by Tristin Vaccaro
After doing a quick inventory of the materials they already had and evaluating the rising demand for products that prevented the spread of the virus, Trussworks had their answer. Acting quickly, Hess began by sketching a hand sanitizer dispenser stand. Within just a few days, the stand went from a design on a page to a completed prototype. In less than two weeks after that, the product was ready to go to market. By utilizing their existing stock of steel and leveraging existing relationships with suppliers to source dispensers, Trussworks was able to manufacture large quantities of the stands in a short amount of time. With supply lines secured and materials sourced when others could not, Trussworks was ready to roll out their new product line. Well, not quite.
A new product meant selling to a new market. Trussworks’ couldn’t rely on tradeshow dealers to bring thousands of dispenser-stands to the right customer base. “We knew who the buyers were, we just needed to figure out a way to get in front of them,” says Hess. Again pivoting, Trussworks took their product to janitorial supply companies and educational suppliers, those who already had the ear of the buyers, to get the product sold. Making these new connections required many hours on the phone and constant emails with an entirely new audience that was unfamiliar to Trussworks and
With the success of the sanitizer dispenser stands, Trussworks was able to remain on the stable ground they had been building upon before the pandemic. Instead of focusing on how to stay alive, they were able to continue their growth and acquisition strategy. Perhaps the most exciting? Trussworks is proud to announce they are the exclusive distributor of Prism Lighting Solutions in the U.S. Their lighting solutions range from industry-leading flexible strip lighting to award-winning arm lights, lightbox modules and DMX special effects lighting. “There are even new products that we developed during the pandemic that we haven’t even announced yet,” teases Hess.
To further their growth strategy and supplement these product line additions, Trussworks added two new staff members. Roman Moszkowicz
Trussworks is proud to celebrate these newfound successes, especially during such a challenging time for the events industry, but it was not without challenges and hard work. Hess continues to work seven days a week to improve and grow the industry he loves. He credited Trussworks’ success on their ability to act quickly, invest strategically and trust their gut. When asked what advice he would give to other businesses if a similar situation were to ever happen again, Hess offers, “Use every minute of every day moving forward. Those who sit around waiting for things to happen will still be sitting there while those who take action blow past them.” When all is said and done, Hess truly believes the entire experience made Trussworks a better company.
“I’d like to think we had a ‘secret sauce’ for coming out of the pandemic stronger and more vibrant than when we went in,” says Hess. As for what exactly that “secret sauce” is, Hess won’t tell. It’s probably a combination of willingness to adapt, mixed with strategic acquisitions, a lot of teamwork and possibly even a dash of luck. It’s hard to know for sure, but it’s the secret sauce that will continue to propel Trussworks forward.
Since 1991, Trussworks has produced high-quality steel truss systems for the display industry. Their systems are known for their superior strength, ease and speed of assembly, and of course, clean and stylish looks. Over the years, they have added several product lines to their traditional systems. Every system they design adheres to the four principles which embodied their first product lines. For more info, visit trussworks.com.
Tristin Vaccaro is an experienced copywriter, marketer and sales executive with experience in the live event and security industry. She has recently launched her own freelance copywriting firm and can be reached at tristin.vaccaro@gmail.com.