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030-0875
Flush Mount Paddle Handle
This flush mounted paddle handle is a
redesign or our popular
030-0850 Flush Mounted Paddle Handle. Featuring a disengaged paddle in
the locked position, this robust product allows for power locking and is
compliant to FMVSS 206. Other product details include:
- Inside
lock provides override if paddle should be locked
- The
KeyOne Plus locking system allows the operation of multiple
onboard locking hardware with a single key
- Available
in a variety of finishes including black powder coated, high quality
buffed chrome, or a combination of black/chrome finish
System kits are available and include
handles, latches, and accessories to provide a comprehensive access
solution.
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TriMark
Recognized as an Energy Champion
TriMark recently received notification from the U.S. Department of
Energy's (DOE) Industrial Technology Program (ITP) that we've been
recognized as an "Energy Champion" by posting impressive energy
savings with the Save
Energy Now initiative. This was a direct result of TriMark
implementing recommendations from the Department of Energy energy
assessment.
The notification letter goes on to state:
"The Energy Champion award is presented only to those plants that have
implemented recommendations to save a total of at least 250,000 million Btu
OR at least 15 percent of total energy consumption. In 2009, 140 plants
have earned special recognition out of more than 700 plants across the
nation that received DOE energy assessments in 2008. This year (2009), ITP
is recognizing 47 plants as Energy Champions."
TriMark is very proud of this accomplishment and we will continue to
look for ways to reduce our energy consumption and use energy more
efficiently.
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UMA
Motor Coach Expo
February 23-27, 2010
Las Vegas, NV
2010 AUSA/ILW Winter Symposium & Exposition (AV)
February 24-26, 2010
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
NTEA
- The Work Truck Show 2010
(Specialty Vehicle)
March 9-12, 2010
St Louis, Mo.
3rd
Annual Tactical Vehicles Summit
April 19-21, 2010
Tysons Corner, VA
Bauma
2010 (Construction)
April 19-25, 2010
Munich, Germany
Military
Vehicle Expo
August 11-12, 2010
Detroit, MI
Modern
Day Marine
September 28-30, 2010
MCB, Quantico, VA
Bauma
China 2010
November 23-26, 2010
Shanghai, China
National
RV Trade Show (RVIA)
November 30-December 3, 2010
Louisville, KY
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EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to send a
copy of this e-newsletter to a friend, colleague or associate, the Send
to a Friend link at the bottom of this newsletter is a convenient
method for providing them with their own personal copy.
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TriMark Seeing Bright Spots for
2010
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Happy New Year!
While this Happy New Year wish is a bit belated, I think we are all very
glad that 2009 is behind us, and we can look forward to a more positive
(and happy) business environment in 2010. 2009 was a very difficult year,
and I think our business, as well as many of our customer's businesses,
have been challenged and changed by the experience. But now it is time to
look forward with renewed commitment to our company and our customers.
In preparation for 2010, we recently conducted a Customer Survey (see article
below), and we will be using the feedback from that survey to help guide
some of the improvements we will be making in the coming months. For
example, we continue to experience material shortages based on our attempt
to keep inventory low due to reduced orders. Currently, we have a 6 to 8
week turnaround for materials on "surprise" orders and we know
this timeframe is not acceptable to most of our customers. As the level of
business activity improves, we should be able to reduce this time to a more
acceptable level. Again, as previously communicated, any advanced forecast
information that you can provide will assist and minimize future product
shortages and delays.
We continue to see bright spots – and some continuing not-so-bright spots –
in the markets we serve. We were very pleased in the level of activity at
the recent RVIA Show (see RVIA Recap article), which has also been
reflected in an uptick in our RV business. We are seeing some positive
signs in the construction area, which has been really energizing for us as
this market was one of the first to suffer from the economic downturn. We
also see positive activity with our expanding business in the armored
vehicle, specialty truck and bus/mass transit markets. Unfortunately, the
heavy truck market, based on published reports and our own numbers, does
not look to be poised for any substantial rebound until late 2010 or early
2011.
Please take a look at the TriMark tradeshow list published in this
issue. If you plan to attend any of these tradeshows, please stop at the
TriMark display so we can thank you in person for your continued
business and support. If you cannot make one of the shows, then please
accept the equally sincere thanks expressed in this newsletter.
Patti Knowlton
General Manager
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TriMark's Customer Survey Findings
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 As part of our
continuous improvement program, TriMark values and is committed to
understanding and meeting customer needs. We recently conducted a Customer
Survey to find out about your satisfaction with TriMark's products,
customer support, ordering and delivery process and engineering
capabilities.
