On September 20, A-1 Industries, a leading manufacturer of pre-engineered wood trusses in the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean, celebrated our 45th anniversary with the launch of a new corporate video and a special day of appreciation for our employees at the Fort Pierce, FL and Bainbridge, GA manufacturing facilities. Whether you had been with the company since the start or were a relatively new hire like me, the day filled you with a sense of pride and appreciation for all that John Herring has accomplished in these past 45 years.
Many CMs know John from his years of involvement in the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA), formerly the Wood Truss Council of America (WTCA), where he served as President in 1990 and was subsequently inducted into the WTCA Hall of Fame in 1999. And now, decades later, John remains an insightful businessman who continues to make his mark on our industry.
As he strives to build A-1 into a 100-year company, it was especially enjoyable to hear him reflect on his humble beginnings. As John himself tells the story:
On September 18, 1977, at 6 am, I first walked into the 600 sq ft office building in Mangonia Park, FL and switched on the light. There was a reception area in front of me, one office to the left, two offices to the right, and one bathroom. So, I thought, ‘OK, I guess we need some furniture.’ I walked down to the end office, which was the smallest, but it had a back door to the outside. This is my office! I can escape to the Shop! I stepped outside and surveyed the yard: approximately 2 acres, with only about one-third paved. A pole barn sat to the left back corner, maybe 10,000 sq ft, and I said, ‘OK, let’s get to work.’
A Clary long cutter saw, a Clary short cutter, a roller press, a 22-flatbed dump truck, a DeWalt radial arm saw, a forklift, and a truckload of lumber all sat in the middle of this building. So, Day One in the history of A-1 was about to begin.
Looking back, I am most amazed at how the industry has changed and grown. I can say without a doubt that A-1’s success is due to its ability to adapt, think ahead, only make promises that we can keep, and be the best. ‘On Time Deliveries Guaranteed’ was our Yellow Pages headline.
Our first hire was a very young lady as our receptionist. We hired her on the spot, and she seemed OK. Of course, I was in the Shop, so I had nothing to do with office matters. After about a week, I read her resume, and I literally broke out laughing. Name, address, home phone (no cell phones at that time), date of birth, sex… I swear, it read ‘NOT TOO OFTEN!’ OMG! I thought, ‘We better start hiring better, or this isn’t going to work!’
So, from the first week in business, I convinced the partners that we should all be involved in hiring and that we should read each resume before hiring. From then on, our mission was to hire good people, intelligent people, honest and hard-working people, and we would have a much better chance of success. History speaks for itself!
From that small location, we moved to a 3.75 acres facility in West Palm Beach, with a larger pole barn, a second smaller barn for saws, and a 1200 sq ft office. We stepped it up big time, so we thought the location was a brilliant one for growth.
Shortly thereafter, I bought out my partners and in 2000, due to an eminent domain by the state threatening our existence, I planned a new concept in truss manufacturing, by taking out steps and making it more efficient and competitive. So, plans were drawn on a napkin: a dream, a vision, and the start of being a 100-year company was formed.
Looking back, I can say the leaps we made with facilities each time were enormous. Yet, it is still the people we call family. It is still the work ethic and our Core Values: Own it, Passionate, Honesty, and Respect, and how we hire and who continue to make up our company. These are the most important aspects of making the goal of a 100-year company.
Today, with the Bainbridge operation and its potential across 80 acres, and the Fort Pierce facility expanded to 27 acres with a new 40,000 sq ft building, the sky is the limit. I am so proud to be on this A-1 TEAM. Yes, TEAM A-1! It is our people that ensure customer satisfaction and make our reputation. Each and every one is equally important and critical to our success. We all want this for the TEAM A-1! 100 YEARS!
On September 20, John did many things to thank us, his employees, for our service to the company. On behalf of the employees, I’d like to give a hearty, “Thank you, John,” right back to him.