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HP: Please give a detailed
description of your company and its history.
Gaby Mann: All Points Screw,
Bolt & Specialty Co. was purchased by my husband and I in August
1996. At that time, the company was a small fastener house with
four employees that had begun specializing in the hurricane shutter
market.
We expanded the concept and grew All Points significantly. In 1996,
the company had virtually no marketing materials, no full-time outside
sales people, a very small delivery area and almost no pickup business.
Today, seven years later, we now purchase our products directly
from manufacturers, both in the United States and in the overseas
market. We have tripled our warehouse size to a standalone building
with excess storage space across the street to accommodate trailer-quantity
purchases.
Our company has grown in size to 18 full-time employees with four
outside sales representatives covering the state of Florida. Our
three delivery vehicles deliver to five counties within Florida
and our pick-up counter has a steady flow of customers. We ship
via common carrier throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean.
We also have created a 150-page catalog, which pictures our products
and allows our customers to see the sometimes-unique fasteners used
in the hurricane protection industry.
HP: What is your approximate
sales volume? What was it after your first year in business?
Mann: As we are a family owned-and-operated
business, we keep our financial information very confidential. We
can say that the company has grown five to six times the size from
1996.
HP: What hurricane protection
products did you handle initially? What products do you handle today?
Mann: Initially, we handled
a fairly limited amount of hurricane hardware. Today our product
line includes component parts for most of the existing shutter systems
and screens as well as accessory items needed by our customers such
as bits, caulking, paint, extension cords and ladders.
We try to provide the component parts for our customers to build
as well as install their jobs.
HP: What one product or line
stands out above the rest?
Mann: There are two products
that really stand out. The first is our patented Combo Sidewalk
Bolt. This is a major improvement over the slotted version. The
Combo head allows installers to quickly install the bolt and give
the homeowner the option of using either a slotted- or Phillips-head
screwdriver. Finally, and more importantly, the slotted portion
allows the screw to be used if the Phillips drive strips.
The second is the All Points Solid Set Anchor. This is a 1/4-20
Machine Screw Anchor that is similar to the Powers Calk-In. The
Solid Set anchor has its own SBCCI evaluation report, and has excellent
pullout and shear values in concrete and concrete block. The anchor
has been very well received and has helped several customers increase
their anchor spacing and save money.
HP: Is your business computerized?
Do you have a company Web site and how is it used to communicate
with customers (e-mail?)?
Mann: We do have a Web site,
allpoints screw.com, which includes our catalog. We also have full
EDI capabilities, which is used by some of our customers. We prefer
to take our orders via fax and phone.
HP: Who are your customers? What parts of the country
do you service?
Mann: Our customers can be split into two categories.
First, there are the customers who use the product directly. This
ranges from the manufacturer to the installer or contractor. Second
there are wholesalers who range from the big retail distribution
chains to other fastener companies. Our customers are primarily
located in Southeastern United States.
HP: How many salespeople do you employ?
Mann: We have four outside salespeople
and five inside sales people including the two of us.
HP: How has your segment
of the industry changed since you first began?
Mann: We have seen a push toward
special packaging. This helps our customers control their inventories.
We purchased an automated packaging machine with two baggers to
help keep up with the increasing demand.
There also is a trend toward establishing quality control procedures.
This is great for us as we pride ourselves on supplying quality
products. We sell to many different shutter associations and these
associations are starting to establish quality control procedures.
We keep wire reports, heat treat reports, coating reports and other
general quality control reports on file for each shipment that is
imported.
Additionally, we go the extra step of sending samples to a U.S.
testing laboratory of fasteners to make sure that they meet our
specifications. This does add to our costs, but we feel the extra
care is crucial.
HP: What best describes your
niche in the marketplace?
Mann: While we continue to increase
our inventory in the hurricane protection industry, we strive to
keep our level of customer service. We deliver the same day if the
orders are taken by 8 a.m. and ship via UPS or truckline if the
orders are received by 2 p.m.
In order to get a customer out of an emergency, it is not uncommon
for an employee to load up Greg’s or my car and make a delivery
in person. (Five years ago it would have been Greg or I making the
actual delivery.)
HP: What are some of the
key factors involved in your growth and success?
Mann: Absolutely, our employees are the key factors to
our success. We have been able to develop All Points due to hard
work by Greg and I, but without everyone at All Points working hard
together, we never could have accomplished our growth.
HP: What are your strengths in the
marketplace?
Mann: We see our main strength
as our customer service. It begins by making sure we have the products
our customers need. We then try to package it the way they need
it, and make sure they receive it as soon as possible.
If we make a mistake, we do our best to rectify it even if it means
selling at a loss or sending that extra driver on the road to make
sure the customer is satisfied.
All Points Screw, Bolt & Specialty Co.
3161 S.W. 14th St.
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
(800) 226-5555
fax: (800) 582-6110
www.allpointsscrew.com
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