If you were one of the people who responded to the invitation to take part,
we'd like to thank you for your time and inputs. We'll be using the
findings to improve our marketing, customer service, and product delivery
moving into the next decade. If you have any additional feedback on how we
are doing, we encourage you to contact us through this newsletter or tell
your customer service representative, account manager, or field service
representative. Don't hold back - your inputs are important to us.
Key findings:
- Customers
value TriMark's product quality as well as our durability and
reliability
- The
products that we manufacture are appropriate for the markets that we
serve
- Customers
value our Customer Service as well as the communications related to
product orders and delivery
- Sales
support including product knowledge and the ability to provide
effective product suggestions/recommendations received high marks
- Our
technical capabilities, ability to meet project schedules, and ability
to solve problems, all continue to differentiate TriMark
- Our
response to emergency situations, ability to adapt to change orders
(date/quantity), and our product lead-times have slipped due to the
current business climate and inventory reduction
- Some
customers feel that our new product development, application
engineering and cost reduction programs have also slipped within the
past 12-18 months
- Lastly,
our website falls short of customer expectations
We also had a large percentage of
respondents offer to participate in follow-up surveys regarding product
performance, new products, and services, and we'll certainly be taking
people up on these kind offers of support. In addition, we would like to
put out a request for case studies and testimonials regarding TriMark
products and services.
In closing, this is just the beginning of programs for customer insights,
so if you have not had the chance to participate, there may be several more
opportunities in 2010. Thanks again to all of you that participated.
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Report on Recent RVIA and TriMark
Engineer Featured in RV PRO Magazine Article
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TriMark
Corporation, the leading provider of innovative access solutions to the RV
market, recently participated in the 2009 National RV Trade Show at the
Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville. The overall theme of the 2009 National
RV Trade Show was "Let the Sun Shine" which communicated a strong
message of optimism as the industry moves towards a recovery in the coming
year.
Attendance at the RV Trade Show was down 1.2 percent from 2008, according
to RV Industry Association final registration data, but despite that,
attendees described the mood as "upbeat."
Because of TriMark's position as a leader in this market, we have
continued to focus development and engineering resources on providing
innovative solutions which are available to the RV industry, rain or shine.
"Quite candidly, our customers in this industry really depend on us
being there, and we've demonstrated through this recent downturn that we
are truly committed to this market," states Bruce Boerschel, TriMark
Account Manger for the RV market. "One look at the new and updated products
we featured at RVIA should send a strong message that we are moving forward
in supporting our customers."
In the weeks following the show, the national business media has started to
report on the positive movement of the industry. Since late December, four
major news outlets published stories using RVIA information demonstrating
that the RV industry is an economic barometer.
On December 21, the
Chicago Tribune reported that economists view RVs as an early indicator
of where the economy is going, and that RV sales have started picking up.
The Wall
Street Journal followed on December 23 with a report that unemployment
in Elkhart County had fallen by 4.4% largely because of "the rebound
in the recreational vehicle industry, which is responsible for about a
quarter of the county's annual economy."
Fox
Business Network featured interviews on December 29 with KOA CEO Jim
Rogers and Airstream CEO Bob Wheeler. Rogers and Wheeler told FOX that
camping was becoming increasingly popular and that RV shipments are rising.
On January 2, an Associated
Press story cited the industry's growth in shipments and the rise in RV
industry hiring as good signs for the national economy.
The business media is also responding to RVIA shipment data showing steady
growth in shipments the past few months. For example, November shipments
were more than double the total from the same month in 2008.
Reichling Featured in RV PRO Magazine
 TriMark's
own Anita Reichling, Advanced New Products Electrical Engineer, was
featured in the December
issue of RV Pro Magazine in an article titled, "Where is RV-C
Today?" The article appeared in support of the third annual
"Network Fest," an educational display demonstrating the features
and benefits of "RV-C," held at the RV Trade Show.
By connecting key electrical devices, RV-C enables RV components to share
information and coordinate their operation, either directly or remotely. In
addition, RV-C minimizes wiring and troublesome connections while at the
same time providing diagnostic information to the customer or service
technician. By replacing many individual signal wires with a twisted pair
data cable, RV-C helps make RV electrical systems more reliable and saves
money and time during installation.
The event featured RV-C compliant components that are networked together so
that attendees could experience them communicating with each other in real
time. TriMark was one of nine companies participating in the
demonstration and seminar. RV-C brings the RV industry into a new era of
technological progress and will impact how RVs are designed, manufactured,
serviced, and enjoyed.
