Local legend tells us “everything’s bigger in Texas.” In fact, if Texas were an independent country, it would rank in the top 10 economies in the world. They have the world’s biggest pair of cowboy boots (San Antonio), a massive domed stadium (Dallas), a single ranch that’s larger than the state of Rhode Island (Kingsville), and a distributor-supplier partnership that defines success (Austin). Wait … what’s that last one?
Actually, when you think about, it shouldn’t come as a great surprise that Norton | Saint-Gobain would create a Texas-sized partnership with local distributor Total Safety. In a geography of big opportunities, these two companies share an important philosophy: focus on the customer.
Together Just Makes Sense
With headquarters in Houston, Texas, Total Safety reaches globally to provide integrated safety strategies and solutions for hazardous environments. Initially started to serve the needs of the oil and gas industry, they have expanded and transformed over the last 30+ years, committed to building a company that offers the most advanced technology, the largest catalog of equipment, the broadest compliance solutions, and the most passionate people in the industry.
In Austin, Texas, Total Safety representative Caleb Prather has built up a customer base focused on technology, communications, and transportation – including a world-leading manufacturer of electric vehicles. This is where he has fostered a powerful alliance with Norton Account Manager Fred Vela. “I first encountered Norton earlier in my career while working at another company, and Norton has always had a good impression in my mind when it comes to abrasives,” Prather said.
“When I got to Total Safety, I inherited accounts that involved Norton,” he continued, “but what Fred and I have developed is a next-level relationship. I am by no means a subject matter expert. Fred is one of the primaries I consider a true subject matter expert. Even more, he is a real business partner. We work together to look for process optimization opportunities that dovetail into cost savings. With Fred’s industry expertise, I hand over the reins and let him do his work there. But sometimes Fred finds the prospects and he facilitates the introduction. We tend to trade back and forth to use each other to open doors that benefit both our companies.”
Sharing a Focus on Customer Needs
Prather notes that Total Safety concentrates on anything that relates to protecting workers. Living up to this legacy isn’t always easy. But he has found success by always remaining customer-centric. And, in this, he found a kindred spirit in Vela. “As a company, Norton has always seemed to be focused on solving problems,” Prather explained. “Instead of trying to sell the newest widget that doesn’t really fit a customer’s application, Norton digs to find what will really help the customer achieve their goals. Fred, in particular, has been extremely helpful to my success in Austin. That’s exactly the type of person I want as a partner.”
When asked to give an example of this, Prather shared a situation where a customer was using an abrasive disc at a high-cost, high-consumption rate. The customer tasked Prather and Vela with finding a better way.
“Fred worked with his internal team at Norton, and they were able to develop a product that did exactly what the customer wanted. The solution cut disc consumption by half and was a great, great success.”
—Caleb Prather, Total Safety
To Prather, this was just business as usual. “Fred is always quite helpful. I send a large number of requests his way, and he’s always able to support me and get an answer, a solution, to the issue. That just seems to be who Norton is. They’re about taking care of the customer and finding the proper solution that will not just work but improve the situation. I’m very thankful for that.”
Partnership: a Surprising Norton Solution
Now you know. With Norton you aren’t just getting a physical product. As Prather put it, “Norton’s always been extremely reliable in producing a good quality product. Along with that, I get Fred. From a quality aspect, he’s always been someone I can trust to bring with me to a customer, someone to give expertise and application solutions. That’s something I can rely on.” Let us know if you have a challenge that needs a Norton solution.