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“Impressive,” Johnnie says. “We give bonuses to the crews that manage to complete jobs on time and under budget or ahead of time and on budget, and it’s helped keep crews together.”
“It’s why I know that if we add in a third shift, I can take a third of the first and second shifts to fill it, so no shift has more unseasoned workers than the others. I have a handful of floor workers that are ready for promotions with nowhere to go, so this also gives them that, which will keep them with me longer. The machinery can be run twenty-four/seven, and it won’t break. My mechanics keep them running at peak performance to avoid delays and missed deadlines,” I add handing over the estimates I put together on costs to take over their hardware manufacturing.
“Definitely impressive,” Johnnie says looking through the proposal. “Are you eating the costs of the new hires? Their salaries would increase your overhead, but this still seems low.”
“It’s factored in, but so is the fact that all of the machinery is already paid for, so there aren’t those added costs built in, only the cost of continuous maintenance. We don’t need to bring in anything to produce just the hardware beyond staff to run the machines.”
“You said to produce just the hardware,” Jamison says, and I nod. “Are you saying you would only be able to produce the hardware then? A couple of the other companies we’ve met with said they could produce and assemble the entire kits in one place, which would help to keep up with potential inventory issues if something did happen with machinery. If someone else is waiting on the hardware, or if we only have hardware, it could cause issues between the two companies handling the process.”
“I have the machinery to produce the wood for the ready-to-assemble items. I have employees that know how to run them that have been doing other jobs around the company since Jeb’s went out of business two years ago. I didn’t let them go when we stopped those productions because it wasn’t on them. We only run those machines when someone needs wood processed for the odd job but, they could be back up and running as well with ease. A couple of the men that did leave after the line was stopped have let me know if I ever need them back, they’ll be there in an instant.”
“But you would need something else before you could take on the full process?” Jesse asks and I nod. “What is that?”
“A new warehouse to store items, raw wood materials as well as finished products. If you want everything to be packaged, ready to send to store or distributors, that would need a separate assembly line as well, which would require more space than we currently have.”
“And how long would it take to get that built and ready do you think?” Jamison asks.
“Depends on if I can find a construction company that would be able to put something new up timely,” I reply, pulling a few chuckles from them. “Since the open bid didn’t include specifics, it’s hard to estimate the exact costs that might go into getting the wood ready for easy assembly. It would depend on how many pieces, how many dowel holes, screw holes, spaces for cam bolts, whatnot that they need, but I did include in the back the approximate prices we charged Jeb’s for their quantities as an estimate, along with the different potential sizes for a new warehouse that would be needed dependent upon the stage of finish you’d like the items. If someone else is going to package the things together, it wouldn’t be as large as if you’d prefer to be able to come to the warehouse and pick up a box for delivery to the customer.”
“We’re not looking to have things ready to ship for another six months,” Serena says to Jesse who nods. “It would be a bonus to have them manufactured in the same town, especially during the preproduction stage.”
“It would, if there are changes to the pieces and placements that need to be made due to the manufacturing process, it’d be a hell of a lot easier to get there to review things,” Jamison agrees.
“Noted,” Jesse says, giving me a nod. “We have one more bid to hear but hope to have a decision made in the next few days as to whom we’re going to share the details with for a more comprehensive bid. It was good to meet you Adam.”
“You all too,” I tell them, shaking hands before Jesse leads me back towards the elevator.
“We’ll be in touch,” Jesse says when we reach it surprising me. “This line is Serena and Jamison’s babies. Julie will choose whatever Serena wants because she just wants her wife to be happy,” he adds, and my brow lifts a hint more that the bottom dollar isn’t going to be the leading factor, making his jaw tighten. “That’s not going to be an issue is it?”
“Sorry?” I return confused at his change of mood so fast. “I’m just surprised with a company this size you’d choose something based on feeling rather than the costs. It’s why the wood manufacturing line has been down the last two years.”
“Oh, no, I thought you were surprised with Julie and Serena,” he states, and I can’t stop the chuckle that slips out.
“My assistant at work would poison my coffee if I ever said a word out of turn about another female couple and if she didn’t, her wife would,” I explain. “It doesn’t matter to me who wants to be with whom, with very few exceptions. Mostly being age and marriage related.”
“Your father?” he says making my brow lift once more in surprise.
“We left town when my parents divorced. I was thirteen and his latest affair partner was my mother’s supposed best friend, so yeah, I don’t play around when I’m in a relationship. Not that there’s been one until recently for more than a few years.”
“Always good to meet the one that steals your heart,” Jesse states and that it the whole truth for certain. “I met Maddie just a few blocks from here almost six years ago. She was attending a pride function at the park with her sister, and some guys were hassling her, so between that and stuff with my sister being hassled because of her relationship with Serena, we don’t work with bigots. It’s family first here, no matter what that does to our profit margin, and our dad would be the first to agree. Being a family company, we can set the tone so if we find our partners aren’t aligning with our beliefs, we walk.”
“I get that, it’s also why I’m here. I could work the rest of my years without expanding the company with ease and not hurt for money. An expansion offers up a whole lot of opportunities for people in this town to find jobs that not only can support them, but also a family. That’s what’s important to me, helping this community. Maybe if we do that, then we can make other changes around it.”
“Such as?” Jesse asks me as we get onto the elevator.
“Getting rid of some of the ‘old money’ from power positions in the town council, the mayor’s office, not to mention police headquarters. They think that just because they have the cash to throw around that it makes them more important. It doesn’t. Makes them worthless, especially when they back the opening of a strip club not even a block from a school and family neighborhood,” I add, still ticked that there’s one going up near Cleo’s old school.
“Town laws mandate they can’t be located within ten blocks of a school,” Jesse states looking at me oddly and I wonder how he knows that. “We spent over two years trying to get Club One shut down, finally made it happen with the FBI’s help. One of the partners was a human trafficker that was in bed with a man that was after Johnnie’s wife. He officially met her when she was supposed to go there to meet with her father’s boss, Brent Ellis,” he adds, and I nod in understanding. The man’s name was in papers all across the country a few years ago so it's not surprising that the club’s closure was related to the man.
“Old money buys influence though, and that law was removed from the town’s statutes eight months ago,” I tell Jesse and if the look he wore earlier when he thought I might have an issue with Julie and Serena was intense, this is enough to make even the biggest man cower.
“We’ll see about that. Where’s this place supposed to be at?” he asks, taking out his phone.
“Johnson and Tenth. Keep going down Johnson and the Allington Private School is just a block away, and just a couple blocks from it is the Laurent Subdivision.”
“I’ll see what we can do about that. I’m sure we’ll be speaking soon,” Jesse states and I give him a nod before heading back to work, wondering if working with the Cartwrights isn’t just as much fate as meeting Jasmine was.
Chapter 9
