The Origins of Fire-Dex 49 Growth and Innovation Under Charlie’s Leadership Wally retired in 1982, handing the company completely over to Charlie, who would take the company through years of innovation and expansion. In the 1980s, Charlie expanded the product line into the glassworking industry. He also boosted the company’s production capabilities when he purchased Morgan Protective Apparel in Rome, Georgia, which manufactured welding “greens” and leather gloves—but all did not go smoothly with this acquisition. A supplier for lining material had told Charlie about Morgan, and on April 26, 1983, he was about to purchase the plant for under $100,000. Unfortunately, when Charlie went to Rome a short time later, he discovered that only the owner and his son were there. The plant had stopped production due to a shortage of cash and, therefore, materials. They had not completed any shipping of product for at least a month. While touring the plant, Charlie discovered the firefighting gloves that were being produced there. But even as he grew excited considering the possibilities, he discovered that his new contract for Morgan did not include these gloves. He didn’t own them! Charlie would have to shell out a bit more money to buy the dies to resume this firefighting glove production. However, it would prove to be an easy transition and a profitable addition to the NSA line, as the firefighting gloves were made with similar materials using a familiar process to that of their other products. In many ways, this was a turning point in the company’s development—the point that the business first began providing gear for one of the most important jobs in the world: fighting fires. Without looking to our past, we can’t be ready for our future. I am very proud of this company’s history. —Bill Burke
50 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle
A Brief History of Firefighting in the USA 51 A Brief History of Firefighting in the USA I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. —Christopher Reeve The funny thing about firemen is, night and day, they are always firemen. —Gregory Widen and others burn down their homes at night.” From that time on, fires have been an ongoing risk. At first, fire companies were mostly composed of volunteers or privately operated. The firefighters that showed up and put the fire out first were the ones the insurance companies paid, so fierce competition arose between the companies, with fights sometimes breaking out. Dogs became a part of the fire companies to protect the horses, equipment, and people. The firefighting equipment was quite basic, at least by today’s standards—leather buckets, swabs, ladders, hooks, chains, and archaic pumps were all they had to complete the task in those early years. In Boston in 1630, American fire prevention began when Bostonians were ordered not to build a chimney out of wood or cover a house with thatch. In New Amsterdam (later New York City), the governor appointed the first fire T he danger of fires to people, their homes, and their possessions dates back to the start of civilization, and organized efforts at fighting those fires have been around for almost as long. An Egyptian built a hand pump that squirted a jet of water in the second century, but the idea was lost and the fire pump was reinvented in 1500 AD. The history of firefighting in the United States has a long and storied history too, covering about four hundred years. According to the history books, the earliest recorded structural fire in the United States took place in 1608 in the Jamestown colony. On January 7, a fire destroyed the majority of the fledgling colony. Captain John Smith wrote in his journal about the fire: “Most of our apparel, lodging and private provisions were destroyed. I begin to think that it is safer for me to dwell in the wild Indian country than in this stockade, where fools accidentally discharge their muskets
52 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle inspectors with the authority to assign fines for fire code violations. The fire that decimated London in 1666, burning for four days, was a wake-up call. A two-person piston pump on wheels was created, and in 1679, the first fire engine to reach America was imported from London to Boston. Colonial towns began requiring residents to buy a certain number of buckets and to paint the owners’ names on them. In New York, a law stipulated the number of buckets a home or business needed on hand based on the perceived fire risk. For example, a baker needed to have three buckets on the premises, while a brewer needed six. When a fire broke out, a “bucket brigade” would form, with two lines of people stretching from the fire out to the town well. Hooks and chains were employed to make firebreaks, tearing down the walls of the burning buildings to prevent the fire from spreading farther. Swabs, or mops, extinguished embers that posed further risk, especially on thatched roofs. When the hand pumper was invented and brought to use, this gave firefighters a real advantage. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin encouraged the establishment of firefighting companies in the colonies, and six volunteer corps were set up in Philadelphia. “Fire mark” plaques were placed on building fronts that had been insured as an incentive for volunteer firefighters to prioritize saving these insured buildings.
A Brief History of Firefighting in the USA 53 An annual town parade was held in some places where firemen put on their regalia and held fancy fire axes and decorative buckets that were created just for these parades. Although firefighters were sometimes slow to embrace new technology in the 1800s, a steam engine eventually became an accepted part of the trade. And in 1852, a doctor in Boston utilized telegraph technology that had been innovated in the early 1840s to produce the very first fire alarm box system. Within a year, Boston had these fire alarm boxes distributed all over the city. Horses were used for many years to pull the engines and were trained to respond to the sound of a bell emerging from their stalls to stand ready for service. The horses were often prompted by the firehouse dog, a Dalmatian. By 1923, firefighting entered the modern era when horse-drawn engines were retired and fire engines became motorized. The city of Chicago, with over 500,000 residences to protect, became home to the first fire department in the United States to be totally motorized, and soon other cities followed. Over the course of the twentieth century, firefighting went through other changes as American firefighters became more specialized and needed to respond to specific structures and environments. From the late 1960s on, fire departments began to train in and perform a variety of rescues, paramedicine, and EMS services. New developments in firefighting technology have also added to the resources available to firefighters. These days, modern equipment is typically diesel powered, and varied designs of the basic fire engine equip firefighters to respond effectively to many different kinds of emergency situations. One thing that has not changed is the courage and determination that firefighters display on a daily basis. They put their safety and well-being on the line for the sake of the people and buildings that they protect. They are truly American heroes.
54 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Every good business story has a conflict and triumph at the core and a turning point when a transformation takes place. Dinesh Paliwal
Bill Burke Joins NSA 55 Bill Burke Joins NSA Success isn’t overnight. It’s when every day you get a little better than the day before. —Dwayne Johnson What matters most is how well you walk through the fire. —Charles Bukowski A t certain points in a company’s history, it’s clear that a milestone is reached—the release of a groundbreaking product, the launch of a new expansion, the transition to a public (or private) company, the hiring of a new CEO, or the establishment of a global footprint. These moments are obvious and their impact can be considered, debated, and analyzed even as it is unfolding…for better or for worse. Yet there are other turning points in the story of any successful business that are only apparent in hindsight. When they actually occur, they might seem of minimal importance, and their significance can only be understood with the 20/20 vision that comes with the passage of time. Looking back through the years, the historian can point and say, “Yes, this is the start of when everything changed.” For Fire-Dex, one of these moments occurred in 1984, one year after National Safety Apparel acquired Morgan Protective Apparel, when Charlie Grossman hired a young man named Bill Burke as a sales representative. A native of West Akron, Ohio, Bill graduated • Catholic high school before attending the Ohio University and the University of Akron. During high school and college, Bill developed an impressively stout work ethic—he held two full-time jobs, clocking a combined total of eighty hours every week, while still managing to complete his studies and academic requirements. This work ethic would help to propel Fire-Dex forward over the next four decades.
