SUCCESS Trans American Rubber
The 2008 recession affected all businesses in the United States, and the tube
industry was no different. Companies exited the markets in droves, either closing
doors for good, or were bought out by the competition.
Even today, price fluctuation is causing many of the companies in the industry
to change strategy yet again for the current downturn. And yet, Trans American
Rubber has stayed ahead of the curve, leveraging its strategic partnerships to
remain strong.
The company is a wholesale provider of inner tubes, flaps, and specialty tires to
Canada, the U.S., and to Mexico. All of its inner tubes are made of 100 percent
butyl rubber and ISO certified, meaning they can withstand heat better and have
more elasticity than those with clay filler, and exceed industry standards. These
quality products and Trans American Rubber’s global vendor relationships have
been key parts to the company’s strategy towards leaner operations.
LEAN STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
TRANS AMERICAN
RUBBERSEE HOW THIS WHOLESALE PROVIDER OF INNER TUBES, FLAPS,
AND SPECIALTY TIRES HAS STAYED AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN AN INDUSTRY HEAVILY AFFECTED BY THE GREAT RECESSION.
May 2016 | thebossmagazine.com | 3
“When it comes down to it, it’s our reputation
on the line if we deliver something subpar to
our customers. That’s why we only partner
with vendors that meet our high standard—
high-quality, ISO-type companies,” shared
Diane Christensen, Vice President of Trans
American Rubber.
Making sure its supply chain is running at
its highest efficiency at all times is crucial
to meeting customer expectations, so Trans
American Rubber has gone above and beyond
to help guarantee its products get to their
customers on time and at affordable prices.
To protect its supply chain, the company
became Customs-Trade Partnership Against
Terrorism (C-TPAT) certified in 2008, and has
maintained the certification to present day.
This voluntary supply chain security program
led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection is
focused on improving the security of private
companies’ supply chains.
With the C-TPAT certification in place, Trans
American Rubber has a better chance at
keeping shipments on track, instead of
constantly being stopped for inspections.
“Every two to three years we have to recertify,
but it protects our entire supply chain,” said
Christensen. “We do have products that come
from overseas, and this allows both us and
Customs to know we have the right processes
in place and that it’s managed properly.”
SUCCESS
4 | thebossmagazine.com | May 2016
Leaner internal strategies and initiatives have
driven Trans American Rubber through the
Great Recession, and continue to drive the
company’s success. While the company had
to adapt because of the marketplace, Trans
American Rubber knew that its customers
were stuck in the same economic downturn
they were, and instituted these lean measures
largely to cut costs for their customer base.
“We employ outside contractors and
consultants so that we have a variable cost
for some labor instead of a fixed cost,” shared
Christensen. “This gives the company the
option to flex up or down month to month
depending on workload. There’s no drop in
quality with our products, and our services
continue to be provided by people who share
our same core values.
“It’s rarely about us—it’s about always
providing for the customer. It’s no surprise that
people choose to do business with people they
like and trust.”
Christensen attributes Trans American
Rubber’s work ethic and its clients’ trust in it
in part to it being a family-owned and operated
company.
“I like the fact that the founders and leaders
have built a strong culture where everyone is
in tune with each other. We really care about
each other, and in a small company where you
can’t hide, we help each other succeed.”
By following a mantra to “stand behind
everything we say, sell, and do,” Trans
American Rubber hires people not just
based on their skill, but how well their values
align with the company’s value structure.
As a small, family-run company with high
integrity standards and employees dedicated
to the cause, Trans American Rubber has
“I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE FOUNDERS AND LEADERS HAVE BUILT A STRONG CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE IS IN TUNE WITH
EACH OTHER. WE REALLY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, AND IN A SMALL COMPANY WHERE YOU CAN’T HIDE, WE HELP EACH
OTHER SUCCEED.”- DIANE CHRISTENSEN, VICE PRESIDENT
The Trans American Rubber team
May 2016 | thebossmagazine.com | 5
the ability to make decisions quickly and
confidently in the face of other bigger, more
bureaucratically run companies.
So what does the future hold for this industry
leader? The inner tube market looks like it will
still be on a tumultuous path for the coming
months, so the company will be sticking with
its lean strategies and continuing to bolster
its strong partner relationships.
One trend the Trans American Rubber will be
following is the slow move of the market into
South America, assisted by the movement of
older equipment to the region as companies
in North America upgrade technology.
The company has one other strategy in the
bag to stay ahead of the curve.
“Diversification has been and will continue to
be key in staying strong in the market. The
sky is truly the limit for us.”
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hard at work.
TRANS AMERICAN RUBBER
5231 S. Santa Fe Dr. Ste. 205Littleton, CO 80120
Ph: 800.922.8823 Fax: 303.789.2292 Email: [email protected]
www.transamericanrubber.com
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