Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Olan and Buddy Cox of ExactMats®.
For over 20 years, ExactMats® has served the automotive, residential, and commercial markets, across the U.S. and Canada, with a “clear” solution, to protect the important surfaces we use daily.
ExactMats® was founded back in 1997 to serve everyday vehicle owners in a new way. The company’s founders knew that most vehicle owners wanted to keep their ride clean and damage-free, and that the interior feature that was most likely to become damaged was the floor.
At the time, floor mats were sold in retail stores (the internet had not yet quite taken off), but the founders at ExactMats® saw that the available products had some drawbacks; poor fit, unpleasant smells, or a bulky appearance that completely hid the floor.
Co-Founder and car collector, Buddy Cox, intuitively knew that a protective product that would allow the flooring to be seen as it was intended would bring a new and welcome form of value to the marketplace.
“It was clear what we had to deliver to bring the best possible product to market,” said Cox. “The first was fit, by making each mat identical to the size and shape of the vehicle’s original factory mats. The second was to make the product clear so that it ‘disappeared’ into the interior, rather than detracting from it.”
Over the years, ExactMats® has leveraged that philosphy to develop dealer relationships across North America.
“On the auto side, ExactMats® started as a staple sold in parts departments,” said Olan, “but eventually some progressive dealers had the idea to include the product as standard protection in every vehicle they sold. They realized that customers often bought protective overlays in the aftermarket anyway, so they decided to bring that revenue in house with a better product.”
“Dealers showed their customers that it was more than just about selling them a vehicle. They also demonstrated they wanted to help keep it looking new and to preserve its value. It was ‘relationship thinking’, which took off at both individual dealer and group levels. That concept really lit up our business, and we’re grateful for it,” Cox added.
Today, the dealer business for ExactMats® is complemented by a thriving online retail channel. The company owns the category of clear, protective floor, trunk and cargo mats.
At www.exactmats.com, consumers can shop with a simple drop-down menu, to choose their mats according to make, model and year.
More Customer-Driven Innovation
In 2012 the company uncovered another unserved market, when auto customers of ExactMats® started asking the company if they could create clear, custom-fitting protective coverings for home and office interior applications like drawers, cabinets, furniture, floors, and more.
“Our customers have come up with all kinds of applications,” said Cox. “Now designers and businesses, including cabinet and furniture manufacturers across North America, are offering our turnkey solution as an upgrade.”
“We learned that the majority of consumers already protect these vulnerable surfaces, often through do-it-yourself projects. But products like liner paper, foam mesh, and rolled-up plastic can be hard to work with, require adhesives, and cover up the beauty of the very surface they want to protect,” Cox added.
“We also learned that today’s time-starved consumer yearns for solutions that give them back some of that time, so our products are made-to-order and ready to simply drop in place when they arrive!”
ExactMats® Home & Office offers a protective solution that addresses an entire spectrum of consumer wants, ranging from clarity and precise fit, to unparalleled durability, impact resistance, and even sound-dampening,” Olan pointed out. “It was extremely important to help our customers preserve their investments in fine cabinetry, furniture, and floors in the best possible way.”
“To add even more value, we created the first FDA-compliant material of its type. It features an almost glasslike look that our designer partners love”, said Cox. “And it’s all 100% made in the USA.”
From shelves to desks, countertops to drawers, and pantries to storage rooms, ExactMats® Home & Office lays down a gauntlet of timeless protection that will last for years, just as its automotive cousin does.
Has it been a smooth road?
“No business goes without its challenges,” said Cox. “Our biggest challenge has always been ‘How to market something that is 1) the first of a kind in its category and 2) designed to disappear.'”
In other words, in both the automotive and home and office spaces, the company created new product categories that had to be explained.
According to Cox, “It’s something you have to see to understand. But that same struggle has also become one of our proudest accomplishments. Once someone sees and uses our products, they buy from us again and again.”
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the ExactMats® story. Tell us more about the business.
“We don’t see our company as one that sells made-to-order mats, liners, or runners. Instead, we view our purpose as serving the needs of consumers who want cleanliness, peace of mind, and aesthetic integrity,” said Cox.
Cox continued, saying: “Our brand is a lifestyle brand. Confident protection without distraction, with a reputation for products that do what they’re intended to do, and supported by the level of service one would expect from a ‘customer-first’ organization.”
“While we know there are competitors trying to solve problems similar to those we address, we’re proud that there’s really is no ‘competition’ for what we bring to the market.”
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
“We believe we’ve only begun to penetrate the market potential of each line of business given the size of the automotive and construction businesses,” said Olan.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7051 Portwest Dr.,
Suite 150
Houston, Tx 77024 - Website: www.exactmats.com
- Phone: (888) 395-6004
- Email: info@exactmats.com
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