56 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle After college, Bill worked for Cintas for a couple of years, a corporation headquartered in Mason, Ohio, providing a range of products and services to businesses that included uniforms, cleaning supplies, first aid products, and safety courses, among others. But when Bill’s boss departed Cintas for National Safety Apparel (NSA) in 1983, he began considering what his next step would be. With a desire to stay in Cleveland, Bill interviewed with his former boss and joined NSA’s Morgan Protective Apparel in 1984 as a sales representative. Charlie would take Bill under his wing. Bill’s father, Jim, also provided guidance to him during this period. Jim had spent most of his professional life as a salesman for Fruit of the Loom, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree: apparel gear was in Bill’s DNA. He thrived in his new position. Introducing Customization B ill began visiting with existing customers and prospects, and he utilized a winning sales technique: provide a unique solution to a pressing problem. For example, he went to RCA, where he met the safety director and was given a tour of their manufacturing facilities. At the television production facility, Bill saw that the workers lifted large, heavy TV tubes by hand using NSA mittens. During the tour, Bill asked the safety director if they could visit the trash bins. After looking them over, Bill asked, “What gloves do you go through the most?” The safety director replied, “That one,” pointing to a glove in the trash bin. Bill picked it up and asked, “What if I put a patch in this worn-out area? It will cost you 50% more to purchase the glove, but it will last twice as long.” The safety director exclaimed, “That sounds brilliant. That will allow us to carry less Morgan Protective Apparel manufacturing facility inventory and lower our costs. Would you make
Bill Burke Joins NSA 57 me a sample?” Bill brought the torn glove back to NSA, where the design team, led by Art Ferncorn, took the competition’s glove, cut it in half, and inspected the material layers. They then redesigned the glove to be stronger and more durable. This was the alpha prototype to be sent to the prospect. The understanding was this: if it worked, they got a new order. If it didn’t work, the design team would redo the glove until they got it right. Time and time again, they got it right. This is a general principle in business and in life: It’s better to do it right than to do it again. —Bill Burke Customizations were a way to increase market share and revenues by filling a gap that competitors were leaving open or by improving on products that were not reaching their potential. Following this new business opportunity, profitability dramatically increased and the company was soon receiving many new orders. Bill would continue to use his strengths in creativity, innovation, and customization throughout his career, and these keys would unlock extraordinary success for the company. There were two key factors that together, under Charlie Grossman and Bill Burke’s stewardship, would substantially contribute to the company’s future prospects. The New Glove—Fire-Dex F irst, the product. Morgan Protective Apparel’s primary product at the time was a welding glove mostly sold to steel mills. With apparel manufacturing shifting to China and many steel mills turning to rusty relics, Morgan’s factory in Rome, Georgia, sat virtually idle. However, Charlie and Bill had high hopes that a new glove design for firefighting would resuscitate Morgan.
58 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle And their hopes were well-founded—they had strategy and a top-quality product. The new glove had a three-layer design, and it was durable and flexible. Its powder-blue color stood out, leading the product to take on the nickname “The Smurf Glove.” With its high dexterity, the new fire glove was branded Fire-Dex. It became a winner. National Distribution S econd, the distribution. To position this new glove in the market, Bill knew he needed to have a broader approach than selling direct to customers. In 1984, a group of disparate apparel distributors consolidated into a buying consortium—FEBA (Fire Equipment Buyers Association). They had the needed expansive reach throughout the United States and sought unique products that customers would gravitate toward. Fire-Dex and FEBA were a perfect fit for each other. In that same year, Bill was able to position the Fire-Dex glove for inclusion in the Darley Catalog, the premier buying catalog for firefighter departments. Founded by Tom Darley’s grandfather in Chicago in 1908, this catalog included everything a fire department needed in the way of equipment and apparel. These two distribution channels would ignite the sales of a product that would become the industry standard for firefighting gloves— Fire-Dex. Road Warrior With Morgan’s hot new product, Bill ramped up his activity, rising to the occasion and logging the miles to prove it. He traveled over 50,000 miles in nine months, promoting the product and taking orders—which skyrocketed. Bill’s success led to his promotion to sales manager in 1985. Back in the 1980s, the team shared hotel rooms at their favorite hotel chain at the time—Red Roof Inn. Cash was tight, so cutting expenses was essential. The upcoming years would further solidify the Fire-Dex brand as the best available choice, featuring more protective firefighting apparel that would become award winning and respected by all. It’s not enough to be called the best when lives are on the line. You have to be the best. —Bill Burke
Bill Burke Joins NSA 59 Fire-Dex Dex-Rescue NFPA 1951 Technical Rescue Firefighter Gloves
60 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle In fire, you can plan everything out to the minute, and a minute before that, everything changes. Dan Felix
The 1980s—More Products, More Market Share 61 The 1980s— More Products, More Market Share Genius is talent set on fire by courage. —Henry Van Dyke Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed but win out in the end because they’ve stayed true to their ideals and beliefs and commitments. —Kevin Costner L egendary baseball player Ted Williams once said, “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street, folks will say, ‘There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.’” He got his wish—many today consider him the greatest hitter of all time. Williams hit .344 for his lifetime batting average and won six American League batting titles, in spite of losing five years to military service as a fighter pilot, serving in World War II and then the Korean War. Williams was the last Major League Baseball player to bat .400. In 1960, in his early forties, “the Kid” hit a home run in Fenway Park at his final at-bat. Williams knew this truth: plenty of people can hit the ball and even score a home run. But the greatest—the legends—are the ones that keep knocking it over the fences, game after game, year after year. Staying power…the ability to keep stepping up to the plate, swinging the bat, and hitting home runs…that’s what leads to true greatness. In the mid to late 1980s, Bill Burke and Charlie Grossman knew they would not be satisfied with being a one-hit wonder, and they set their sights on long and lasting success. With the company’s newfound presence and • popularity in the firefighting marketplace, it was a logical move to extend the product lines beyond fire gloves. Expanding farther into the structural firefighting apparel market, Bill and Charlie began manufacturing fire hoods using Nomex
62 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle or Kevlar fabrics—both developed by DuPont— in 1985. Nomex, more rigid and durable than nylon, has excellent thermal, chemical, and radiation resistance. It can withstand temperatures of up to 370 degrees Celsius. Kevlar is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber spun into fabric sheets. Both materials provide excellent protection for firefighters. Suspenders and gear bags were added the next year. These gear bags were sold mostly to volunteer firefighters, providing them with a useful bag to carry in the trunk of their car or in their truck bed. The bag would hold boots, coats, gloves, hood, and protective helmets— Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed for structural and proximity firefighting. Meanwhile, Bill continued his intense selling pace. He attended firefighter conferences and trade shows, where he helped the industry to become more familiar with the company’s protective apparel. The Next Big Step—Bunker Gear B uoyed by their success in developing and selling PPE for firefighters, in 1987, just three short years after Bill had joined Charlie Grossman in this fledging protective apparel business, the company expanded its line to include National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1971 bunker gear (jackets and pants), NFPA 1976 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) gear, and 1999 Para-Dex EMS gear. NFPA is an international nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. As of 2018, the NFPA claims to have 50,000 members and 9,000 volunteers working with the organization through its 250 technical committees. The association publishes more than 300 consensus codes and standards that are intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. Distribution and Production More sales firepower was needed to hasten the company’s growth, so in 1989, Bill hired five dedicated sales personnel to promote their products to additional distributors. In that same year, the Rome plant was a hive of activity. In 1989, the factory’s production numbers reached 2,000 jackets and pants and 5,000 gloves every month. EACH NEW PRODUCT BECAME A SUCCESS THAT INCREASED REVENUE AND PROFITABILITY WHILE ALSO ENHANCING THE REPUTATION OF THE COMPANY. THE COMPANY WAS GAINING TRACTION IN THE MARKETPLACE.
