1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?- As a company offering polishing services we have been operating since April 1983. Prior to that date Greg Simmonds had been polishing for 5 years and Craig Simmonds for 3 years. And prior to that again the Simmonds family had been involved in the polishing industry since 1972.
Simmonds Polishing was one of the first sub contract polishing companies in Victoria to offer sprayed polish finishes to the joinery industry. We identified early on a need in the joinery industry to evolve from the old system of on site staining and brush applied lacquers by a painting contractor, to in factory, sprayed finishes produced by professional polishers. This saw a dramatic improvement in the quality of finishes available to the home owner and at an affordable cost.
Simmonds Polishing was there at beginning and we are still going strong 35 years later.
- 2. CAN YOU LOOK AFTER A LARGE ONGOING PROJECT?
- We certainly can.
Ensuring consistency of colour, continuity of labour supply and an ongoing commitment to consistent level of finishing is all in a day’s work at Simmonds Polishing. You can be confident that the Polishing and Painting you receive at the end of the project will be the same as that you received at the start of the project.
Even if you just have an ongoing commitment to fit out multiple stores over a couple of years, we can ensure colours and finishes are consistent so items from different stores can be interchanged.
- 3. CAN YOU LOOK AFTER MY SMALL JOB?
- Not a problem. Every job is important to us. Even the smallest one off item will be polished using the same administration systems and the same care as any other job.
Our company philosophy is based around building client relationships, not just getting the next job in the door. Many small jobs have led to larger jobs and in turn led to long term business relationships bridging 5, 10,15 and even 20 years.
- 4. CAN YOU MATCH ANY PAINT COLOUR?
- Yes we can.
Over the last 30 years we have been asked to match all manner of items. Paint colour chips are the norm but we have also been asked to match tiles, granite, fabric, plastic toys, car parts, and crockery, we even matched to the colour of a favourite teddy bear on one occasion.
Of course there are limitations in colour matching brought about by a pigmented colour applied to timber not looking identical to say a piece of fabric, but we can use that as a starting point and then work from there to achieve the look you are after.
- 5. I AM NOT A TRADE CUSTOMER - CAN I STILL USE YOUR SERVICES?
- Whilst we are predominantly a trade based service company we do, under certain circumstances, still offer our polishing and painting services to private clients. Give us a call and we can discuss your polishing needs.
- 6. CAN YOU ASSIST WITH LOADING AND UNLOADING?
- With a dedicated Warehouse manager on hand you don’t need to worry about loading and unloading. You can be confident that we will not only assist with loading and unloading but will also supervise to ensure your load is safely tied down as well.
Of course it goes without saying that wherever required we will pack all items in protective foam.
With ample off street parking and a fork lift truck on site any size or configuration of load can be attended to. We can also hold shipping containers if required.
- 7. WHO DO I CONTACT TO DISCUSS MY POLISHING NEEDS?
- Usually the first contact is made directly to our office at 67 Rushdale Street Knoxfield, ph 9753 3733. Your call will be answered by one of our three key office personnel who will identify your needs and put you through to the best team member to handle your inquiry. Once you become a client then our Production managers will take over as your ongoing personalised point of call.
- 8. WHAT EXACTLY DO YOUR PRODUCTION MANAGERS DO?
- Our Production Managers are the key to our professional coating systems and the ongoing successful completion of your polishing and painting projects. Each client is matched to a production manager who will be the main contact for the duration of your time as a client of Simmonds Polishing. They will get to know you, your likes and dislikes, the individual idiosyncrasies of how your joinery is made and how your internal systems operate.
Our production Managers are trained to understand that we not only have an obligation to deliver on your needs but also the needs of your client who is ultimately the final user. They may ring you to discuss why the colour has changed from the one you originally specified, or they may want to discuss some minor repairs required or perhaps there is a need for a change in specs to offer a better quality finish for your client. They are constantly on the lookout for anything that needs to be looked at that will ensure when you take your joinery to site the client will be happy with all aspects of the decorative coatings. We don’t want the job to come back any more than you do so their job is to constantly be on the lookout for discrepancies, changes in specs, and repairs that may be needed.
Our production Managers will also constantly monitor the progress of your project through our factory. Do you need to delay the work, perhaps you need some parts completed more quickly so you can make a start on site. Do you need a definite completion date so that you can organise other subbies. These are all taken care of by your personal Production Manager so that nothing gets overlooked and nothing gets forgotten.
- 9. DO YOU KEEP RECORDS OF PREVIOUS JOBS?
- Every job completed since 1999 is recorded on our data base. At the very least we can confirm date, materials used, colour and gloss level applied. Other data stored includes project name, project address, order number, size of job and any individual requirements specific to that particular project.
- 10. I AM IN A HURRY. HOW QUICKLY CAN I GET MY WORK COMPLETED?
- Two factors dictate the speed in which your work can be completed-Lacquer drying/curing time and current production commitments.
Lacquers drying and curing all the way through can be manipulated by our polishing staff to a certain extent but a multitude of limitations apply that cannot be ignored. Full curing is vital in any polishing/spray painting system.
