Photo courtesy of TRUE Attachments

Kelly Russell founded HB Attachments Inc. in 2023 to help excavator dealerships in the United States close more deals with higher profits.

In the post-pandemic economy, earth-moving equipment dealers struggle with tight competition and shrinking profit margins.

Industry expert Kelly Russell founded HB Attachments Inc. in 2023 to help excavator dealerships in the United States close more deals with higher profits. The startup designs, manufactures and distributes high-quality aftermarket excavator work tools, including buckets, rippers, quick couplers, rakes, thumbs and grapples.

In September, the family-owned business, based in Springfield, Mo., revealed its new brand name: TRUE Attachments.

The profit margin on a new excavator is quite small, so dealerships have very little room to negotiate with potential customers who are shopping based on price. However, sales are typically bundled with a package that includes several attachments designed for the machine's boom arm.

Finding the right attachment wholesaler can greatly affect a dealership's ability to craft a competitive yet profitable sales offer.

"I saw a need in our industry for a supplier of high-quality attachments — based in the central U.S. — offering wholesale products at a price that would give a dealer the slight edge they need to win more deals and increase the average margin per deal," Russell said.

Russell launched the company with a team comprised of loyal family members and opened a warehouse in southwest Missouri. The company distributes its products to dealerships throughout the United States.

The attachments are designed to perform well in a variety of industries, including timber, quarry and mining, oil and gas, as well as construction and excavation, according to the company.

TRUE Attachments currently offers products to fit the following brands of excavators: Case, Kobelco, Komatsu, Kubota, Hitachi, John Deere, Volvo, DEVELON, Hyundai, Takeuchi, Yanmar and Sany

The company began as HB Attachments — with a honey badger as the mascot — but recently consulted with Midwest marketing agency Henderson Media LLC on a rebranding package that included the new TRUE Attachments brand name, logo design, domain name registration and upcoming website launch.

HB Attachments Inc. remains the legal entity, doing business as (DBA) TRUE Attachments.

For more information, visit TRUEattachments.com.

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