The 1980s—More Products, More Market Share 63 A New Company Name: Fire-Dex T he Fire-Dex glove was the first of the company’s products to truly take hold in the marketplace. The glove was a game-changer, and its name resonated with customers. In the late 1980s, both Charlie Grossman and Bill Burke were considering how they could position Morgan Protective Apparel for greater success, and they began to discuss the possibility of changing the company’s name. Bill had the answer. He told Charlie, “The ‘Fire-Dex’ brand is strong. It’s putting us on the map. We should consider renaming Morgan Protective Apparel to Fire-Dex.” The name combines two words that are powerful signifiers for firefighting personnel, calling to mind the fires that they battle and the dexterity they need to accomplish their jobs with skill and safety. Dexterity (noun) • 1) skill or adroitness in using the hands or body; agility • 2) mental adroitness or skill; cleverness The gloves provide FIRE retardancy and DEXterity. The name, like the product, was a proven winner. In 1989, the company name changed to Fire-Dex. Promotion and Equity T his year was a watershed period for the company in another way, as well. A pivotal decision was made in 1989 when Charlie chose to focus his time and energy on his family’s business—NSA. In order for that to transpire, Charlie would need a proven leader to take the reins at Fire-Dex. It was not a hard choice. From the time that Bill first arrived at Fire-Dex, many new products had been introduced, each filling the coffers of the company in various ways. Charlie could hardly believe the improvements in the numbers, which were soaring across the board. Bill also had an operationally focused mindset that enabled the factory to achieve numerous efficiencies and increase its throughput. Sealing the deal, Bill was a natural leader, capable of creating a can-do culture that would motivate and empower employees, benefiting all stakeholders and raising the business to new heights. Charlie said to Bill, “You have been a very valuable asset to the company, and I know that you can help it to do even greater things. It’s time you become vice president of sales and marketing at Fire-Dex.” To further incentivize Bill to continue advancing the company on all fronts, Charlie provided Bill with equity in Fire-Dex. This “skin in the game” supplied an extra layer of motivation, but Bill already had all the drive he
64 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle needed. As Charlie would later reflect, “Under Bill’s stewardship, his teams developed outstanding customer relationships, and they were honest and trustworthy. They never scrimped on quality and always innovated to ensure the best protection for firefighters. In addition, he understood the financials. Bill was the right leader to bring Fire-Dex to prominence.” —Charlie Grossman Utilizing his sales experience, operations savvy, and hard-driving work ethic, Bill assumed his new responsibilities with enthusiasm and confidence. Time would prove him to be the right person for the job. In the years to come, Bill would lead the company while growing sales, enhancing manufacturing efficiencies, innovating, and creating a valued company culture. These factors combined to increase the company’s revenue, profit, and reputation in the marketplace. In the next decade, the company averaged an outstanding 15% growth rate as a result of the teams working together to accomplish more. No one was resting on their laurels. Instead, Fire-Dex was heading full speed ahead. WINNERS DON’T SUCCEED ONCE AND THEN QUIT. WINNERS KNOW THAT THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER GOAL, A HIGHER BAR, A GREATER STANDARD—AND THEY KEEP SWINGING FOR THE FENCES. BILL BURKE
The 1980s—More Products, More Market Share 65
66 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Growth is not the goal. Caring for first responders— our customers—is the goal. If we do that right, then growth comes as a result. Bill Burke
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 67 A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s The firefighters around the world have this great phrase. They say, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast,” and that is true. Everything I’ve accomplished in my life has been because of that attitude. —Jeff Bezos and lives. There is a lesson to be learned here. Growth is not the goal, but when you are suited to your environment, when you perfectly fulfill your function, then growth occurs as a result. In the 1990s, Fire-Dex took substantial strides toward suiting the company perfectly to its environment in the market, providing high-quality protective gear for first responders. The leadership focused on the company’s mission and function, and growth arrived in response. The 1990s was a definitive decade. Though • we faced plenty of challenges, the team responded promptly and professionally. Closing out the 1990s, the company was in stellar shape for the future. —Bill Burke While many companies display impressive longevity, none can compare to the endurance on display in nature—the Great Basin bristlecone pine, for instance, can reach an age of over 5,000 years old and is thought to be the oldest tree in existence. It’s hard to fathom a tree still alive and growing today that first sprouted in roughly 3000 B.C. The secret to the bristlecone pine’s exceedingly long life is its perfect suitability to its environment and its ability to withstand and even thrive in the harsh conditions that it inhabits—cold temperatures and high winds, which create dense wood. This pine tree is resistant to insects, fungi, rot, and erosion, and they can reach a height of fifty feet. Even the needles on these trees can last up to thirty years, meaning the tree can conserve energy by not having to produce new ones. Year after year, century after century, and millennia after millennia, the bristlecone pine grows, adapts,
