hand and attached them to the tow slings in their garage at night while Mel continued at his day job. We still sell them today as our part number 1-1.”
Tat was way back in 1978, and as demand and
product requests increased over the decades, B/A responded by offering cables, air tanks, switch panels and door tools in addition to the slings that first established them as a trusted, knowledgeable name in the industry. By the time the couple decided to manufacture the specialty chain assemblies used by towers, they outgrew the garage and rented a small warehouse. Mel had to quit his day job. When the company moved to Maryland in 1984,
they improved their footing as an important industry player: Teir new facility was more spacious and it’s centralized location cut transit times to their ever- expanding list of nationwide distributors. Soon after the move Mel and Enid’s daughter Lori and future son-in-law Fritz joined the business. “Most of their customer base was in the Northeast and shipping into and out of southern FL was expensive and time consuming,” says Kauffman. “Te new location put the company one to two days from not only most of their customers but from most of their suppliers. Te company’s primary bulk chain supplier at the time was ACCO Chain which was just 60 miles north of Columbia in York, PA.” Physically moving the company was paralleled by a change in philosophy as well. Starting in 1984 the decision was made to sell through distribution only. Te tow truck manufacturers were setting-up dealers throughout the country and B/A made the decision to sell wholesale through these distributors and the OEM’s who made the equipment. B/A is now known as a leading innovator in parts and accessories. Teir pioneering introduction of V-Straps with J Hooks for towing and their upgrading of chain assemblies from 30 grade to 70 grade set the pace for successes to come – eventually the company produced the best selling Rollback Tie-Down System on the market and became the first manufacturer to offer chain products boxed for resale.
It’s this commitment to innovation that defines the company in the present day. Since Lori’s husband Chip Kauffman joined the company in 1998 he’s lead the charge towards greater diversification beyond the towing and recovery market. One example of the breakthrough products the company’s developed under his leadership is the perfectly named Twist Lock Grab Hooks. A regular hook on a chain link is held in place by the tension of the load it pulls. But if slack relieves that pressure, any hook can slip its grip and fall away as a load is lost. B/A’s hooks feature a twisting lock system that opens at 90 degrees from the hook – you have to grab the latch, pull it up, twist it and drop it back into
It started with a hardworking man looking to provide a better
life for his family. - Chip Kauffman, President, B/A Products
the “open” position to remove it. It’s simple and super easy, but well designed and built to make sure every hook will hold every time.
Te company is also offering Twist Lock Shackles in
various sizes and load-bearing capacities. Tese pieces feature a twisting pin that must be grasped and twisted before it slides open, providing a handle – the pin never actually separates from the shackle, ensuring the end of time- consuming lost parts. Of course, state of the art equipment requires a state
of the art design and fabrication space. A video on the company’s website offers a casual tour of the B/A facility – it was shot at their open house event just last year. In order to meet their customers with the best they can offer, their ample work space is laid-out in ordered units that speak to those two ingredients one always find in any success: efficiency and productivity.
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013 23
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