ROYAL -- Since manufacturing its first window in Royal in 1996, Window Mart has been striving for improvement and quality.
In January 2012, the company was purchased by Robert Tankersley, Eric Oliver, Ryan Guthrie, and Mike Allbritton. Tankersley directs Window Mart manufacturing, the supplier division of Windows USA, and is president, while Oliver, Guthrie, and Allbritton direct Windows USA.
This year, the company landed itself on Window & Door magazine's 2019 list of the top 100 window and door manufacturers in the country, among the top 55 and falling in the $50-75 million dollar sales volume category.
Since 2012, Window Mart has tripled its daily production from 500 to 1,500 units per day, created over 200 new jobs, expanded to cover a 20-state distribution area and produced over 4 million windows.
Tankersley estimates Window Mart currently has 300 employees. Once Windows USA, subcontractors, transport, sales, retail, are factored in that number is closer to 500 or 600.
"We're going to have an estimated payroll this year of probably $11 million just at Window Mart. That's a lot of revenue generated to go into our community for cars and groceries and clothes, so people are spending their money. You've got a little company out here in Royal, Ark., generating at least $55-60 million in sales," Tankersley said.
As is the case with all businesses, sales and profits are crucial to Window Mart's success, but Tankersley emphasized the company's treatment of its employees as being just as important, if not more so, than its bottom line.
"The culture for our business really is based on being good to people and treating them the right way, with dignity and fairness. For us, I think that's the biggest thing," he said.
Each Window Mart employee receives a Christmas bonus that increases each year the employee stays with the company, and over $100,000 in scholarship funds have been awarded to employees and their families as of August 2018.
These practices, along with Window Mart's service and products, have culminated in the company winning The Sentinel-Record's Reader's Choice Awards Best Window Company in 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as The Sentinel-Record's Reader's Choice Awards Best Place to Work in 2017 and 2018, among other accolades.
Other honors earned include receiving the Arkansas Governor Quality award at the "Challenge Level" in 2018 and the 2018 Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award; being named the Arkansas Business Category IV Large Business of the Year in 2018 and the 2019 Arkansas Business of the Year by ArkansasBusiness.com, and more.
Though Window Mart has won many awards, the company is in a unique position pertaining to its growth.
"The dealers and distributors who we've aligned ourselves with have just taken our products and exploded. So even though over the last four years, we haven't accepted new customers, we've grown by 9 percent every year. We anticipate at least 10 percent growth this year. We grew at a rocket ship rate, so now we want to control the growth, in a way that's beneficial to everybody," Tankersley said.
In order to create manageable, sustainable growth, Window Mart has made investments in several areas.
Since 2012, the company has invested $5.8 million in new equipment, and an additional $3.5 million was used to purchase Window Mart property and buildings.
In January 2017, Window Mart enlisted the services of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to train supervisors and employees in lean manufacturing, waste management and other professional areas.
Thanks in part to such measures, all Window Mart's products are Made in the USA certified, Energy Star certified, and fabricated using "premium, 100 percent vinyl," Tankersley said.
"Our philosophy is what's the absolute best components on the market? That's what we want to put in our product, and we'll figure out how to make money. Because of our culture, we're able to take the very best components. Everything we purchase is the most expensive component in the market. We pull all that in, and what you have is the best product on the market," he said.
Along with premium materials, Tankersley credits Window Mart's high-quality products and services to its premium people.
"I would say we've got the best people of anywhere: hardworking, dedicated, loyal. That turns into the service we are able to provide to our customers and the product. I think we have the best service in the industry, which is a direct result of our people."
The company is not just a major player in the business world, but also actively involved in charities and events that benefit Garland County.
In 2018, Window Mart donated over $125,000 in money and windows to organizations in Garland County and more than $500,000 since 2012.
"We support lots of organizations in our community," Tankersley said.
Window Mart has provided funds for sickle cell disease research, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the I Love LK 5K race, the Miracle League and Field of Hot Springs, the Spa Running Festival, the Baron's Ball to assist Levi Hospital, partnered on all of Garland County's Habitat for Humanity builds since 1996, donated windows to the Pratt Teen Center in Pratt, Kan., as well as St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and sponsored the 2019 National Park College Job Fair.
Window Mart and Windows USA have also donated over $2 million to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital since 1996 through a recycling program of old aluminum windows taken out of customers homes.
The company also provided new windows and doors in July 2017 to disabled veteran Zeke Cozier in Kansas in partnership with Lifetime's "Military Makeover" television.
Window Mart and its employees not only donate money to these causes, but give their time, as well.
"The company itself donates and is involved financially with lots of stuff, but more so than that our people are really involved in lots of organizations," Tankersley said.
Window Mart had over 80 employees participate in the 2018 Spa Running Festival; fielded a team for 2018's Stueart Pennington World Championship Running of the Tubs, winning the "most spirited" award; created a float and marched in the 2018 Hot Springs Christmas Parade; fielded the largest 2018 I Love LK 5K race team at 153; and annually participate in the Garland County Habitat for Humanity Heels to Hammers build.
"I think God is a big part of what we do. I think at the end of the day he's driving the ship, not me," Tankersley said.
Local on 05/26/2019