One of TriMark's key products in this area is the 500-1000e-ASK
system. This simple and integrated remote transmitter keyless-entry
system offers increased security, convenience and functionality while
reducing system costs. Designed for demanding users of heavy trucks,
emergency vehicles, RV's, agricultural, and construction equipment, it
provides reliable remote access control of electronic latches and handles
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TriMark to Participate in AUSA and
UMA Shows
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TriMark will be attending and
displaying at two upcoming shows, which will offer the opportunity to show
and demonstrate new and updated products to each of these key markets.
UMA Motorcoach Expo
The first show will be the UMA
Motorcoach Expo, February 23 – 27, 2010 in Las Vegas. The UMA
Motorcoach Expo is being billed as THE most important event that those who
are involved in the motorcoach industry will attend in 2010. The EXPO is a
one-stop-shop for motorcoach manufacturers and operators where they can
obtain everything they need in regards to helping their respective
businesses.
TriMark continues to experience a real interest in the application
of current and custom products for this market. Much of the expertise from
the involvement in the RV market translates well to the problem-solving
solutions OEM's in this market are seeking.
TriMark will be introducing a variety of products at this show and
will be located at Booth 326. If you are planning to attend please make a
point to stop and see us.
2010 AUSA/ILW (ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY'S
INSTITUTE OF LAND WARFARE) Winter Symposium & Expo
 TriMark
will again be participating in this
event. The event is being held February 24 – 26, 2010 in Orlando The
key objective of AUSA's ILW Winter Symposium will be to provide an open
forum for attendees to interact and participate in discussions about the
Army's modernization efforts and immediate needs of soldiers who find
themselves in harm's way.
The central focus of the symposium is the Army's progression towards
transforming while conducting combat operations. Special emphasis will be
devoted to the indispensable role that industry partners (TriMark)
provide to the United States Army. Guest presentations and panel
discussions will provide a myriad of information as it relates to the
direction and progress of balancing resources, equipment, personnel,
doctrine and training to provide the essential protective umbrella for our
nation.
Last year TriMark was a first time exhibitor, and the overwhelming
enthusiasm for the Armored Vehicle products we introduced convinced us that
our products were right on target. Last year we introduced our COMMANDoor
powered door solution, and we will be back this year with an updated
version. We will also be displaying the full line of TriGuard
products as well as several complete door solutions. TriMark will be
in Booth 1213, so if you are planning to attend, please accept this
invitation to stop and see us.
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The Visual Workplace – A key Component of
5S - Continued
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 Manufacturing
Insights, a leading industry analyst firm, recently concluded that there is
currently $900 billion of waste in global manufacturing supply chains.
There are many reasons for this staggering level of inefficiency, starting
with the simple fact that running a supply chain with numerous moving
parts, material, equipment, people, etc.scattered about the globe is a
complex undertaking.
Think about that number - $900 billion – for just a minute. Then think
about what would happen if we could save just a fraction of that waste and
apply it to the bottom line of our respective companies. Putting this kind
of number in perspective is sometimes difficult, but at TriMark, we
believe it starts with our great employees who are dedicated to providing
the best and highest value products to our customers.
In the last issue of this newsletter, we introduced you to the Visual
Workplace at TriMark. At TriMark, one of the basic building
blocks to creating a Lean organization is to establish a fully functional
Visual Workplace. A visual workplace exists when effective and standardized
visual communication is used. It is a simple and effective solution to
increasing and refining communication to employees through visual aids and
controls.
As a part of our Lean program, TriMark established an internal committee
focused on the Visual Workplace initiative. This committee
established the following as a goal:
To create a complete visual workplace where all performance information
is communicated and visitors can easily understand the performance
information without any explanations. Action plans for continuous
improvement have been developed and implemented improvements are displayed
along with results.
One excellent example of the Visual Workplace initiative in action is the
Corporate Performance Scorecard which shows key performance metrics for the
organization. The scorecard is updated each month and posted on all the
bulletin boards in TriMark facilities. TriMark management
reviews this scorecard each month and determines areas for improvement.
Another application of visual control is a Process Analysis Board (PAB).
The PAB is a whiteboard used to record timely process related information.
Relevant information, such as production related issues, need to be
successfully communicated at many levels and at various times such as
between shifts, as a link from production to product management, operators
and supervisors/lead people and others.
The implementation of this "process" is to make this important
information VISIBLE. There are two key benefits of Process Analysis
Boards:
1.
Increased and enhanced communication
2.
Improved quality
At TriMark we are working hard to
eliminate as much waste as possible and, while we will not be able to
eliminate $900 billion in waste, we will be able to create a work environment
that focuses on providing high-value products to our customers.
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This e-newsletter is a service of TriMark
Corp. and is produced by The
Bearings Group
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