Team, Wow, October was a blur! We all have so much going on and so many challenges in our businesses to address as we close out 2021 and prepare for 2022. The chaos created by supply chain issues, severe labor shortages and the new Executive Order 14042 requiring COVID protocols for all government contractors (just to name a few issues), has us all on edge and somewhat stressed.
As I told my Management Team at Spacesaver this past week, we will get through this; we always do as long as we continue to work together, respect each other, adapt, have empathy, and focus on what we can control. Our teams at Spacesaver continue to work tirelessly for you and we know that your teams are equally engaged. We need to remember to treat all with the respect and admiration they deserve. As you know, this chaos is not unique to Spacesaver; we are all in this together.
To further ground us, it is the season to give thanks and we, as The Spacesaver Group, have so much to be thankful for. We have really been blessed in so many ways, professionally and personally.
Please enjoy Thanksgiving with your family and friends and always keep those who are less fortunate or hurting in your thoughts and prayers.
God bless, Mark Haubenschild | President/CEO
Spacesaver Scorecard
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we are all thankful for the Spacesaver Group! October gave us another unbelievable month, with 18 PARs exceeding their monthly quota, led by Patterson Pope who entered nearly $1.8 million in new orders across their PARs. Bradford Systems had another outstanding month as well, submitting $1.1 million in October (207%). With this tremendous month, P2 now sits just under $15 million for the year (104% of YTD quota incoming orders), with Southwest Solutions Group at $7.4 million (99% YTD quota) and Bradford Systems is over $7.3 million (129% YTD quota). Through October, StorageLOGIC leads at 314% of quota YTD…but Diversified Storage Solutions is hot on their heels at 257%! Plus, the entire Spacesaver Group is at 111% of YTD quota for incoming orders, with 19 PARs over 100% and another three at 92%+. This is shaping up to be a phenomenal 2021!!!
Patterson Pope also led the way in shipments with nearly $1.5 million…$677,000 of which went to the Carolinas. They now sit just under $13 million for the year in shipments, with two months left to crack the $15 million mark! Interior Solutions (279%), Midwest Storage Solutions (227%) and Spacesaver Systems MD (212%) all had great months, which kept their pace on the leaderboard for the year. Midwest Storage Solutions tops out at 185% YTD, Interior Solutions is right behind at 172%, MOTUS Space Solutions is within striking distance at 149% and Spacesaver Systems MD is within earshot at 147%. The entire Spacesaver Group is at 94% through October and we expect to close that gap down the stretch!
We hope everyone gets some time off to reflect and give thanks for all that we have been blessed with in 2021…and re-energize to close out 2021 with a bang!
The Team has FOCUS: 2022
As we switch our FOCUS from 2021 to 2022, you’re going to see many familiar things—as well as a lineup of plans to set us up for the future. You’re going to see/hear words such as reflection, forward-thinking, new approaches, ignite, vision, and more. We’re excited to have our 2022 rally cry finalized and look forward to rolling that out to all of you. Here are a couple hints as to what to expect: 2022 is our 50th anniversary, we are going to celebrate what we’ve accomplished while laying the foundation for future success, and we’re going to take our eyes off the rear-view mirror and look out at all that’s to come through the windshield! What mark are you ready to leave on the success of Spacesaver?
Vertical Market Updates
Museum
What were the fan favorites at NeoCon 2021? Nantucket Drawers and Trays! Visitors to our booth were very interested in our latest storage solution and its many applications. We were even featured in Green Building and Design’s (gb&d) article, “NeoCon 2021: 6 Sustainable Products We Love.”
Next Museum call: November 16 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Want to strategize? Contact Ben Adamitus.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Since before 2018, Garry Bashore (DSS) had been working with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to sole source the new Pennsylvania State Archives project on State of Pennsylvania contract. The project required specialized engineering and stringent load and cycle testing which was successfully accomplished with a cross-functional team at Spacesaver. Check out the photo for a glimpse of the finished product. A perfect example of teamwork and that no project is too big or too complex!
Agriculture
As cannabis legalization expands in the U.S., so do our efforts to reach existing and future growers. Not only are states that have allowed cultivators to grow allowing more and more growers to join in—so are states that have historically “locked down” cultivators. In the next few months, Spacesaver will be beefing up our efforts and customizing messaging to reach growers that fall into every category of legalization:
Fully legal states that are adding licenses
States that allow medicinal but are expanding to (or contemplating) recreational
States that are facing legislation changes that may open doors to cultivation soon
Stay tuned as this campaign takes shape and is executed. For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to Amanda Wollin.
That’s a wrap, folks!! The Spacesaver team just wrapped up the production of a GROW Mobile System educational video that walks viewers through through our ActiveRAC 3 and WideSpan GROW products. In this 6ish minute video, you will learn about the features and benefits of choosing Spacesaver, get a visual for how accessories integrate with our system, and so much more. This video is intended for sales reps to use when meeting with prospective clients—but could also be used to help educate new team members. Stay tuned as we release this, as well as other new GROW market, sales tools and assets—coming to your inbox soon!
Brian Grimm is here to share ideas and provide insights into the agriculture market.
Military
With the new fiscal year in full swing, our Military AIA-accredited presentation has been updated to include new fiscal year 2022 U.S. Department of Defense initiatives and revised budgets by department. Be sure to download this most recent version from SpaceNET 3.0 and delete old versions you may have saved locally. Which AEC partners do you work with on Military projects? Sunday Pearl (Spacesaver Intermountain), Laura Walton, and Pete Rooney are delivering a session for Jacobs Engineering in San Diego later this month. Which partners in your backyard would you like help targeting? Reach out to Laura to develop a game plan.