68 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Fire-Dex rolled into the 1990s with significant progress from the past decade and continued that momentum as the last decade of the twentieth century began. On the positive side, orders were up, and with bunker gear in the portfolio, distributors were signing up, which widened the company’s market reach. However, this success brought attendant challenges, and Fire-Dex would soon face increasing orders that would stress the capacity of the manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia. Ultimately, this was a good problem to have, and the company responded in its typical fashion—with efficiency and excellence, meeting the need and serving the customers. Fire-Dex never missed a beat. A New Record I n 1992 came the biggest order that Fire-Dex had ever received. The fax machine could not print out an order exceeding 10,000 units, so the order arrived in two faxes—first 10,000 and immediately after that another 9,000, for a grand total of 19,000 fire coats ordered. An export agent in Chicago had worked with the state of São Paulo, Brazil, to secure this order. The Fire-Dex team was astonished and excited at the magnitude of the request. It would take a lot of work to pull together and meet this demand, but they were capable. It was time to prove the company could handle a capacity beyond any it had achieved before. Rising to the Occasion S uch a massive order would be a challenge to fulfill on all fronts. There were two main concerns to consider and devise solutions for. First, the company’s manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia, would be underequipped to fully handle such an order. So it was decided that the parent company, NSA, would manufacture one hundred coats per month at their plant in Cleveland, Ohio, and Fire-Dex’s Rome plant would manufacture another 900 coats per month. The second noteworthy obstacle was the fact that, at this time, Fire-Dex was only cutting fabric by hand, which was a highly inefficient process compared to the speed offered by technology. It was clear now that automated cutting equipment would be necessary to complete this order. Fortunately, this improvement could be rapidly implemented as the company had already begun to investigate sourcing the necessary equipment to automate this process. It was an investment in the company’s growth and future, and this major order confirmed the benefits of this upgrade. 10,000 9,000 ———— 19,000
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 69 Within just two months, the automated cutting machines were purchased, installed, and operational. This change dramatically accelerated the cutting process. The automation not only saved labor and time in manufacturing, but this also meant that margins would improve, allowing the company to have a more competitive price point for turnout gear— coats and pants. It was another significant development in the company’s history. Being “Lean” T his massive order and the resulting changes created an opportunity to examine other aspects of the company and consider how additional improvements could be made. To further streamline, Fire-Dex implemented “lean” manufacturing processes. The lean manufacturing process is a method for creating a more effective business by eliminating wasteful practices and improving efficiency. The lean process has principles that focus on improving products and services based on what customers want and value. It was a natural fit for the company’s goals. Being “lean” also meant listening to the associates at Fire-Dex. After all, who knew better the products and services that would best satisfy their customers? President Charlie Grossman and Rome plant manager Jeff Olney on the cover of Apparel Industry in October 1993
70 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Opportunities for Improvement, 1993 T o utilize knowledge and implement the recommended changes, the company began a process of listening to their valued associates and making the changes they proposed. “Opportunity for Improvement” (OFI) began, which is a very simple yet extremely effective tool. First, an associate writes down the task needing improvement, alteration, or even removal and submits this to his or her supervisor. The supervisor may need some clarification first or might decide to proceed with some additional due diligence. But if the supervisor approves of the change, the new OFI is implemented as quickly as possible. No need for a meeting; just do it. Many OFIs come from the workers in the manufacturing facilities, such as sewers, testers, and quality control personnel. These vital employees are front and center when it comes to making the gear, and they possess valuable firsthand knowledge of the areas where improvements can be made to improve efficiencies. For example, their recommendations can bring changes that speed up the process, reduce expenses, eliminate waste, and avoid redundancy. Likewise, associates in all departments of the company—sales, IT, warehousing, marketing, and HR—are motivated to improve the company in any manner possible. This creates a culture of collaboration and personal agency at Fire-Dex, where everyone can embrace the type of continuous improvement that brings benefits to all. To date, 70% of the Fire-Dex associates’ suggested OFIs have been implemented—a testimony to the powerful motivation and keen insights of Fire-Dex associates. OFIs have been a huge success, and they continue to improve the quality, innovation, responsiveness, and customer service at Fire-Dex. Customization With these new efficiencies in place, Fire-Dex could take the next step to remain competitive and serve the needs of customers— customizing their turnout gear. Prior to this, they had three cardboard patterns for firefighters: small, medium, and large. But the market was Automation controls in 1993
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 71 moving to allow for customized orders for each fireperson. “Made to order” and the personalized fit that it offered was now a reality at Fire-Dex. Eventually, the company would produce 90% of their orders to the specific measurements of each firefighter. Every firefighter gets measured and each fire department has defined specifications to select from: outer shells—20 types; moisture barrier—10 types; thermal Barrier—20 types; reflective trim—10 types; pockets—500 various placements; miscellaneous options—a hook-on fabric strap for a flashlight, the back of the coat has letters (OCFR), and the firefighter’s last name. Adding up the variations equates to over one million possibilities. How could Fire-Dex customize so many options to win orders, meet every firefighter’s unique needs and preferences, and handle all of these variations in a timely and efficient process? The answer was FireWriter. Automation at the manufacturing facility in 2023
72 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Another Breakthrough: FireWriter, 1997 T he complexity of the new customization process meant that the old system of creating and tracking orders was insufficient. A new resource was needed. To assist fire department customers with an easy ordering experience, structure the process, and minimize mistakes, Fire-Dex developed a software system for customer orders. Initially developed in 1997, the FireWriter software program was first delivered on a CD. For its time, it was a powerful and effective solution. Over the years, software advancements have been implemented that deliver significant rewrites to the program, keeping it up to speed with the latest developments and ensuring FireWriter remains the best-in-class automated ordering program in the PPE market. Today, all Fire-Dex customers use FireWriter software to order their turnout gear virtually, in the cloud.
