Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/48221
WORLD FENCE NEWS • DECEMBER 2011 • 23 Tom said that Shannon Fence does wood fencing, vinyl fencing, orna- mental steel and aluminum, industrial guard rail, electronic gate operators and chain link. In addition, the company has a showroom – the only one in the area – and they do wholesale selling as well. The company was founded in 1986, he said, and basically serves Lake County as well as Cayuga County. When we asked whether or not ris- ing material costs had affected the way that the company bid, we were told "not really." Tom said that it didn't have a detrimental effect; most people figure that material costs go up like so many other things, and they under- stand that. We then asked if there were any significant changes in the fence mar- ket this past season, and Tom told us that he was not seeing anything differ- ent, and for that matter, has not seen anything different in three or four years. However, he said he has noticed more players entering into the bidding process. We also asked what the overall outlook was like for the fence market this past year, and Tom told us that they had let their margins slip, but he has since gotten the markup from where it had been to where it needed to be, and they have gotten back to profitability. We asked about the state of the labor market in the area, and were told there are more installers than they need and that he currently has two full-time crews and one part-time crew. As for the quality of installers that are available, Tom says that decent in- stallers are plentiful if needed. When asked about the economy in the area, Tom told us that Lake County is solid; on the residential side, there are some foreclosures, but not a lot to speak of. He said that unemployment is lower than the national average. Building is going on, on a limited basis. On the commercial side, renova- tion work is going on. Tom shared with us the thought that "things have started to turn around, but the full process could take three years." We asked Tom what strategy was employed for 2011, and he said that his number one goal this past year was to keep the crews working as much as possible. He has started once again making a profit, and sales have gone up. His trucks are fairly new, and he has rented equipment as needed. As for advertising, he has kept the Yellow Pages and is in three other books. Finally for this edition, we spoke The Strong Silent Type... Quiet, Rugged, Dependable. Call us for pricing on our new standard gate design - for openings 12-20' Tymetal – There is NO EQUAL Ask Tymetal about CUSTOM GATES (Telescoping, Stacking Overhead Slides,...) for LIMITED SPACE openings. contin ued on ne xt pa g e