Website: www.indrub.com.au
In October I took a drive out to see William from I.R.S. (OMP6) to check out their new warehouse and showroom. Here is a business that grew from its original base in Perth and has expanded into Brisbane and now Sydney while shipping products all over the world. I.R.S specialise in “Value Adding” to engineered purpose built solutions such as rubber, hardware, tapes and sealant products.
What struck me was the progress the business has made under William’s direction since completing the Owner Manager Program two years ago. Their warehouse is now five times bigger than what it was two years ago, they have implemented Lean, improved their systems, launched several new products, expanded their online business, and developed their management team.
From a systems perspective, I.R.S. have customised their software implementations so their online platforms including web and eBay now talk to their accounting system, which in turn automates the picking and packing of orders. It was amusing to find SEO optimisation and a photo studio within an industrial goods business. It reminded me more of fast fashion and Princess Polly and I was asking who the hand model was for the various locking, hydraulic and custom slider products. Photo studios are now an essential element in many businesses with clear product representations an important part of online sales.
The implementation of Lean and the development of the management team and an operations manager have freed up William to focus on further expansion and new product development – something that he really enjoys (and in my opinion is pretty darn good at).
What is interesting about their product mix, is the focus on niche markets and product applications. For years marketing practitioners have spoken of “gaps in the market” but had to assess “was there a market in the gap”, i.e. was the market segment big enough to support the marketing and distribution costs required to reach the target audience. I.R.S. is a great example of how the use of technology and social allow very targeted marketing to access niche markets globally, while freight and logistics have developed to provide more cost effective and timely delivery. I.R.S. now ship their products all over the world.
Overall, William is a great example of what can be achieved when you have a good solid business, but develop, tweak and scale it based on tried and proven processes as taught in the Australian Owner Manager Program.
For more information about I.R.S. and their products visit www.indrub.com.au.