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 73 New Plant: Medina, Ohio Our sales team really ramped up its activity when the Medina plant opened. Larger distributors and their customers took notice. We were the new kids on the block. But we made a name for ourselves, and there was no stopping us after that. —Dave Liana, CFO, Fire-Dex A s the end of the decade approached, the magnitude of received orders stressed the production capacity at Fire-Dex’s plant in Rome, Georgia. It was clear that additional manufacturing and warehousing space would be required to continue the company’s growth and accommodate the leadership’s plans for the future. To that end, the company acquired four acres in Medina, Ohio, close to the residences of Bill Burke and Charlie Grossman, CEO of NSA. Initially the new building on this property encompassed 30,000 square feet. Today, the plant comprises 60,000 square feet, with plans to expand further. The manufacturing facility in Medina before 1997 The facility in 2023
74 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle In 1997, when Fire-Dex opened its new, modern plant in Medina, Ohio, the company’s quality took another leap forward. As a distributor of fire safety equipment, we noticed this and shifted to them as our preferred PPE vendor. Steve Spath, President, Fire Safety Services Bill Burke pitching in
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 75 Circa 2006 Cutter, circa 2008 Current cutter, 2023
76 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Operations circa 2008 Manufacturing in 2023
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 77 Doing the Right Thing With the new plant in Medina operational, the Fire-Dex leadership reached a decision to close the Rome plant. In many cases, such a closure would displace a large number of workers. But Fire-Dex always takes care of its employees. What the leadership accomplished is a goal that all companies should strive for: finding the displaced workers another job. First, the company offered all fifty employees in Rome the option to move to Medina, Ohio, and work there instead. Only two applied, but neither ultimately decided to move. Did the company stop there? No. Fire-Dex contacted the Rome Chamber of Commerce and enlisted its assistance. The Chamber of Commerce readily stepped in, helping to line up jobs for these workers. Eight companies came to an arranged “hire day.” Former Fire-Dex employees were shocked but relieved to realize they had prearranged interviews for new jobs. Everyone who wanted a new job received one. Great companies do what is needed, all the time, to ensure their staff is valued. Not only is this the right thing to do, but it results in superior performance internally and externally. Board of Advisors I n 1996, Fire-Dex became a separate corporate entity from the original parent company, NSA. When this happened, Bill Burke knew that a board of advisors would be of immense benefit through their ability to assist in developing strategic vision and plans for the company. Over the next several years, this desire would come to fruition. In 2003, Bill brought in sound leadership from his Young Presidents’ Organization. These board members represented a wealth of expertise in manufacturing, marketing, and sales, creating a deep resource of sound counsel and experience to support Fire-Dex in its goals. The board of advisors has been instrumental in helping the leadership team at Fire-Dex. Over the years, they have pushed Fire-Dex to imagine alternate scenarios, posing “what if…?” queries that explore the bounds of possibility. These advisors have strengthened the due diligence process and improved the company’s execution of its plans, elevating Fire-Dex to ever greater heights. Fire-Dex’s board of advisors has been another key element in moving the company forward. Their vision, expertise, and commitment have proven to be extremely valuable. —Jim Kraus, attorney for Fire-Dex
78 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Samuel Foti, CEO, Hose Master and Fire-Dex Board Member B ill Burke and Samuel Foti both joined YPO the same year and formed a friendship about that time. Foti has now served twenty-five years on the Fire-Dex Board of Directors, helping and advising Burke as he grew the company. The leadership team at Fire-Dex has always lived by its values. As the longest-serving board member, Foti has strongly appreciated the Fire-Dex team for its effective management and efficiency. It has given the board the liberty to think aggressively and outside the box as we have moved Fire-Dex forward. As Foti has seen Burke’s two daughters assume leadership roles in the company, it has become obvious that the Burke legacy will continue at Fire-Dex for many years to come. As a long-serving Fire-Dex board member, we have faced many challenges along the way, but through it all, we made it successful. I’m on many boards, and few companies have such an efficient and well-managed team. Fire-Dex has artfully learned how to make fun out of work. —Sammy Foti Dave Liana, CFO T he 1990s were a milestone decade for another reason—a key associate, Dave Liana, joined the company in 1990. Dave began his career for Arthur Andersen and later worked as a corporate accountant for NSA. When the new Medina facility was being completed, Dave was the go-to person, handling with care and precision many of the tasks required at the new location. From unloading trucks to wiring computers, from hiring associates to equipping cubicles, and from purchasing office equipment to running the production facility when a manager could not be found, Dave excelled at accomplishing whatever task was needed. His thirty-plus years of tenure as a loyal, trusted advisor, coupled with his keen mind and financial acumen, earned him the title of Fire-Dex’s Chief Financial Officer in 2007. It’s a great company, with people who are passionate about manufacturing and servicing products to protect first responders. —Dave Liana, CFO, Fire-Dex
A Decade of Expansion: The 1990s 79 Starting the 21st Century Strong I n the years leading up to a new decade, the company was hitting its highest annual sales revenue in the company’s history, an impressive accomplishment, and was well positioned for continued growth. • O ver the years, a key ingredient in the company’s success—a factor that propelled sales in the early years and that does so even more dramatically today—has been the distributors who have formed positive relationships with fire departments across the country. Here is their part of the Fire-Dex story.
80 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. Henry Ford
Strong Links in the Chain: The Distributors 81 Strong Links in the Chain: The Distributors Our distributors are a critical part of the overall success of Fire-Dex. They are the best there is at what they do. —Bill Burke We have a mission, but at the end of the day, we are also a business. Our distributors play a vital role in ensuring that we can get our products into the hands of first responders—and stay a successful and growing business. —Dave Liana, CFO, Fire-Dex A nyone who knows how a chain works can examine the idea that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and see that this is a literal fact. Where the chain is weakest, the links will break apart, and the entire chain will fail. The transition of this practical idea into a general proverb came about in the eighteenth century when a man named Thomas Reid—a Scottish philosopher, joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh—brought it into the public awareness. In 1786, Reid wrote his book Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, which includes this line: “In every chain of reasoning, the evidence of the last conclusion can be no greater than that of the weakest link of the chain, whatever may be the strength of the rest.” For Fire-Dex, a chain stretches across a great many links to bring top-quality PPE to first responders, and it takes teamwork and collaboration to create this chain and to keep it intact. Every link in the chain has to be strong, and it is. Many of these vital, powerful links in the chain are contained in the company’s distributor network. From its inception, Fire-Dex has built • enduring relationships with the company’s distributor network, which supplies fire equipment to municipalities and fire departments around the world. These distributors are the sales channel that encompasses direct sales and marketing, and they are a key ingredient in the formula for success that Fire-Dex has developed.
