Customer Success Story Series

Teamwork in Action.

It is always on a Friday when the unexpected happens, right? Thinking on the spot, putting the customer first, and acting as a team is why this story highlights Our Philosophy in action. When a shipment didn't arrive as expected, our team reacted quickly to ensure a complex supply chain performed flawlessly for our customer.

This moment also showed the strength of the long-standing relationship we had built over the years.

The Problem

Late on a Friday afternoon, one of Worthington Steel's qualified outside processing partners reached out with an urgent problem. Their team was ready to execute and process the order over the weekend to ensure our customers receive the steel as needed and on time, but there was no steel available on the floor to process.

Shutting down would have meant lost time and potential delays for customers who were counting on that material to be processed and shipped on schedule. For a team that had already volunteered to work through the weekend, the situation was dire.

The challenge was clear: with no steel available on the floor and only a few hours left in the workday, could Worthington Steel find a way to get them the material they needed to keep operations running? Given the urgency and how quickly this could affect the end customer, a coordinated response was essential.

The Team Comes Together

Jeanine, an Outside Processing Coordinator at Worthington Steel who oversees the relationship with this partner, immediately recognized how serious the situation was. The lack of available steel meant the facility's weekend operations would halt, delaying deliveries and disrupting customer production schedules.

Because we view ensuring a customer receives steel as expected as paramount, Jeanine understood how critical it was to act fast while also keeping the relationship strong.

With the clock approaching the end of the workday, securing enough steel in just a few short hours was a challenging task. She needed help from someone who could move quickly and knew exactly who to call.

She contacted Ken, a Worthington Steel production planner known for being proactive and reliable.

The Delivery

Ken received the email close to the end of his day. While most people were wrapping up for the weekend, he stayed on after hours, reaching out to contacts, coordinating with other teams, and finding a way to get the material ready in time.

Within a short window, Ken arranged for the steel coils to be delivered to the partner, ensuring they had plenty of steel inventory to get through the weekend's production targets.

As a result, the partner's operations stayed up and running, their employees remained on schedule, and the customer received material without delay. All the while, Worthington Steel was able to accommodate the request without any disruption to its own delivery schedule for other customers.

Jeanine described the relief she felt when she got Ken's message confirming everything was set up. "He didn't have to do that, but he did," she said. "And because of him, they didn't have to shut down. That kind of effort strengthens our partnerships and shows our customers who we are."

Looking Back On Why The Team Matters

Ken reviewed this effort simply as doing what was right. His approach reflects Worthington's core values of dependability and teamwork. "I just try to treat others how I'd want to be treated," he said.

He hopes his actions encourage others to make time for people, even when things are busy, because those moments often make the most significant difference.

The impact went beyond one weekend. Internally, Ken's responsiveness reinforced a culture where employees look out for one another and for Worthington's customers, regardless of department or schedule.

Externally, it demonstrated the kind of partnership Worthington strives to build every day, one defined by respect, accountability, and mutual success.

As Jeanine put it, "That one act of teamwork showed exactly what Worthington stands for. It wasn't just about keeping production going. It was about sharing that we care about the people and the partners who make our work possible."

Moments like this reflect our broader commitment to partnership, grounded in reliability, collaboration, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.