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Alum-Line Ships Overseas, Secures Government Contracts
By Marcie Klomp, Cresco Times Plain Dealer News Editor
Reprinted with permission from the Cresco Times Plain Dealer July 20, 2022
Not many businesses in northeast Iowa can throw down names like Alum-Line, Inc., owned by Gary Gooder of Cresco.
The small town company has shipped its aluminum trailers and other products around the country, as well as several countries around the world.
But over the past few years, it has added countries like Ukraine, Morocco, Egypt, England, Macedonia and Georgia to its list of customers. In the next six months, Kosovo, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan will be included in the total.
All of that international trade is just from one project, and Alum-Line handles more than just one design at a time.
So, how does a smallish company from Cresco, Iowa, population 3,888, manage to get a global contract to ship its product nearly 6,000 miles to the country of Georgia?
Gooder said, “We have had steady growth in government orders the last 20 years to where they now comprise about 15 percent of our total sales. This is still growing fast and includes city and state governments, fire departments, schools and military. We also are becoming number one in the country in building fish transport tanks.
“Our first order for the military was rescue bodies for the Navy in 1989. This led to our first rescue body for the county of Allamakee. We currently have two military part numbers, which is a big deal. We have built hundreds of these boxes. One is a control box for launching missiles and the other is a gear box that is mounted in the jeep for soldiers’ personal gear.
Another instrument in Alum-Line’s successful tool box is Mike Hanson. He is the company’s National Sales and Government Sales Contract Specialist. He is also the engineer behind the designs. Gary Gooder, owner of Alum-Line, and Mike Hanson, engineer and national and government salesman, show one of the company’s government trailers.
Hanson has been working with government contractors for over 24 years. His reputation precedes him, allowing him to get about 20 solicitations per day. “I weigh the different options, such as prioritizing via customization, number of possible competitors there may be and how well we can compete for the award.”
CBRN/MCD Trailers
The biggest government contract so far involves a set of trailers. “The first and more advanced is the CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) Trailer, and the second is the MCD (Mass Casualty Decontamination) Trailer.”
They are sent all over the world and are meant to aid with global defense and emergency response.
“On behalf of Alum-Line, I spent over a year working and designing these trailers to be sold and shipped worldwide to Partner Nations. Since the start of this process over three years ago, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) has made it a requirement to have these in every Partner Nation.” There are 30 nations that are part of NATO.
Hanson explained the first year was spent in the design stage. Representatives of Global Defense visited Cresco two times, and then they started emailing each other.
“It starts out with them giving me a sketch. Then we go back and forth. We look at the design and see if can do this or that. Some of it is trial and error,” the sales specialist noted.
The first order came in for three sets three years ago. This year, Alum-Line is working on eight sets to send overseas.
The finished CBRN product is custom-made for emergency responders. There is space for equipment, air packs and lockers for six workers. The unit is detachable from the trailer so it can be airlifted into remote areas.
The MCD trailer is mostly for storage, but also contains a decontamination shower. Each trailer contains a battery-pack power source.
The set takes about six weeks to build, but is now up to 8-10 weeks because of the difficulty in getting parts.
Global issues were brought home to Alum-Line and Mr. Hanson when Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
“I had some Ukrainians call twice with questions on our unit. They really like them,” he said. “The trailers were sent to the nuclear plants. I don’t know if they are under Russian control or not, or if they’ve been destroyed.”
The CBRN/MCD trailers are sold as a set and are being required for countries that are part of NATO.
A custom trailer Mike Hanson designed on behalf of Alum-Line for the U.S. CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) to help the border patrol complete water missions, patrols and water rescues. (Right) Mike Hanson shows the current government contracts being filled by Alum-Line.
Other Government Projects
› Hanson designed a trailer for the CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol). It was a double-decker trailer, with space for two triple-seat jet skis and a Zodiac inflatable boat. “The border patrol bought three and three others were scratched [after their funds were cut].”
› In addition, the Border Patrol has contracted eight horse trailers in the past year and they currently have more on order.
› Alum-Line also manufactured a heavy equipment trailer.
“The order came directly from the White House,” he added.
› A gooseneck flatbed trailer was custom made for the U.S. Special Forces at Fort Bragg.
› Alum-Line currently has orders from the CBP, USDA, DOI, DOD other government agencies and municipal agencies.
Bread and Butter
It's a privilege to work with the Government and Global Defense Contractors and to be respected in the industry, but Alum-Line still does custom trailers, dump truck and fire truck bodies, as well as flatbeds and more. To see a full list of items available, check out www.alumline.com. ■
