2012: Year In Review

It has been a trying year and yet a good one.  Compared to the previous two, it started with more promise.  We challenged ourselves to be more focused on what is important to our customers and how is it delivered.  We added more shows to our swap meets/rod runs schedule to have more face to face time with our customers.  Most of the year was spent updating our e-commerce web site with all of the state-of-the-art search tools, which will soon be available to you, making your search for what you need very easy.  We’ve hosted several open houses and car shows, where the community was able to share and experience the fun and nostalgia the hobby brings and appreciate the history our cars represent and innovations they display.

This year we sponsored many events including The Great Race and the AutoRama shows.  We are now sponsoring the first ever Master Builder Award, given to the best individually, non-professionally, built car at all of the AutoRama shows around the country.  We started the year with winning the ARMO (Automotive Restoration Market Organization, a council of SEMA) Manufacturer of the Year for 2011.  This year is ending with the ARMO 2012 Person of the Year Award.  We are proud to give back to the hobby we love.

We did have our share of frustrations.  Especially in making new parts for a 1974 Ford LTD that we recently completed. This was a project slated to be available by mid-year.  We ran into a problem when we made the right side door weatherstrip ends.  They fit perfectly so the design program was mirror imaged for the other side.  When tooling was completed and a trial run made and tested, we found that the left side did not match the mounting screw holes.  After scratching our heads awhile, it was discovered that the holes on the doors where off from the factory.  We had to redesign the ends so that it would compensate for the difference as well as work for doors that didn’t have this flaw.  This little problem postponed our launch of this project by several months.  It is more important that it properly fit than how quickly we get it out to market.

For us, it’s been a great year.  You have helped make it a great year.  We are already planning to make next year even more exciting.  Be on the lookout for innovations and products that will make it easier for you to get what you want.

-Matt Agosta, SRP, President