the fastener supply chain

Michelle Froese • Editor

Most would agree that paperwork is a necessary nuisance for any business, and the fastener industry is no di erent. Quality assurance means certifications and technical documentation are essential, particularly for critical parts in critical assemblies.

“In the fastener industry, there are several required documentation that varies from the supply chain for raw materials to OEM parts certifications and tracking reports,” shares Lonni Kie er, co-founder of SmartCert. “Paperwork is nothing new for this industry. But what’s been missing until now is a universal digital platform that streamlines this process.”

This is what SmartCert — a company developed by Kie er and her business partners in 2021 — delivers. The industry’s first, cloud-based, self-service platform that lets fastener buyers and sellers digitally manage and exchange required quality certs. It connects every company in a supply chain and automates inbound and outbound documentation, allowing for real-time updates.

“The platform creates greater e ciencies, traceability, and sustainability while removing the risk of missing paperwork,” she explains. “Though it’s definitely not where I thought my history in marketing would lead, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with working in and with the fastener industry.”

Kie er went to the University of Wisconsin for journalism, with an emphasis on advertising and PR. She gained experience working for advertising agencies and, prior to entrepreneurship, spent about halfa-dozen years working for the media company, Gannett.

“Gannett owns several small-city newspapers across the country,” she says. “My job there was primarily focused on digital advertising, where I helped companies analyze their customer base and make decisions on how to best spend their marketing dollars with di erent media to make the biggest impact.”

Although this might seem like a world apart from fasteners and document tracking, the skills Kie er gained continue to support her e orts today.

“The translation in skills for me relates to supporting customers in navigating the ideal path to success,” she shares. “My passion begins after someone says, ‘yes.’ Then, I get to help companies with onboarding and training to ensure they make the wisest decisions and expenditures for the best business outcomes. It’s so rewarding to experience the impact of those decisions.”

To use Kie er’s words, it boils down to “change management.” In this sense, SmartCert not only o ers an automated solution for managing documents and creating supply-chain e ciencies, but it also supports companies with this digital transformation to ensure success. Given the advancing digital era, going paperless and embracing technology is quickly becoming a must for companies.

“Essentially, we’re competing with the status quo and the way things have been done for decades…and change is hard,” she shares. “I get to support companies in meeting their goals for e ciency and sustainability. Paper is expensive. There’s currently a job shortage. Digitalization done right saves a lot of manual steps.”

SmartCert launched at an ideal time, given the increase in online and remote