LOUISVILLE. Despite the economic downturn and falling freight levels, load securement system supplier Ancra International is planning to expand more broadly into the trucking market.
“The results and feedback surrounding our October 2008 purchase of S-line Cargo Control and Safety Products have been nothing short of exceptional,” said Ralph Abato, director of sales & marketing, at the Mid-America Trucking Show.
Abato said Ancra, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2009, has expanded its retail offerings by a factor of more than 25%. “New product depth represents important new sources of revenue for our distributors,” he said. “A broader range of products means greater customer choice and our 2009 catalog features over 100 new part numbers.”
New products such as the Second Deck Pallet Deck and the Captive Track System are now available to Ancra distributors, enhanced with additional services such as complete metal fabrication, custom welding, press break and stamping, Abato said.
Last year’s acquisition has also allowed Ancra to close a number of large deals and the company is in the process of negotiating significant new contracts, Abato added. “It’s a simple formula,” he said. “We’re expanding our existing business and picking up new business because we have more to offer and in the weakened economy, we have become the logical choice for large customers looking for the broadest product offering and the convenience and savings associated with one-stop shopping.”
He also noted that Ancra is trying to use its greater visibility to lead the industry toward higher levels of safety, becoming the first member of the Web, Sling and Tie Down Assn. to gain accreditation by the Automotive Manufacturers Compliance Agency (AMECA). AMECA accreditation officially certifies Ancra to test synthetic webbing cargo securement devices (tiedowns) to USDOT FMCSA 49CFR393.104(e)(3) test requirements.
“We all share the responsibility of making our industry the safest it can be and although we are currently the only player with AMECA accreditation, we hope to lead others who manufacture webbing and cargo securement devices to obtain accreditation through our example,” Abato said.