82 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Without the distributors, it wouldn’t matter how excellent Fire-Dex’s products are because there would be a missing link in the supply chain—and the fire equipment would not actually end up in the hands of the people who need to use it while saving lives. Because of this, Fire-Dex greatly values its distributors and the relationships formed with them over time, just as the distributors have likewise put time and effort into building lasting connections for selling and marketing Fire-Dex products. Herein we will highlight a few of Fire-Dex’s highly valued distributors. Fire Safety Services Having been in business for over sixty years, Fire Safety Services, which is based in Huntsville, Ohio, is one of the premier suppliers to fire departments and cities across the state of Ohio. During their years of service, they have worked with many fire equipment manufacturers. In the early 1990s, Fire-Dex approached Fire Safety Services about a distributor relationship. Not yet being a major player in turnout gear, Fire-Dex was unable to sign up the company. However, when Fire-Dex’s new manufacturing facility opened in Medina, Ohio, the resulting advancements in production and quality caught the attention of Fire Safety Services. Steve Spath, CEO of this family-owned company, recalls, “As a distributor of fire safety equipment, we were looking for the best possible partners to service first responders. In 1997, we shifted to Fire-Dex as our preferred PPE vendor, and we are so glad we did.” Within only three years, Fire-Dex became this company’s primary supplier of bunker gear. Over the decades that have followed, this partnership has flourished. It has been a relationship built on trust, loyalty, and professionalism. Over the 25 years we have worked together, the Fire-Dex team has reacted quickly, thoroughly, and efficiently. They are a remarkable company. —Steve Spath, CEO, Fire Safety Services
Strong Links in the Chain: The Distributors 83 Municipal Emergency Services Municipal Emergency Services (MES) is another top distributor of Fire-Dex PPE. The relationship between distributor and supplier began in 2016, and in a few short years, Fire-Dex became the number one PPE supplier for MES. It is now a strong and effective partnership, with all signs pointing to many productive years ahead. One example of the responsiveness that Fire-Dex strives to deliver occurred when Fire-Dex was able to step in for MES in a moment of need. A customer who MES had in Texas was very unhappy with an order from another PPE supplier. “I got Fire-Dex involved and they processed a shipment of twelve sets of turnout gear in just seventy-two hours,” mentions Thomas Hubregsen of MES. “That customer then became a dedicated Fire-Dex user.” In my years of working with Fire-Dex, MES has been extremely pleased with their performance. From their quality and innovation to their excellent customer service, they are truly best-in-class. —Thomas Hubregsen, CEO, MES MES being proactive. 2019 MES Distributor Academy
84 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle C. W. Williams & Company A fter visiting with Fire-Dex at an industry trade show in 1993, C. W. Williams & Company came away impressed. C. W. Williams was looking for a turnout line and its people liked the fact that Fire-Dex was a relatively small organization and hungry for business, yet highly capable and already possessed of a good reputation. Drawing on sixty-five years as a fire apparatus and equipment dealer, their experience told them that Fire-Dex would be a solid fit for their company. This intuition proved sound, as the years have shown. Alan Langley, vice president and general manager, observes how Fire-Dex never misses a beat. “We receive grants from the state of North Carolina annually with very specific delivery dates,” Langley says. “Other vendors did not pay attention to these deadlines. Fire-Dex has never missed a delivery in twenty years straight.” We have placed thousands of orders with Fire-Dex over thirty years of doing business with them. From the very beginning, it has been an absolutely wonderful relationship. —Alan Langley, Vice President and General Manager, C. W. Williams You don’t need to choose between elite protection and saving money with our FXM Standard Design. 574 ENGLISH ROAD | ROCKY MOUNT, NC 27804 CWWILLIAMSFIRE.COM TURNOUT MATERIALS Armor AP™ Stedair® 3000 Milliken® ResQ CoreCXP™ 2L TURNOUT FEATURES Thermoplastic Zippers Survivor® Flashlight Holder 3” Reflective Trim, Lime DEXFLEX™ Elbows Knit Wrist with Thumb Loop Semi Bellow Hand-Warmer with Fleece Lining Modern Tapered Hem H-Back Padded Suspenders with Cam Lock Full Bellow Pant Pockets with Rolled Flap DEXFLEX™ Knees with Foam Padded Knee Tapered Boot Cuff $1429.00
Strong Links in the Chain: The Distributors 85 REV Fire Group Many manufacturers today do not provide good customer service. Fire-Dex does! —Bert McCutcheon, Vice President, REV Fire Group R EV Group Inc. is an American manufacturer of ambulances, buses, firefighting vehicles, recreational vehicles, and other specialty vehicles. The company has yearly revenue of over $1 billion. REV Fire Group, part of REV Group, not only makes fire trucks, but also sells loose equipment. Early on, REV Fire Group purchased fire gloves from Fire-Dex. Allen Rom later worked with Bert McCutcheon, vice president of REV Fire Group, to get the two companies re-engaged. REV Fire Group switched to Fire-Dex for its gear in 2000, and this has been a successful partnership ever since. “Fire-Dex has performed very well,” Bert says. “They are at the top of their game.” Fire-Dex and REV Fire Group have enjoyed a great relationship, based on mutual responsiveness and efforts to help both companies maintain and grow their business. In the 2000s, REV Fire Group became one of Fire-Dex’s largest distributors. “They never took our relationship for granted,” Bert adds. “Fire-Dex has been very generous and appreciative of our business.” Fire-Dex treats us like part of their family. —Bert McCutcheon, Vice President, REV Fire Group
86 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Great West Fire, Inc. A fter working for two of Fire-Dex’s competitors from 2002 to 2009, Kaleb Winsheimer set up his own turnout gear manufacturer’s representative company, Great West Fire, Inc., and began acquiring other lines of fire safety equipment to sell. In 2020, Great West switched to Fire-Dex as a manufacturer and supplier of turnout gear. Fire-Dex has proven nimble and aggressive, exhibiting a can-do, positive attitude. The Fire-Dex team operates with honesty and integrity, eager to expand the business by producing innovative new products and growing its customer base. What I appreciate most about Fire-Dex is that they really listen to their customers and their willingness to customize their turnout gear to each specific firefighter. —Kaleb Winsheimer, President and CEO, Great West Fire, Inc. Fire-Dex takes its business very seriously, but the company also sees its teams and extended network of partners as much more than mere cogs in a machine—these are family and friends. These relationships have developed over time, over decades in some cases, and they are valued for the treasures that they are. The teams at Fire-Dex look forward to many more successful years of partnering with their prized distributors.
