Timco Rubber was founded on the principle that doing business is not only about products but also about the relationships built and maintained with customers. Timco Rubber has always strived to offer reliable and personal service to each and every customer. Over the years, Timco Rubber has made numerous changes to its applications and processes to perfect customer service. Not only does Timco Rubber supply high quality molded and extruded rubber products, the company also delivers top notch customer care and customization.
In late 2006, the management of Timco Rubber made a decision that would ultimately improve customer service and satisfaction. There was available land located next to the Cleveland Corporate Office at 12300 Sprecher Avenue. In order to expand its existing warehouse space, Timco Rubber purchased the land. This acquisition allowed the company to increase its warehouse space by 2,400 square feet to a total of over 8,000 feet.
With this new, larger space- the efficiency of both the receiving and shipping functions has greatly improved since they are now performed in seperate areas. The overall productivity of all warehouse personnel increased allowing Timco Rubber to execute better customer service. This is just another way that Timco Rubber displays its dedication to providing quality, service and value.
The increased warehouse space has also allowed Timco Rubber to expand and improve many of its services including kit and sub assembly capabilites. It allows the company to be more responsive to customers' inventory needs.
Timco Rubber has always been committed to customer service. This is a major component of Timco Rubber's mission statement and has been since its inception 52 years ago. The expansion of its Cleveland, Ohio warehouse is yet another step towards offering complete customer satisfaction.
After serving as Timco Rubber President for 15 years, Jim Kuzmick stepped down from his position at the beginning of 2008. As of January 1, Bob Kuzmick replaced Jim as President of Timco Rubber. As for Jim, after a long and prosperous career, he plans to enjoy his retirement. His plans include traveling, playing golf, and spending time with family - especially his two granddaughters.
Timco Rubber has been in business for nearly 52 years. Over time, this company has perfected its line of extruded and molded rubber products a well as a wide range of gaskets. Timco Rubber caters to the needs of many markets including HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) companies, off-road heavy duty trucks, appliances, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotives. All products are custom designed for the unique application of each client.
Jim believes that Timco Rubber has a firm foundation in place that will help guide the company into the future even as the economy and rubber industry changes. During his time as President, Jim believes the company's greatest accomplishments were its consistent profitability each year, providing excellent customer satisfaction, as well as having the ability to offer greater opportunity to employees. The thing that he will miss most about working at Timco Rubber is the great people he had the chance to work with and get to know. In Jim's opinion, the "terrific team" at Timco Rubber is very dedicated and has the desire and will to succeed. Jim is also immensely proud of the great teamwork and many accomplishments of his employees over the years.
Jim has seen the rubber industry as well as the business world change greatly during his time as President. He credits consumers' increased access to information as one of the main contributors to these changes and shifts. Consumers have acquired a "drive thru" mentality - they all seem to have elevated expectations and are increasingly more demanding. This has forced Timco Rubber to adapt so it can serve customers in more unique ways as well as retain current clients and grow new business. Building upon what Timco Rubber founder Nick Kuzmick started in February 1956, both Jim and Bob continue to be committed to 100% customer satisfaction.
Looking forward, Jim predicts that the biggest obstacle for this corporation will be foreign competition, as it has been the past 3-4 years. Jim is very optimistic and believes in the team's ability to survive and prosper even with increased competition from abroad. Timco Rubber's greatest opportunities, in Jim's opinion, are team commitment and continuous self-improvement. He believes that Timco Rubber must continue to be an extroverted company and look outward to the vast and broad market beyond its doors. Great service and constant movement will help move Timco Rubber ahead of competitors and will solidify its position within the rubber products and gaskets industries.
Timco Rubber's goal for the future is to sustain growth and continue to offer opportunities to employees. This company operates in a mature industry and experiences a modest 6% growth year over year which has allowed them to provide complete customer satisfaction and employee opportunities. Bob looks to carry on this strong performance as he becomes the next President.
Overall, Jim is extremely happy with what he has been able to accomplish with Timco Rubber over the past 15 years. His main goal and focus was to support the mission statement set forth when Timco Rubber started selling rubber parts nearly 52 years ago. As Jim steps down and moves into retirement, he can be certain that he has fulfilled this goal and leaves Timco Rubber in a strong position to continue to prosper.
When Nick Kuzmick borrowed money from his sister in 1956 to start Timco Rubber Products, he never imagined that the $50 she gave him to buy one wooden desk and rent office space would translate into 50 years of successful business.
Having worked for Colonial Rubber in Cleveland, Kuzmick and his business partner, Vince Goodpaster, knew there was success to be had in supplying high-quality custom molded, extruded, lathe-cut, and die cut rubber parts to original equipment manufacturers. They weren’t wrong.
“I think they both had a good dose of post-World War II entrepreneurial spirit and plenty of knowledge in the rubber industry to create a successful business,” said Jim Kuzmick, president of Timco Rubber. “But I don’t think either of them could have predicted Timco’s success.”
Today, Timco Rubber is a multimillion dollar business and has expanded its capabilities to supply value-added services, such as light assembly and inventory programs to companies in multiple markets, including HVAC, appliance and Tier 2 automotive.
“We got our biggest boost during the advent of whole in-house HVAC systems back in the mid 1960’s,” said Bob Kuzmick, vice president of Timco Rubber. “Timco matured with the HVAC business and continued to branch out into many more applications within the HVAC business as it began to grow.”
Timco continues to evolve and has aligned itself to compete in today’s global market. However, the long-standing business values of Timco’s founders are paramount in day-to-day dealings.
“Building solid relationships with customers has always been at the heart of business at Timco,” said Bob Kuzmick. “We continue to put an emphasis on the customer as the most important part of the Timco team.”
At first glance, the Timco team seems to be made up of next-generation Kuzmicks, but in this family business, last names mean nothing.
“Nick Kuzmick believed in treating all employees with dignity and respect and that’s no different today. Everyone has the opportunity to advance here, no matter what their name,” said Joe Hoffman, vice president of operations at Timco Rubber.
From its days as a one-office facility on Euclid Avenue across from the old Cleveland Arena, Timco Rubber has moved twice and expanded three times. As construction of the latest expansion comes to an end, Timco is looking toward at least 50 more years of business. The company has updated its look and embraced the latest technology to keep up with current business trends.
“To mark our anniversary we created a new logo, and we are getting ready to launch a new Timco Rubber Web site with eCommunication capabilities,” said John Kuzmick, vice president of finance at Timco Rubber. “Timco may have begun with two men at one wooden desk, but we’ve kept up with the times and developed into an international supplier of premier custom rubber parts.”
About Timco Rubber: Headquartered at 12300 Sprecher Ave. in Cleveland, Ohio, Timco Rubber Products is a privately held company that specializes in supplying customers with single-source solutions for high-quality, high-performing rubber products. Working directly with customers, Timco’s experts develop a wide variety of custom-engineered molded, extruded, die-cut and lathe-cut rubber products. Timco also maintains sales offices in Dayton, Ohio and Houston, Texas.
For more information, please contact:
Jim Kuzmick
Timco Rubber Products
800-969-6242 or 216-267-6242
Elaine Laps
Akhia Public Relations
330-463-5650
An ISO 9001:2000 Registered Company.