In 2017, a few weeks after we opened the doors of 3S-Superior Sealing Services (3S), Hurricane Harvey inundated Houston and surrounding counties with more water than we have ever seen.
Unable to get to our business for days, we sat at home looking at webcams and newscasts, wondering what we would face when we got back to our location near the upper fork of Greens Bayou. It’s a notoriously flood-prone waterway that we knew was over the banks. Several days after the rain stopped, we were able to return. To our surprise, we only had a few inches of water in a portion of the warehouse and there was no damage to any of the equipment.
We felt fortunate that our new business was still in working order. So, with a few employees, several brooms and great relief, we cleaned up and hit the ground running. We immediately began selling our gaskets to anyone who needed them. We built a customer network on existing relationships and created partnerships that allowed us to showcase our ability as a premier gasket manufacturer. We worked hard that first year to bring an alternative selling model to the gasket manufacturing world with speed, quality and great customer service.
As the second year rolled around, 3S’s service and quality stood out even more. However, it was our commitment to only sell through distribution, not to end users, that piqued more and more interest from distributors nationwide. Distributors realized that 3S does not compete with them for their customers. Moreover, 3S realized that distributors add value with their unique understanding of local end-user needs due to their long-standing relationships with these companies. In return, 3S adds value back to our distributors by meeting their urgent gasket demands. This allows distributors to take care of their customers, who are often in a time crunch to get specific specialty gaskets in a timely manner to complete a project or a shutdown. This is a great fit for our clients who also want to thrive through this superior service model.
An important part of our growth occurred once we were able to get on the Approved Manufacturer List (AML) for end users. When our distributors recognized the benefit of increased service levels to their own customers, our distributor demand shot up. We feel fortunate that so many of the larger end users recognize our expertise, quality and speed of service. At 3S, we help our customers help their customers.
Now, over six years later, 3S has expanded its manufacturing and warehouse storage space from 20,000 square feet to over 50,000 square feet. This has enabled us to increase production capacity to meet the demand for our high-quality gaskets and to prepare for market growth opportunities, propelling 3S to new heights. 3S continues to innovate and invest in state-of-the-art equipment and technology to improve efficiency and maintain product quality. With our larger facility we can spread out, enhance operational efficiency and work with even greater speed and accuracy to serve our customers.
This commitment to innovation ensures that 3S is well equipped to handle increased production volumes. The cornerstone of our successful growth comes from implementing advanced technologies, such as automated equipment, data analytics, and testing and engineering expertise, allowing us to streamline processes, improve production output and get our product out the door.
None of 3S’s success is possible without our skilled and knowledgeable workforce. They are crucial to our mission which is why we invest so much in training programs, equipping existing employees with the necessary skills for new technologies and processes. Additionally, we hire new talent as needed, ensuring the workforce is capable of meeting increased production demands.
Our customers also tell me they appreciate that 3S’s management is visible and contactable. They know they can pick up the phone or send an email and get a real person who knows them and will handle their requests. Our business model has a "know-our -customer" policy that allows us to continue to have that personal touch.
For more information, visit 3sgaskets.com.
