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About Us  Ed and Pat Blades with Border Collies Lexi and Sage Ed Blades’ business philosophy, like the man himself, is straight-forward and uncomplicated: Make a high-quality product, sell it at a more-competitive price and trust in the intelligence of the customer to recognize the inherent value. For more than two decades as a hands-on product designer and engineer, Blades has followed this simple strategy. So, there’s no surprise that he is as committed to the maxim today as he was when he started his business out of his Canton, Michigan, garage. What is surprising, however, is how well the philosophy is working in the hardscrabble economy of Southeastern Michigan in 2010. As more and more specialty manufacturing businesses go under, or move their operations to greener pastures, Blades is gearing up for the major growth that has been building for almost a year. “The growth has been explosive in the last two years and we have a lot of very good projects in the works,” he says of his Blades Enterprises family of companies. He rattles off names like Federal Mogul and Ford as this visitor passes prototype parts and milling fixtures on a tour of the 14,000 square foot Novi facility, which he moved to after outgrowing an interim space in Whitmore Lake. “Any one of these projects could turn into something huge,” he says, his face and eyes mirroring the enthusiasm in his voice. But, for Blades, the highlight of the tour, and a major source of pride, is the area dedicated to his Blades Tow Right products. Like the parent company, the towing specialty equipment manufacturing division is poised for major growth. A new logo, new marketing materials and new attitude are paired with his time-honored commitment to quality and doing things right. After a split from his long-time manufacturing and distribution partner nearly two years ago, Blades has worked to rekindle industry recognition of his proprietary systems. “I know this industry,” Blades says, and it is no hollow boast – he has spent endless hours on the road at trade shows and on visits to independent towing operations. “I know what the operators need, and what they look for in a product.” Indeed, his product development efforts are a direct reflection of what he has learned. After seeing which components failed on competitive systems, Blades set out to fool-proof his own. Looking at his marquee product, the Tow Right light bar systems, the fruits of his labors are immediately apparent – even if many of them aren’t visible to the untrained eye. Shrink-fit sealed electrical connections, innovative mounting and power-supply designs, are demonstrated in an animated show and tell. The key to everything, though, is the control of the manufacturing process. Blades, with the help of his operations manager Keith Jaeger, oversees virtually every step of the build-up. Wiring harnesses are built on site, and all connections completed and tested by Blades’ personnel. What’s more, Blades relies on local suppliers and in-state vendors as much as possible. “We’re a Michigan company, and we like to do business with Michigan companies,” Blades explains. “Keeping work local is important to us.” Equally important is his reputation. Blades insists on the highest quality in everything he does. “My philosophy is that once a product leaves our dock, we should never see it again,” he says True to form, in all of his years of making products for towing owner/operators (he estimates roughly 50,000 products delivered), Blades has had so few returns that he can count them on his own well-calloused hands. And, he is happy to put his money where his mouth is: all Blades Tow Right wireless products electronics, have a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects. “These products are used in some of the most demanding environments imaginable,” Blades explains. “They simply have to work, every time.” Blades also believes that even though the towing industry is product-centered, the role of customer service is vital. Expected premium details like real-person phone service, and quick turn-around on shipments and inquiries are complimented by an industry-exclusive Blades’ touch – serialized circuitry components. Each Blades’ light system is made with serialized identification, so that a stolen system cannot be made operational. If the light box itself is taken, the thief would need a wireless controller to use it – and since the two are matched through Blades’ registration at time of sale – the replacement can only be ordered by the original purchaser. “Stolen equipment is a real concern for towing operators Blades points out. A thief has to think twice about stealing a Blades tow light,” Along with the new-look logo, Blades is rolling out a daring marketing strategy. Relying on a select few loyal distributors for big-market entry, Blades will go direct to customers for the lion’s share of his sales. While the direct-to-customer route will be more time-consuming for Blades and Jaeger, the savings will be substantial for consumers. “We will be able to sell our systems for a quarter or a third less than the competition,” Blades notes. Blades’ energy level belies his chronological age – into his sixth decade, he seems to be gaining steam at a time when most are winding down. The excitement in his voice, and his obvious pride in what his manufacturing team is achieving, are unmistakable. “I think by this time next year, we will have at least doubled in size,” he says looking out on his shop floor. True to his forward-thinking nature, he already is anticipating the need for more room and more equipment to meet the opportunities he sees coming. “We’re already pushing the limits of this space,” he says. “There’s just not much more we can cram in here.” As Blades speaks, it is impossible to avoid getting caught up in the enthusiasm and passion that he feels. After an hour’s conversation, one gets the impression that if Blades hopes to find a facility large enough to capture the scope of his vision and entrepreneurial spirit, he may need to look beyond the boundaries of Novi – perhaps up the road a bit to Pontiac, where there is a vacant building known as the Silverdome in search of tenants. That might be large enough! |
