The Quik Drive Push into South America
Gerard Marrou and Brad Lambert, who head up the Simpson Strong-Tie sales team in South America, report on our progress in Central America:
"Ruben Diaz-Neda, Simpson's dealer sales representative for South America, has been working with Steve Hughes, with our distributor in Mexico, introducing Quik Drive products in that market. We participated in two trade shows this year – one in Guadalajara, and the other in Mexico City – to showcase the Quik Drive product line. The Quik Drive demo was the hit of our booth, and we couldn't hand out our new Spanish catalogs fast enough. Ruben and Steve have been working with the distributor's sales force, and visiting jobsites to help identify the opportunities in that market. Quik Drive is a brand new technology in Mexico. Many commercial structures are built with cold-formed steel, with metal roof deck installed with screws. Ruben has also been instrumental in growing the Home Depot business in Puerto Rico and Mexico, and has worked to maintain a good relationship with the Home Depot folks and our merchandising service companies in those areas."
Brad also works with Corey Clark introducing the product line to our distributors in Trinidad and St. Thomas. He says, "In the Caribbean we have the same type of opportunities as in Mexico because of the resort industry, which requires dock and deck screws, and the metal roofing products used throughout the region. Ed Groblewski is responsible for the South Florida/Caribbean territory. He is working with Gerard Marrou in Puerto Rico to identify potential distributors there." Brad is quick to point out that they work as a TEAM – and that he is lucky to have such capable people working with him.
