Steve’s Service and Supply Center is located at 131 W Oxmoor Road, Suite 101, Birmingham, AL 35209
Birmingham, Ala.'s, Oxmoor Industrial Park is in the heart of the area's metropolitan market and is home to a broad variety of businesses representing a cross-section of industries.
UPS and FedEx distribution facilities, a dairy plant, U.S. Army Reserve base and a Pepsi beverage bottling center are all located within a few miles of each other.
Steve Kampwerth chose this thriving industrial hub for the location of his new PIRTEK Hoover franchise because he realized what all of these diverse businesses had in common — a need for reliable hydraulic and industrial hose services.
Steve's Service and Supply Center, located at 131 W Oxmoor Road, Suite 101 Birmingham, AL 35209, enjoys easy access to major transportation freeways. The center is within 5 minutes of I-65 and 15 minutes from the I-20/59 and I-459 bypass. Local access is afforded via Oxmoor Blvd and Lake Shore Parkway. This central location makes it easier for his mobile technicians to reach customers throughout Alabama very quickly.
The new location opened Aug. 31 as a Tier 1 business under PIRTEK's franchise structure. This requires a franchisee to have a full service and supply center staffed with six team members and at least two mobile service vehicles.
PIRTEK's Tier 2 option enables entrepreneurs to start a franchise at a lower point of entry. Under Tier 2, a franchisee can keep the inventory in a small warehouse or storage facility and lease two vehicles. While Tier 2 owners are expected to advance to a Tier 1 location in three years, they also have the option of bypassing this step to open as a Tier 1 model from the beginning as Kampwerth has done.
Kampwerth said that his service and supply center will provide support for larger hose requirements on-site in a 5,000 sq. ft. flex space, servicing not only hydraulic — but brake, air, and A/C hoses as well.
Kampwerth first became interested in PIRTEK USA in 2019, when he saw that the brand was recognized by Franchise Direct as a Top 100 Global Franchise. He had spent most of the past two decades operating an automotive parts and distribution company with locations throughout the state of Alabama and recognized a good business model when he saw one.
As he researched PIRTEK, he found more about the business that he liked, such as their business-to-business focus.
According to Kampwerth, "he's always enjoyed assisting other companies to reduce expenses and drive profits." He added that a key part of this model is that it's based on building sustainable relationships with customers.
In his previous line of work, Kampwerth worked closely with local fleets and municipalities to provide solutions for maintaining and repairing their equipment. He learned the importance of reducing equipment downtime and the long-term cost of cutting corners on maintenance. Kampwerth said that "PIRTEK's focus on 1-hour response dramatically reduces his customers' equipment downtime when there is a problem." He added that his technicians' training and use of quality fittings & hoses — along with PIRTEK's robust preventive maintenance plan not only fixes problems quickly but proactively solves and prevents future issues.
After gathering information about the brand and its franchise structure, Kampwerth was ready to become a franchisee. He attended PIRTEK's Discovery Day at its corporate headquarters in March of 2020. While some may have reconsidered starting a new business just as country-wide quarantines were taking effect for the COVID-19 crisis, Kampwerth remained confident.
"Good business models may slow during economic downturns but seldom fail if built on a strong platform," he said. "The global pandemic has created interesting challenges for the manufacturing, construction and equipment rental industries, but I never hesitated in my belief that the time was right to bring PIRTEK's business model to the Birmingham metro market."
Another reason why Kampwerth believes that PIRTEK will remain successful is that its model is so unique.
"There are many competitors but few who can match the package of goods and services provided by PIRTEK franchises. What's more, the brand has perfected this model in over 23 countries during the past 4 decades."
Kampwerth has set his goals high for the future of PIRTEK Hoover. He hopes to expand, and open more service and supply centers in the area. This would enhance customer service and help his technicians to maintain their commitment to 1-hour response times. Citing the traffic flow challenges that are typical of any large city, he explained that "operating multiple sites would allow faster on-site service."
Kampwerth is ready to give the Birmingham area quality hydraulic and industrial hose service and said that he feels that "the market is anxious to leverage those services to reduce their operating costs," as well. He plans on building his business around mutually beneficial, long-lasting business relationships with his customers.
Kampwerth said a key part of maintaining these business relationships will be the integrity and character of his mobile service technicians. He said he is focused on hiring employees with strong technical backgrounds to ensure repairs are done quickly without cutting corners. He knows the importance of "word of mouth" within the community, the effects that it has on reputation, and how it contributes to the continued growth of a company.
For more information, visit https://pirtekusafranchise.com.
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