TRANS AMERICAN RUBBER

Lean Strategies for Success

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: info@transamericanrubber.com

www.transamericanrubber.com

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