Strong Links in the Chain: The Distributors 87 Fire-Dex is not only a vendor to C. W. Williams, but they are true friends. Alan Langley Vice President and General Manager C. W. Williams
88 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle Firemen never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved. Unknown
New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s 89 New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well. —Jeff Bezos I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies. —Lawrence Bossidy When Y2K arrived at midnight on January 1, 2000, the impending collapse of civilization’s infrastructure that many had feared— prompting stockpiles of food, water, and other supplies across the country—never materialized. Yet the very next year, on September 11, 2001, a tragedy struck that blindsided the nation with a massive shockwave whose ripple effects are still being felt today. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 claimed the lives of 2,977 people, including 343 Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) firefighters and one New York Fire patrolman, hailing from seventy-five different firehouses across the city. According to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, this represented the largest loss of life of any emergency response agency in history. In addition to the 343 New York firefighters who died that day facing the unimaginable threats of blazing fires, smoke inhalation, and collapsing buildings, over 300 additional first responders have since died from diseases that they contracted while working at the site of the World Trade Center after the disaster. “Never forget” became the call to remember and memorialize the fallen, honoring their sacrifice and bravery. At Fire-Dex, the mission continued—to provide such courageous firefighters with the equipment to protect them to the greatest possible extent as they put their lives on the line day after day. •
90 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle 2000 B y 2000, the company’s sixty-fifth employee was hired. Though still a relatively small organization, the Fire-Dex team members were all passionately committed. Every one of them believed in their mission: creating quality gear to protect those who protect others. “We were all in one building,” recalls Allen Rom, director of International Sales. “We were making gloves, hoods, then coats and pants.” The team was like one big family working toward a common goal. The 2000s would be a major decade for FireDex, with a number of milestones along the way. 2001 A boost to the company’s sales came in 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In the aftermath, the federal government’s Department of Homeland Security and FEMA recognized the need to better support first responders and prepare for other large-scale disasters. With this aim, they began to set aside grants for rural fire departments as well as larger urban fire departments. “Many fire departments were now able to buy items they had not been able to afford before,” Allen Rom says. “Fire-Dex was there to meet the need.” 9/11 Memorial, New York City
New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s 91 Fire-Dex was committed to serving these new customers and providing the best quality gear to them, with the level of customization and service that had become the company’s hallmark. With the grants for fire departments came an uptick in sales for Fire-Dex, and the company rose to the needs of the moment. In addition, many new distributors were entering the market to utilize these federal programs, and they needed products to sell. Fire-Dex acted on this opportunity and formed new connections and partnerships, and the quantity of dealers grew dramatically. Sales Growth O ver the decade, Fire-Dex performed extremely well. The company saw annual double-digit growth in the 2000s, which allowed for helpful changes. For example, with this growth, Fire-Dex was able to hire a marketing professional and have a creative web presence. “In 2000, we had one internet access point,” Allen Rom recalls. “I had my own personal laptop from CompUSA.” That would soon change. Part of the company’s growth strategy was to make it look bigger than it was, such as establishing a pronounced presence at trade shows. At the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference training and trade shows, Fire-Dex attended as a vendor and would release new products at these conferences. “On Monday through Sunday, there would be training, and then four days of the trade show,” Allen Rom says. “There would be hundreds of booths, attracting 30,000 people, and many of them would come see Fire-Dex.” Fire-Dex made great use of its presence at these conferences. More on that soon. 2002: Modular Production System A Toyota Sewing System—which is a type of Modular Production System—was implemented at Fire-Dex in 2002, greatly improving efficiency. The system required all associates to stand instead of sit, greatly improving their physicality. Most of them lost weight and improved their stamina. One husband came to Bill Burke at a company picnic and thanked him because his wife was not as tired at the end of the work day and able to cook again! No microwaved TV dinners anymore! In this type of production system, a group of people—generally between four and seven— work together as a team, or module, to produce a completed garment. Each team member assists the others, usually working on more than one operation, and that team is wholly accountable for its production and quality. The successful module is able to finish garments quickly and work as a unit.
92 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle The Modular Production System typically features a U-shaped layout with a greater number of workstations than operators, so the operators can move between them as needed to speed up the process and complete the garment. The workers have to be very skilled, as each person performs two to four different operations, moving between the machines. The workflow is sequential and productivity is high. Advantages of the system include its cost savings, flexibility, faster throughput time, reduced floor space, improved quality of product, and increased team spirit and associate safety. The company and the associates were making more money—a true win-win. This system has been a resounding success at Fire-Dex. The Toyota Sewing System has dramatically improved our manufacturing efficiencies and quality. —John Karban, VP of Operations, Fire-Dex Modular Production System for garment production
New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s 93 Early to Mid-2000s I n 2003, Fire-Dex experienced 32% growth over a couple of years. The company was expanding rapidly, finding new customers, and continuing to serve the needs of existing customers. In 2006, Fire-Dex released its dual-certified NFPA-compliant USAR Gear (urban search and rescue gear). This, along with other new product offerings, continued the Fire-Dex tradition of specifying products to the unique needs of the people served. The Testing Lab When John Karban began working for Fire-Dex in 2003, Bill Burke started talking about setting up a testing lab at the Medina site. This would allow Fire-Dex to do its own testing on products before sending them to third-party testing labs in the hopes of lessening the cycles of testing with regulatory bodies as well as helping it become more efficient with our time and financial resources. The Fire-Dex testing lab, completed in 2005, was created by converting two restrooms into a usable space. A complete team tests the designs as well as the materials. Composites— fabrics and other raw material—are tested to ensure these meet the quality standards for the rigors of firefighting. The lab also tests Fire-Dex’s new designs to make sure they meet quality and performance expectations as well as NFPA standards. Fire-Dex tests the overall liquid integrity, thermal protective performance (TPP), seam strength, and abrasive properties of fabrics and reinforcing materials and performs flame and oven tests and product endurance through wash/dry cycles. The lab is also used for firefighter education. Our testing lab has been a key element in allowing us to continue to move up the value chain by supplying innovative fabrics and materials with superior designs for firefighters. —John Karban
