parts are produced using the lost wax process. We use hard tooling or hybrid soft/hard tooling. The more commonly used industry technique is to use soft rubber tooling which deforms easily, degrades rapidly and in turn results in inconsistent and distorted product. Our casting engineers are profoundly experienced with the nuances of each metal alloy and casting disparities between alloys.  They know how to gate and feed parts, how to design treeing methods and shell casting techniques which lead to porosity-free results without defects caused by shrinkage or distortion.  Bad castings are an avoidable enemy of great product, when one is experienced in the art of casting. We strive for superior castings and on the rare occasion they fall short of our standards, we start over. We don’t conceal defects in low quality parts with after the fact manipulations.

Final finishing can make or break a great product. Our finishers are trained in the traditional methods of polishing, texturing, patination, and relieving. We develop specialized tooling to hold and protect the parts as they are polished. Corners are not over rounded. Countersinks are not tear dropped. All consideration is given to the play of the wheel on the surface of the hardware. Polishing is a lost art that all too often is the failing of much of today’s products.

Our electroplating is done in-house. We don’t outsource the “dirty” processes of manufacturing. With a closed system and redundant containment, there is no chance of contaminating waste lines and ground water.  Our plating cycle times are exceedingly long resulting in “heavy-plating” ensuring a finish which lasts far longer than those of typical plating houses.

We are proud of our manufacturing facility. It is clean and organized, and was designed to be both environmentally friendly and a cheerful inspiring place for our large workforce to create the beautiful hardware that we are known for. A visit to our factory can be illuminating, and we think that it exemplifies the professionalism, craftsmanship and capacity that is synonymous with our brand. We urge you to consider where your product is actually being manufactured before you make your final hardware selections.

A note regarding our sales samples: NANZ samples are from production runs. They are true to our product and not dressed up as special one offs dubiously designed to seduce a potential client who later will be disappointed by product which is far less impressive.

Our sales team is both knowledgeable and responsive. Cheerful and eager to assist, we are ready, willing and able to provide whatever is necessary to help our clients prepare for meetings, presentations, or specification. Just ask and we will go above and beyond to attend meetings, visit job sites and provide whatever assistance you may need.  Our project management team will ultimately handle the order and work with all the team members to assure each project is handled precisely and that delivery and installation is flawless.  A thoroughness and attention to detail combined with a sense of responsibility is a combination on which our project managers focus for each of our many hardware orders.

– STEVE  NANZ