Production commitments can be manipulated to rush your job thru but those clients who pre book their work are naturally entitled to precedence. That being said, just ask your dedicated production manager for an assessment of what can be done at any particular time.
- 11. I DON’T KNOW WHAT COLOUR OR FINISH TO SPECIFY TO MY CLIENT, CAN SIMMONDS POLISHING HELP OUT?
- With over 30,000 colour swatches in stock including stains, paint finishes and metallic’s there’s always something you can chose.
Our colour expert Craig Simmonds looks after all samples and colour inquiries. It is quite common to see designers, interior decorators, architects, and home owners pouring over our colour swatches looking for that perfect colour to bring the entire décor together.
Craig will assist with educating you on how different stains can alter the look of your timber joinery, or why a metallic finish changes the look of a paint colour. Flat colours look and act different to gloss finishes. Matt clear lacquer can alter the colour of your timber. There are so many factors to consider that the help of an expert can be the making of your project.
Call our office on 9753 3733 to make an appointment to discuss your colour requirements with our experts.
- 12. CAN YOU SOURCE AN UNUSUAL LACQUER FOR ME?
- With 35 years experience in the polishing/spray painting industry there are not many products that we haven’t heard of. We have used most of the currently available 2 pack paints and polishes and having been involved in timber polishing for 35 years we have used nearly every product on day to day use.
Occasionally we will receive a specification that is new to us. We will track down the product for you, discuss the products idiosyncrasies with the supplier, analyse the pros and cons of the lacquer, maybe get some feedback from a number of other experts we know in the industry and give you detailed feedback on the products specified and if needed offer an alternative.
- 13. MY CUSTOMER IS ASKING FOR MORE POLISHING INFORMATION THAT I CAN GIVE. CAN SIMMONDS HELP OUT?
- Of course we can.
Timber polishing and spray painting is a specialised field and there are hundreds of different products available and many different application methods.
We are often called upon to discuss specific requirements with architects, designers, builders and private clients. Usually Greg or Craig will attend to these calls. Of course we are aware of the need to keep certain information confidential and you can be assured we will only discuss polish/spray painting finishes.
- 14. CAN YOU ADVISE ME ON WHAT STYLE FINISH I NEED?
- This is what we do best. Simmonds Polishing does not just offer a “one finish fits all’ service. We understand the importance of budgets, decoration combinations, longevity of use and so on. It is imperative in today’s highly competitive environment to understand each client’s individual specific need and to deliver on those needs. Offering one finish applied one way to only one quality does nothing to meet our client’s needs. We therefore take the time to discuss and understand what you are trying to achieve with your decorative finishes and then offer numerous products applied to different standards.
Every lacquer available on the market can be applied in a multitude of different ways. From a basic painted finish for say some warehouse shelving to a full gloss mirror finish for a high end kitchen. We have an application system to suit every need.
- 15. DO YOU STAIN TIMBER & CAN YOU MATCH MY SAMPLE?
- This is an area where Simmonds Polishing leads the field. Both Greg and Craig are trained in the traditional French Polishing field and we have five other team members who are experienced in timber staining and polishing.
Staining and colour toning is an area of polishing that has been neglected by many in the industry over the last twenty years. Where many competitors will just offer a standard range of colours and ask you to pick a colour that is a general match, Simmonds can manipulate our stains to achieve an exact match every time.
When matching samples a professional polisher will need to ascertain what type of stain was originally used, how age has altered the colour of the timber and also how age has changed the colour of the clear lacquer. Combining all this information into a staining and lacquering system that will result in the exact matching of your sample is the realm of the very best in the industry. Simmonds Polishing undertakes this work on a daily basis making us the envy of many in the industry.
- 16. YOU KEEP MENTIONING CLIENTS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
- A key component of our professional systems is an understanding that ultimately the final user has to be happy with the decorative finish that is installed in their home, office, or shop.
We are at the forefront of decorative finishes every day and often we will see an inherent potential problem that the joiner may not see. Perhaps the specified colour is quite dramatic, or maybe there is some imperfections in the veneer that have not been noticed when the veneer was unpolished. Other times we may note that the colour specified has changed half way through the project, is there two different colours or has there been an error by the joiner’s staff member. Maybe the lacquer specified by a designer is not suitable for the intended use.
Our production managers are trained to be on the look out for any thing that may lead to a problem in the future and anything that may lead to the final user being dissatisfied. Better to make a quick phone call to clarify a potential problem than to leave it and have a disgruntled client on site when the project is installed and complete.
- 17. SO WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHERS?
- Simply this “We care”. Offering a service where we take responsibility for ensuring you get the finish correct and your client gets what they want. We will control the polishing systems for you from the very beginning until completion on site. You won’t have to worry about what’s happening with the polishing as we will control it all for you. We have an ongoing training regime for all our team that involves a minimum of one hour industry training per person per week.
Greg personally spends three hours per week on factory based training of our team to continually improve both our productivity and quality/consistence of finish.
Our staff are encouraged to always ask themselves one key question, What do I need to do to ensure the householder/shop keeper /final user gets what they are expecting? This one question is the pivotal aspect of our operation that ensures you won’t have a hassle on site.
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