In this past fiscal year, the Department of Defense (DOD) spent roughly $703 billion of their $705 billion. Moving into next year, the DOD requested a budget of $709 billion, but the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee increased the ask by $16 billion, bringing the proposed total to $725 billion. The next step is for the Senate Appropriations Committee to approve or reject the budget in early November. Until the Senate approves the final number, the DOD will operate under a Continuing Resolution. We’re predicting the budget to be passed by January 31, 2022 at the $725 billion, +/- 5 percent.
In 2022, Spacesaver will increase engagement with Canadian Area Contractors and the Department of National Defense (DND). The plan is two-fold:
Share Spacesaver/U.S. DOD successes and experiences with our Canadian partners, since they could also be solutions for DND counterparts.
Better understand the DND procurement system and become a larger asset to our Canadian partners in 2023.
Next Military call: Look for a video update the week of Thanksgiving that you can enjoy while eating leftovers.
We continue to sharpen the data-driven and information sharing approach with ADS given their extensive customer reach and breadth of product sold. During a strategic planning session held at ADS in October, ADS agreed that the focus of 2022 will be:
Increase engagement and collaboration
Upsell Spacesaver products to current customers with high-quantity requirements/booked orders
Cold calling and appointment setting efforts to white space customers
Continue appointment setting and introductions with existing customers
Reach out to Pete Rooney for insights and advice in this market.
82nd Airborne Sustainment Brigade/Fort Bragg
Back in 2014, Ken Stone (Patterson Pope) sold a large ActivRac project (including parachute containers) to the 82nd Airborne Sustainment Brigade at Fort Bragg. The customer found great success with Spacesaver parachute containers since they eliminated the snag risks, moisture exposure, and size limitations of their previous parachute baskets. Recently, the customer needed to equip their facility with another 86 safe and secure parachute containers for their new T-11 parachutes. Because product continuity makes logistics and training easier for the DOD end users, Spacesaver was the obvious solution. The project was acquired via GSA contract and Spacesaver NET of $302,531.
Library and Education
Collegiate athletic programs want to develop athletes, not search for gear; our new Collegiate Athletic Lookbook demonstrates how to do just that! Check out this visual guide to see how schools have boosted recruitment and team spirit, cleared out clutter, and kept gear secure.
Encourage your customers to come chat with us at the AFCA Centennial Convention! They’ll be able to talk with one of our storage specialists, like Zak Hermans, about new Spacesaver products and how to apply them to athletic storage spaces.
AFCA Convention | San Antonio, TX | January 9-11, 2022 | Booth #231
Next Library and Education call: December 17 at 1:00pm CST
After taking a pause in 2020, EdSpaces was back in action at the Pittsburgh Convention Center from November 3-5. The focus was on “Designing the Future of Education” and hundreds of end-users, thought leaders, architects and manufacturers gathered to showcase solutions and provide professional development. It was encouraging to see a strong turnout at this in-person event! Flex spaces and campus safety/emergency preparedness continue to dominate the conversation, so please think about how you can incorporate those topics into your Spacesaver project proposals!
Want to strategize? Contact Zak Hermans to start building a plan.
Bullitt County Public Library
The fast-growing suburban Bullitt County near Louisville was ready to upgrade their main library. Their architectural firm encouraged the County to utilize a contemporary design with BCI (a European design-driven product). Upon placing the purchase orders with BCI, they found out new orders were not being accepted due to supply chain issues. That’s when Glen Kalley (Patterson Pope) and the Spacesaver team (with some intel from Heritage Business Interiors) came together to secure the order and ensure success for the customer. It was a big win and great example of teamwork.
Major Projects Spotlight
A material handling dealer in Nebraska needed help; their local medical device manufacturer had recently placed an order for a Montel Industrial Mobile system…and there was a 20+ week lead time. The customer needed their storage system sooner than that because they were bringing in new materials to open a new line. Luckily, Perry Haubenschild (Midwest Storage Solutions), and the Major Projects Team at Spacesaver were ready to step up to fulfill the customer’s needs. The team was able to ship the material within the posted lead time (12 weeks) and sell/install the product at a similar price point by utilizing the Spacesaver Value Added Reseller (VAR) program. Nice work, team!
Marketing Minute
Spacesaver Overview and Capabilities Presentation: Thank you for joining us last week for the first view of our new and improved Spacesaver overview and capabilities presentation. We hope that you will find this PowerPoint to be a powerful tool when meeting with potential partners, introducing customers to Spacesaver, training new team members, and showcasing all of our manufacturing capabilities. We also hope you enjoyed the brief Spacesaver history that kicked off the presentation. If you did not get a chance to attend the live webinar, you may access the recording on SpaceNET 3.0. And, watch your inboxes for details on how to get entered to win Spacesaver logowear!
Day Use Lockers live presentation on Tuesday, November 16: Unlock the Potential! Laura Walton will help audience members learn about market drivers for Day Use Lockers as well as what makes Spacesaver the ultimate choice: configuration, customization, and local support. Sign up HERE and invite a partner or end-use customer who would benefit from this session.
Guess What’s Back—Tradeshows are Back! It already feels like forever, but just a few short weeks ago we were in Las Vegas for the world’s largest cannabis event—MJ BizCon. With record-setting attendance (27,000+ attendees), the show proved to be ‘the place’ to be when talking all things cannabis cultivation. We talked to growers, industry influencers, AEC community members, and even Mike Tyson took a stroll past our booth! The conversations were real, the leads have already been deemed fruitful, and we’re excited to have converted about 15 sales-ready opportunities for the field. Did we mention that we launched our GROW Drying Racks and Carts at the show? We did—and attendees loved what they saw. Now, it’s time to focus and plan for Cannabis Business Summit next month.
