New twist for an old firm
Though new to NAHAD, Triplex, Inc. has a long history in the hose and accessories business
By Victoria Fraza -- Industrial Distribution, 4/1/1999
If there's one thing Triplex, Inc. is known for, it's an ability to solve problems for customers in the Gulf Coast region.Founded in 1958, Triplex serves the petrochemical and chemical industries, paper mills, power plants and other key hose markets located up and down the Gulf Coast -- in Texas and Louisiana -- and inland, into Arkansas. Along with a 40-year history, the company is known for its customer service, technical capabilities and commitment to quality. All of those elements translate into Triplex's reputation as a solid, well-established regional distributor.
Despite Triplex's long history in the hose and accessories business, the company decided just last year to join the National Assn. of Hose and Accessories Distributors. Triplex president Terry Northrup and director of purchasing and inventory Jim Harrison say they have felt close to the association for years -- many of their supplier partners are members, and they know several distributor members, as well. It just took some time for them to take the formal step of actually joining. Northrup attended the 14th annual meeting in Florida last year, and looks forward to the San Antonio meeting this year.
Harrison and Northrup say the benefits of NAHAD membership include the ability to share ideas with peers, grow their business through networking and educational opportunities, and just make contacts in general. "I believe it's a very good thing for all parties involved," comments Harrison.
NAHAD membership is just one part of Triplex's strategy for continued growth and prosperity. The company has focused on fabrication since its doors opened and boasts that each of its 11 branches is a full stocking and fabricating location. Triplex focuses on fabricating everything from rubber to metal to teflon® to composite hose, as well as cutting gaskets and fabricating lined pipe. And although they plan to grow this regional company, Northrup and Harrison say they will do it with a focused approach. They do not plan to add products that don't complement the items they already carry, and likewise don't want to expand too far geographically.
"We're staying where we are for now," says Northrup, adding that growth through acquisition is always a possibility. "We've had a lot of manufacturers that want us in other states ... but we'd like to stay focused on the Gulf Coast."
Adding value
"We're known for being problem solvers," says Northrup. "We're a value-added company."
"Understanding [customers'] needs is important," adds Harrison. "It's that old word, communication."
Northrup explains that Triplex strives to solve customers' problems on many levels. The company offers technical assistance in the field along with innovative programs designed to reduce customers' overall procurement costs. One example is Triplex's consignment inventory program in which goods are placed at the customer's facility and paid for when they are actually used. Northrup and Harrison note that extensive industry knowledge is what allows Triplex to offer such programs and services.
While many employees come to Triplex with a background in the hose and accessories industry, that knowledge is heightened through training sessions -- some provided by manufacturers and some done in-house. It also helps to have low employee turnover, says Harrison, who estimates the average tenure for a Triplex employee to be about 15 years. Harrison, himself, has been with the company for 25 years, while Northrup has been with the firm for 21 years.
Northrup says the company's philosophy can be expressed in three words which appear in the company's original logo -- quality, service and integrity. What's more, he adds that Triplex can only be as good as its people.
"We strive for our people to be the best they can be through educating, training, listening and communicating," says Northrup, adding that employees also have the opportunity to be owners of the company through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Bill Collins, vice president and general manager for hose manufacturer Senior Flexonics, can attest to the high standards Triplex sets. His company has worked with Triplex throughout the firm's 40-year history, and Collins has personally worked with Triplex for almost 20 years. The two companies' strong partnership, he says, has much to do with the people at Triplex and their dedication to customer satisfaction. He says Northrup and Harrison are honest about their limitations and are willing to make employees available for any kind of technical or business training that will make Triplex more valuable to the end user. He adds that Triplex is constantly working to improve its overall capabilities.
As a case in point, Collins points to Triplex's dedication to quality. The company is in the midst of the ISO 9002 process and hopes to be certified sometime this year. As Collins explains it, ISO will be a litmus test for the quality system already in place at Triplex -- a system the firm embarked on in the 1980s as part of a Total Quality Management program.
Triplex started the TQM process in 1988. Harrison describes the company's efforts as twofold. First, Triplex managers worked with a TQM consultant on the project. At the same time, the firm got involved with five Texas-based companies who hired Texas A&M University to do a study on quality and how it relates to the distributor. Triplex's goal was to establish standards for all company functions -- from what to do when you pick up the phone to what should happen when an order is shipped. Harrison says having that system in place gives Triplex a distinct advantage in pursuing ISO.
Collins says Northrup and Harrison can be a bit modest about their achievements in regard to quality. He stresses that Triplex was at the forefront of the TQM movement, going beyond what most distributors were doing at the time, which was relying on their manufacturers' quality systems. Such forward-thinking strategies are a big part of the reason Triplex has such an excellent reputation in the Gulf Coast region, says Collins. It's also a major reason for Senior Flexonics' continued confidence in the firm.
"We're bullish on them," says Collins. "A good part of our growth strategy revolves around Triplex. Growing the partnership is important. We're looking at another 40 years together."
COMPANY SNAPSHOT
Triplex, Inc.
President: Terry Northrup
1998 Sales: N/A
Founded: 1958
Headquarters: Houston, Tex.
Locations: 12
Primary products: hose and accessories
Web Site: www.triplex-inc.com
There are no other articles related to this article.Talkback
Related Content
Related Content
Sponsored Links
View All Blogs
