Pick the perfect auto job

Diane Nesprido

The No Touch brand has been pretty successful in developing its niche and has established a strong, loyal customer base. I think that speaks well for the product line. Customers that use No Touch have generally been car enthusiasts and want to keep their vehicles looking good. So Permatex wants to continue and invest in growing the brand by developing new product extensions and promotions. We just kicked off a full line ad campaign in print and online, targeting our real customers who like to keep their cars looking good. We've also recently launched our interactive web site ( http://www.bestdressednation.com/), which is dedicated to our No Touch products and connects with our valued customers who want to be a part of the No Touch community and upload photos of themselves with their vehicles. They have a chance to win gift cards to auto parts stores and they can learn more about our products. We even have a store locator page that directs them to retail outlets. So far, our campaign has been well received. This is the first major consumer campaign conducted by Permatex in many years, and it comes at a time when most companies are holding back.

We want to be ready when things start picking up again.

We're halfway through 2009 now and obviously tough economic times continue to hit us in one way or another. And that includes our customers and our end users. We understand that our customers have been very cautious with inventory levels the past couple of months and last year. Fortunately, we're seeing orders starting to pick up and I'd like to think that's a sign things are improving. Fortunately for us, we're fairly well diversified in our product mix and our categories with No Touch appearance, Fast Orange hand cleaners and our do-it-yourself repair kits as well as our gasketing sealants, adhesives and threadlockers. Permatex is a 100-year-old company with a strong brand name and we're thankful to have a strong loyal end user base and appreciate our customers' business. I'm hopeful and optimistic that the next couple of years will be positive and bring continued growth.

A recent report cites a projected increase in aftermarket sales in 2010. Do you agree with this assertion?

Much of that will depend on the economic climate, however, I would agree with that projection, though I think it will be modest. We should all remain positive, and I think '09 has pushed us to reevaluate our strategies and have given us an opportunity to realign our resources, so that we're more efficient and focusing on the most important projects. I believe new product development will be the key to success. We want to develop our strong brands and create products that customers need and want. Over the past century, Permatex has survived tough times on many occasions. I think it's because we have high quality brands and our customers believe in us.

How do you see technology influencing the development of your company's product lines?

Permatex continues to investigate new innovative technologies and concepts. We've invested in new packaging and new delivery systems to help customers get the job done right the first time around, such as our Gel Twist, a gel threadlocker with a pinpoint applicator that's non-drip and easy to use, and our foaming gasket remover with a brush-top tip. We're always seeking ways to improve our existing technologies. For example, we just re-introduced our Black and Blue RTV silicones with a low odor formulation. This allows us to keep the performance intact, but remove the strong scent that bothered some of our end-users. Permatex has also launched a new innovative No Touch tire dressing, called No Touch Turbo Wet – it's a longer lasting aerosol tire shine that lasts four times longer than some of the leading competitors. It even lasts through rainfall and car washes.

We're also looking at other revolutionary concepts and technologies that I can't really discuss but that are exciting and I hope I can share with our customers soon.