By: Derek Arrington, Florida Sales and Services – Induron Protective Coatings
When Davies Hood, Owner and President of Induron Protective Coatings, decided to open a new territory in Florida, the management team adopted a bold new strategy. In years past, new hires were selected based on experience—whether that experience was in coatings, contracting, or water tanks—each bringing a unique element to their territory. But, in line with Induron’s growth mindset, they decided it was time to hire a younger candidate and train him in the world of industrial coatings from the ground up. They set up a booth at the University of South Florida’s Career Fair, and the first person to walk up to their booth was me.
This was an intentional move. I had reviewed the offer Induron presented and was impressed. Upon further research into this family-owned company, I realized that what they offered was an extension of how they did business. Though I had other targets that day, I knew that if Induron cared this much about its customers and employees, this was where I wanted to be. So, I ensured their booth was my first stop. After being greeted by Joey Thomas, Business Development Manager, and Rob Burckley, Northern Regional Sales Manager, we set a date for a virtual interview, followed closely by a trip to Induron’s headquarters in Birmingham, AL. By the end of my trip, we felt confident that this was the right fit for me.
Part of the offer that stood out to me from the beginning was the opportunity to live in Birmingham for six months to work directly at headquarters. Induron promised that I would get the chance to work in each department of the company, as well as make frequent trips to our established territories to ride along with our experienced sales team. This aspect of the offer excited me the most—the opportunity to work closely with the entire team, soaking up as much information as I could “like a sponge.” On July 1st, I made the long journey from Tampa, FL, to Birmingham, and the excitement began right away.
My first experience at Induron came during the mid-annual sales meeting, where I got the chance to meet the entire team and learn about the strategies we’d employ for the rest of 2024. I couldn’t have planned my introduction better—I immediately felt welcomed by the team. In those few days, I learned a great deal, spending time at work with my teammates and enjoying some fun activities, capped off with a house party hosted by Davies. But my training was only beginning, and we wasted no time starting the next phase.
We had two goals for my overall training. First, I wanted to work in every department to understand how they functioned practically. Second, we made a concerted effort for me to work with every salesperson on our team to learn their sales strategies and determine what worked best for me. I had the opportunity to don my steel-toe boots and work directly with our production team in the plant. I also worked in shipping to learn how we process orders and deliver them to customers on time. I spent time in Quality Control to see how each batch we
produce is carefully tested to ensure the highest level of quality, and I collaborated with the lab to understand the chemistry behind our protective coatings. This holistic approach was essential to building my confidence before returning to my territory. Equally important, however, was my experience with the sales team.
I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Pennsylvania and work with Steve Freed, Northeastern Regional Sales Manager, and William Seawell, our Director of Technical Services, to observe how we conduct lunch-and-learns for engineers. I visited St. Louis, MO, to tour treatment plants with Paul Powers, Northwest Regional Sales Manager and a veteran of the coatings industry. I toured some of the country’s largest tank manufacturers, such as Caldwell Tanks and Phoenix Fabricators, with Joey Thomas and Rob Burckley, and took an OSHA safety course at Pittsburgh Tank and Tower. Nick Jones, Alabama’s Sales Manager, guided me as I climbed my first water tanks. These experiences, along with my time in each department, allowed me to form close connections with my teammates and gave me the tools and confidence I needed to begin operating in our new Florida market.
Now, a few weeks into my journey of selling in Florida, I can confidently say that without this training, I wouldn’t be able to achieve our goals without at least a few years of experience under my belt. Thanks to Induron’s growth mindset and willingness to try something new, they’ve kickstarted my career in industrial coatings, boosted the market possibilities in Florida, and opened the door to training new industrial coatings experts in the near future. That’s the Induron way!