94 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle 2006 I n 2006, Charlie Grossman was ready to retire from Fire-Dex and offered Bill Burke the opportunity to acquire his shares of the company. First, a valuation was established and sent out to other potential investors to ensure equality in this matter. Twelve offers came in to buy the shares; one was from Bill with a minority partner, who successfully concluded the transaction. 2008: Chieftain Safety Manufacturing I n 2008, Fire-Dex made a strategic acquisition that would allow the company to continue growing and further serve its customers. Fire-Dex bought Chieftain Safety Manufacturing, a provider of top-quality firefighter protective gear, from an Argentine private equity firm. Chieftain was based in Miami with a warehouse in San Antonio and production facilities in central Mexico. They manufactured turnouts, firefighting PPE coats and pants, and helmets—this last element a key product that Fire-Dex was not previously producing. Helmets were a strategic piece of the portfolio that was needed, and Chieftain had a large amount of inventory. The company had been on the market for a while, as the Argentine firm’s primary business was in the military and security segments, such as producing Kevlar ballistic plates for helicopters. John Karban, VP of operations for Fire-Dex, went to Mexico to oversee Chieftain. Fire-Dex now had low-cost manufacturing capabilities in central Mexico, and a new product offering with these helmets. There were one hundred associates working at the Mexico facility at the time of purchase, but today that number has more than doubled. The acquisition allowed Chieftain manufacturing in Fire-Dex Mexico facility
New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s 95 for a broader market presence, a more comprehensive product line, best-in-class distribution, and greater manufacturing capacity. The combined entity was based at Fire-Dex’s headquarters in the Cleveland suburb of Medina, Ohio, and had approximately 200 employees between Medina and Chieftain’s production facility in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Fire-Dex intended to run Fire-Dex and Chieftain as separate operations and separate brands. “We are thrilled about this acquisition, which is a major event in our industry and for our customers, distributors, and suppliers,” Bill Burke said. “The transaction makes Fire-Dex a larger, stronger company and creates new opportunities for our people and our partners.” 2008: FX Gear at FDIC F ire-Dex announced its newest and most lightweight and flexible product line—FX Gear. FX Gear was launched with a one-ofa-kind event, “Take the Fire-Dex Challenge,” at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) that was held from April 10-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana. FDIC is the world’s largest firefighter training conference and exhibition with more than 30,000 firefighters attending the previous year. The FDIC is also one of the largest trade exhibits Indianapolis hosts annually. “We wanted to develop an event for FDIC that showcased the revolutionary comfort and flexibility of our FX Gear,” said Bill Burke. “‘Take the Fire-Dex Challenge’ shows that firefighters can aggressively maneuver in a physically demanding situation while wearing FX Gear.” In the Challenge, firefighters wore FX Gear while competing against an opponent in a firefighter-inspired obstacle course for the chance to win the grand prize, a Fire-Dex’s custombuilt, one-of-a-kind Orange County Choppers bike called “Heat of the Battle” (Orange County Choppers is one of the world’s premier builders of custom motorcycles. The company was Chieftain Gear FX Gear
96 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle founded in 1999 by Paul Teutul Sr. and Paul Teutul Jr. The Teutuls catapulted to fame with a popular reality TV show called “American Chopper” that featured the Orange County Choppers shop. OCC has produced other high-profile, custom-theme bikes for major names in corporate America such as Intel, Sunoco, and Hewlett-Packard.) The FX Gear line is significant because of three custom comfort features: the ergonomic leg, arms-forward design, and seamless collar. The ergonomic leg, designed with the wearer’s comfort in mind, is shaped in a forward firefighting position and allows for an increased range of movement. The arms-forward design is patterned to mimic an active firefighter, and the seamless collar offers less bulk with its smaller size and has an improved interface with the SCBA face mask. The unique collar does not require a separate throat strap, which many firefighters don’t close properly. “FX Gear gives firefighters the freedom of movement they need by providing the newest developments in comfort technology that fit and move with the firefighter, making movements easier than ever before and improving the overall feel of their gear,” Burke added. “This gear is unlike anything else on the market; it is lightweight and flexible, while providing what matters most for firefighters: superior protection for the heat of the battle.” Participants who chose to take the “Fire-Dex Challenge” and completed the obstacle course were also entered into a drawing to win a set of FX Turnout Gear autographed by Paul Teutul Sr. 2008: “Heat of the Battle” and Orange County Choppers at FDIC T he “Heat of the Battle” motorcycle turned out to be a huge hit at the FDIC. It was custom-built from a T-Rex Softail frame, had a 100-cubic-inch S&S engine with Final Belt Drive, and offered a 24-inch seat height. It also had a one-of-a-kind paint scheme from
New Century, New Opportunities: The 2000s 97 Nub Grafix that incorporated the unique PBI Matrix fabric Fire-Dex uses to create FX Gear surrounded by a flame motif. The firefighter-inspired, custom-painted and chromed parts included a mural dedicated to the brave New York firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11 and an American flag representative of firefighters’ spirit of patriotism. “We wanted to build a bike inspired by firefighters for a firefighter to win at FDIC,” Bill Burke said. “We also wanted to celebrate the developments in comfort technology that FX Gear brings to the personal protective equipment industry.” “Anytime we get to build a bike that pays tribute to the brave men and women of our country, it is always such an honor. Building the Fire-Dex ‘Heat of the Battle’ bike was no exception.” —Paul Teutul Sr. The “Heat of the Battle” was presented to Fire-Dex President Bill Burke at the event by Paul Teutul Sr., who rode the bike through the convention hall led by bagpipes and signed autographs at Fire-Dex’s booth. The chopper was given to an active firefighter, and all of this was a wonderful way for Fire-Dex to engage with the industry, customers, and community that it believes in and supports. Paul Teutul Sr. on the “Heat of the Battle”chopper at the convention
98 Fire-Dex Protection for the Heat of the Battle A Decade of Awards & Recognition With the company’s continued gains in revenue, profitability, and market share due to its exceptional quality in products and service, Fire-Dex was repeatedly recognized by industry and community organizations through the decade of the 2000s. The Fire-Dex team did not rest on their laurels, always reaching for the next goal, but still these were occasions to pause and be thankful for all the hard work of the associates and the high standards of excellence that brought the company to this point. As Bill Burke put it, “It is an honor to be selected for so many awards. They reflect the hard work and dedication that the company and its associates have devoted to our success. We have enjoyed multiple continuous years of profitable double-digit growth and look forward to even more in the future.” The continual growth and the company’s impressive level of recognition came as a result of ongoing efforts by Fire-Dex that could be summed up in one phrase: doing things the right way. From its founding, team members have taken their responsibility seriously, knowing that more than their reputation is on the line as they complete their work to the very best of their ability. At Fire-Dex, they treat their customers, associates, and vendors the right way. —Jim Kraus, attorney for Fire-Dex