This high quality aluminum ladder system dominates the market.
When you think about washing your second-story windows, do you get a lump in your throat? Do you have flashes of a ladder wobbling and a painful fall?
This year, reach for a Little Giant® and worry no more. Of infomercial fame, Wing Enterprises’ Little Giant® ladder is the best-selling ladder system in the United States. It is said to be four times more durable than any other ladder and can be configured into 24 positions to meet any high (or low) reach challenge.
Hydro Aluminum provides aluminum extrusions and fabrication that help make the Little Giant® the reliable, lightweight phenomenon it is today.
From humble beginnings
In the 1970s, Hal Wing invested everything he had in a German inventor’s ladder prototype, brought it to the U.S., and ran his new business out of a garage. He dubbed the ladder Little Giant and was immensely successful, single-handedly selling a half-million dollars worth of product the first year. Later, he made improvements to the ladder: A special, strong hinge makes reconfiguration a breeze; a trapezoidal step can be used as a tool platform or mini-scaffold; and flared side rails at both ends of the ladder improve safety.
By 2003, Wing had sales of $20 million a year and had secured such big-name clients as Payless Shoes, AT&T, and the U.S. Air Force. Little did Wing know he was about to soar even higher.
Reaching higher with Hydro
In early 2004, Wing wanted to boost sales through an infomercial. Within months of the initial airing, orders increased ten-fold and Wing Enterprises couldn’t produce enough to meet demand.
Enter Hydro Aluminum. In the two years leading up to the infomercial, Hydro had convinced Wing to second-source its extrusions. Hydro provided lineal extrusions for the ladder’s side rails and hinge plates and had become their number one supplier.
“Hydro proved that they were one of the best suppliers in the Western United States. Their on-time delivery and quality were excellent and remain so to this day,” said Jeff Dinsdale, Vice President of Purchasing, Wing Enterprises.
With the onset of unprecedented demand generated by the infomercial, Hydro quickly ramped up production.
Art Wing, son of founder Hal Wing and the company’s Executive Vice President, explained: “With our explosive growth, we relied heavily on our partners for help. Hydro was one of them. Hydro worked creatively with us, finding ways to meet new deadlines, new schedules and new financial terms.”
After the first rush of orders, however, things did not settle down. In fact, sales have been brisk and growing ever since. The new iteration of the infomercial features actor Richard Karn (aka Al Borland of TV’s hit show, Tool Time), pushing sales and popularity even higher. There is great demand for them in retail venues, so Sears, True Value and a host of other distribution channels are opening up.
A need to outsource
“With the immense and continued ramp-up in production, manufacturing floor space is at a premium. We just didn’t have enough to meet the volume of orders coming in,” explained Dinsdale. “We were interested in outsourcing some of the production work and Hydro fit the bill. They were our top supplier in all areas – quality, delivery and customer service.”
Hydro started manufacturing rungs at its Guaymas, Mexico facility in February 2004. Hydro is the first and only Wing supplier to be entrusted with any kind of fabrication work, and maintains the lowest rejection rate among Wing’s suppliers at less
than 0.5%.
The future
Wing will continue to fly. “Our growth is expected to continue. We are selling ladders in 26 countries today,” said Wing’s Executive VP Art Wing.
Wing Enterprises needs partners to grow with it. “Hydro has been an incredible partner. They have been flexible in every way and have impressed us with their drive to please,” explained Dinsdale. “I have had countless personal visits from people from all aspects of Hydro’s business – management, engineering and the like. Their personal contact and focus on customer service is a real plus.”
