Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/95301
22 • DECEMBER 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS We recently spoke with Pat Sulli- van of Sullivan Fence in Saginaw, Michigan, who told us that this was the best year they have had since 2008. When we asked to what he attrib- uted this, Pat responded that he thought it was "pent up demand." Further, Pat told us that the com- pany has been in business some 40 years, and he notes with pride that on his pole barn there hangs a sign stating "Sullivan Fence Company, We Built It." The company's business mix is 50% commercial and 50% residential. FENCER'S FIELD REPORT A monthly column of industry bits & pieces Compiled by contributing editor Jim Lucci and the staff of World Fence News The company's service area started out as a 50 mile radius, but it eventually has expanded to upwards of 150 miles. On the commercial side, the com- pany does projects such as fencing around water towers – 8 foot high curved top ornamental fence; com- mercial chain link – seven foot high around facilities such as wind mills, ball fields, school yards, etc. Pat told us that in addition to doing a lot of work with cedar, they are also doing vinyl. We then asked what he thought the outlook would be for the residential market for 2013. Pat told us that he is, by nature, an optimist. At this point, the company is hopeful that it will get back 80% to 90% of the residential business that they had in 2006 by the end of 2013. We then asked what cost-saving programs were instituted over these past years to save money. Pat told us that the employees have worked over- time; there were no new hires. Further, they sometimes worked with two crews and they didn't advertise. We asked whether the company tries to sell additional items along with their fence jobs, and Pat told us no. We then asked about the economy in the area, and Pat told us that Michi- gan used to be substantially auto based within its economy. Now it has diver- sified into medically based businesses. There are a lot more hospitals and re- lated medical services in operation and there are a lot more people employed in this industry than in the auto indus- try. On the commercial side, things are getting better, but not like the early 80s. There is nothing in particular that stands out, but more smaller yet steady projects coming along. Businesses are spending more and hopefully it will get better after the election. On the residential side, hous- ing prices are still down, but there are some sales going on. Foreclosures ap- pear to have bottomed out. We asked about the company strategy for 2013, and, simply stated, we were told "we are going to work hard and try to take breathers more sparingly." We spoke briefly with Bill Vogt of Sun Iron Works in San Rafael, Cal- ifornia, who told us that this past sea- son was not very good, but was the best in three years. The service radius, we were told, is approximately 80 to 90 miles and their business mix is 40% commercial and 60% residential. For the most part, Bill said that the company is doing a good deal of mis- cellaneous type work, which includes fabricating waste enclosure gates. On the commercial side, the company is Ornamental Gates Chainlink Gates Aluminum or Steel Frame Tymetal Corp. Tymetal Corp. has been providing the highest quality cantilever gate systems to fence contractors for over 25 years. Tymetal Corp.'s customer service focus is on gate systems only, providing the most complete sales and technical assistance before, during and after the sale, with a gate product that sets the industry standard. 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Tymetal is instrumental to my company's success in the markets that we work in. Our customers are very satisfied with the quality of the gates that we have installed and most will now specify only Tymetal gates to be installed on their sites." Leif O. Glesne Midwest Fence & Gate Company Fort Dodge, IA BOOTH NO. 2027 Fortress Gates Providing the BEST Gate Systems Cantilevers – 10'-120' Box Frame Rollers – 60'-500' Vertical Lift Gates – to 60' Overhead Slides - standard to 40' Vertical Pivot Gates – to 24' Swing Gates – to 24' Pedestrian Gates All in Ornamental or Chain Link Tymetal Corp. www.tymetal.com 800-328-GATE (4283)