Expansion is on the radar for many in the aftermarket, but for Freedom Truck and Trailer, right now, one location is enough.
For now.
President Bobby Rutherford says he talks about expansion, but his five sales staff say they can already cover their areas without adding the extra overhead. And he’s very proud of the culture Freedom’s built, and the possibility a new location would interfere looms large.
[RELATED: Keep up with 2024 Distributor of the Year finalist Freedom Truck & Trailer Parts]
“That’s one of the things I’m struggling with,” Rutherford says. “The more locations you have, you have to start tightening up. How do we maintain our culture? How do I do that will all brand-new employees at a brand-new location?”
Rutherford is right to be proud of his company’s culture. It’s made Freedom a Trucks, Parts, Service Distributor of the Year finalist two years in a row.
Freedom Truck & Trailer is a two-time Distributor of the Year finalist.Freedom Truck & Trailer
It wasn’t always so, Rutherford says. When he first took over, there was a partner involved incompatible with the culture Rutherford wanted — and has — achieved.
Freedom started as a glass import business in 2002. Six years ago, Rutherford took over after a career at Gorilla Brake and took over the company, which had steadily added other products to its repertoire and land area to its coverage.
“We’re a unique distributor because we manufacture as well,” Rutherford says. Freedom remanufactures transmissions, differentials and brakes with a wholesale side for other distributors and OEs. It covers five states — Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and Arizona — and ships nationwide.
Freedom Truck & Trailer is a distributor and a manufacturer.Freedom Truck & Trailer
Rutherford points to his company culture as a reason why it’s seen growth this year when competitors are staying static at best. Reman brake sales are up an astonishing 1,200%.
Part of the reason, Rutherford says, is the company uses materials made in the Americas, none from China or India. But the lion’s share of the reason comes down to Freedom’s steadfast commitment to take care of the customer, no matter what.
Rutherford insists on autonomy for all of his employees, which he believes is vital to their customer service responsiveness and effectiveness.
“Most of my competitors tend to be big corporations who can’t make a decision to take care of a customer,” he says. “Our culture is to let the employees take care of the customer and do what needs to be done.”
When customers are taken care of, they tell their friends, and Freedom continues to grow. Rutherford says the business does some marketing, largely on social media, but mostly the customers do the work.
“People buy from people,” he says. “The best thing you can do is make a connection with your customer. Understand your customer, what their needs are.”
Company culture also goes a long way in helping Freedom recruit and retain talent, even in today’s tough job market. Rutherford says word of mouth fills about 75% of open positions. The autonomy his employees enjoy and the fair wage Rutherford pays them — “if an employee asks for a raise, I feel like I failed,” he says — keeps them on board.
His employees are the reason Rutherford feels like Freedom’s been in the running for the TPS award.
“I don’t ever think I work enough,” he says. “I think my guys do, and they deserve the recognition.”
His five salesmen cover five Western states, dragging trailers and making sales. Additionally, Freedom hosts Fleet Night events to have vendors hold training sessions with refreshments. It’s good for his customers, Rutherford says, and good for his people.
“My guys need to know more about products in the field than their competition,” he says.
Fleet nights also give Freedom staff and customers a chance to keep abreast of the rapid changes in technology throughout the aftermarket. Rutherford looks for the industry to see more alternative fuels and the processes and components to support them.
“Green’s not going to go away, no matter how much our industry would like it to go away,” he says. But diesel’s not going away, so those skills need to be maintained too. “There will always be an aftermarket for older trucks and trailers,” he says.
The 2024 Distributor of the Year program is sponsored by Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), Cummins-Meritor, High Bar Brands, Interstate Billing Service and Karmak. The Distributor of the Year Award will be presented in January at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW). For more on our 2024 award finalists, check back in the coming days or go to our program website.
