Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/263143
many people don't even know we pro- vide that product. It is a market I'd like to build because it allows our distribu- tion partners the ability to mix truck- loads of galvanized and color and there is significant growth in both product and margin." Two products that Russell said he will promote are within the MT 40 line, in which he will more heavily market a swaged fence top rail and the ability to run 40 ft.+ inline. "Under our MT 40 series, we produce a swaged prod- uct that other companies don't currently offer. This avoids the need to inventory and use a sleeve for installation," he noted. "That can become a big seller for us, as well as the extra-long lengths for gates and backstops." Russell, who earlier in life learned the tool and die making trade and worked for other tubing manufactur- 38 • MARCH 2014 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Midwest Tube Mills celebrates 20th anniversary with ambitious plans for 2014 MADISON, Ind. — Midwest Tube Mills, Inc. (MTM), a manufac- turer of pre-galvanized round, square and rectangular tubing, is celebrating its 20th year serving the fence and me- chanical industries. Their first step in celebrating is the launch of a new web site for use in promoting a variety of new and exist- ing products in 2014. You can visit the web site at www.midwesttubemills.com. MTM president and CEO Rick Russell said the updates are necessary because the 20-year-old company services many different markets with highly improved processes and prod- ucts than they did in the past, and the industry must be made aware of this. "If someone hasn't experienced Midwest Tube Mills products in the past five years and is living with a pre- vious misperception, then you don't know us at all and you're missing quite a bit" says Russell. "We're more into the fence and some mechanical markets. In addition to rounds, we do a lot of squares and rectangles, which we didn't promote before," Russell said. "We didn't do any painting before, and now, between polyester and light mil polyolefin, that's probably 30% of our business. I really want to promote that because ers, started MTM in 1993 in an 8,000 square foot plant in Edinburgh, Ind. with four employees. The company now occupies 450,000 square feet in two buildings in Madison, Ind. There is also another 20,000 square foot building that serves as the headquarters for Russell's stock car racing enterprise, which is cur- rently idled to provide greater industry focus. One of the big pushes for 2014 is for MTM to up- grade and maximize their scrap process- ing. "We're going to con- tinue maximizing our profitability from it," he noted. "We are going to improve the reclamation of our scrap and recycling. Many tube mills resell their scrap or secondary products, which unfortunately end up in prime markets, minimizing profitability. "The steel mills that we buy from and the reason that we buy from them, is that our customers can demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility while reducing waste and qualifying for tax rebates, zoning allowances, and other incentives in cities across the United States with the purchase of highly recyclable steel," Russell said. In addition to expanding product offerings to the fence industry (an- nouncements for which will be made in the near future), Russell said he is moving into other markets that he feels offer growth potential. Russell also noted he is more fully committing to the industry and plans to install his own certified salt spray chamber so that he can perform con- tinuous corrosion testing of his and competitors' products. "It's necessary, and provides Bundles of tubing are ready for shipment from MTM's Madison, Ind. mill. (MTM photos) Quality control is a critical aspect of MTM's operation. Above, a quality tech- nician monitors the thickness of steel coil using a micrometer.