A Great Sales Story about Revolution Gates

Today I spoke with Gary Westbrook of Turnstyle Enterprises, Inc.
He is their sales rep in the Great State of Texas. Of course most of you know that Turnstyle makes
the motors and control boards for our Revolution™ Gate System and is there to support us and help in the certification process of our Ultra Dealers. Gary told me some very interesting facts today and I asked his permission to quote him here. Of course he said "Yes" or I wouldn't be reporting this in this blog.

Gary said " That he was in the access control business for over 20 years and was browsing the Web one night when he saw a banner ad for Turnstyle Enterprises."  He told me that "he watched every video they had online that very night (and they have a bunch, here are some links) and decided to order one."

 When he received his first operator he "tore it down to the nuts and bolts, then reassembled it" then he "put it on a steel farm gate at a friend's house and set it to open and close once every thirty minutes and left it that way for two weeks". When he came back after two weeks it was still working like a charm and he decided that these motors had passed his rigorous first and second stage evaluation. He is now selling these operators in Louisiana and Texas, and that original gate is still working.

Another story Gary told me is sure to become that of Sales Legend, at least in the Fence and Access Control Industry. Just remember that you heard it here first:

  Gary had a set of gates set-up with the operator motors on a portable display unit mounted to a Reese Hitch on his truck. (side note I came up with the same idea independently, but found out later that he had already done it.)  He was cruising down the Interstate at 75 MPH when a guy cruising pulled along side and asked him how the gate opens...not skipping a beat or taking his vehicle off cruise control, Gary opened and closed the gate !!! The guy pulled back alongside Gary (again at 75 MPH) and said he was running late for an appointment and shouted out his name and telephone number. A few weeks later, Gary had sold this guy two gate operators. The customer said "If those operators can work at 75 mph, then they will definitely work for me".

  I know that is an amazing story, but we are talking about an amazing product here. I will ask Gary to send me a picture of his truck with the operator on it, maybe even a short video. When I get it I will post it here by this amazing story.....

Until Later...keep checking back and follow the amazing innovation that is going on at Ultra and keep on selling !!!

Doing a Home and Garden Show Right !!!

Every once in a while the best laid plans come together, and then there are times when they come together and work better than ever anticipated. That was the case for the Home and Garden Show in Huntsville, Alabama this past week and one of our newest dealers - Fence Crafters Inc.

It has been my pleasure to work many a home show, county fair, boat show anywhere there are a lot of folks to show what we have to offer from Ultra. And this time, I am not sure if it was the new products, the way we displayed them, the timing, the location, the weather, the economy or what, but I have to say this was the absolute best home show ever.

We were mobbed by people with big diamonds, Rolexes and Polo sweaters. They literally couldn't wait to get in the queue to get an estimate to buy an Ultra Fence, a Revolution Gate or some Signature Railing. That day was sure to come. What do they say "Keep adding Value and the Success is sure to follow." Well, these prospective customers were in rare form and seemed ready to buy. I figured part of the effect was caused by the balanced display that we had. It had a new "Water Fall" Display with Defender and other Hi-End CS and ISP Grade Fences with New Finishes. We had photos from several beautiful job-sites, we had a big screen sharp video of Revolution Concealed Gate Operators on Estate Gates, and then a podium with a slot on top to drop in lead request sheet.

It is my opinion that the success of this show was due in great part to a calming of economic fears that made 2009 one of the most challenging in the Fence and Construction Industries' History. But all that pent-up money and desire to buy just broke loose with a fury. Now Fence Crafters has it's work cut out for it in following up on the more than 100 solid leads that they got over the weekend.

There will be a follow-up story on this in about six weeks to track how many leads were ran and how many jobs were sold directly from this one event. I asked Mr. Johnny Marshall if he wouldn't mind sharing those statistics to help other Ultra Dealers decide whether doing a Home Show can pay off for them. He said - "After all the help you were to me over the weekend, I will be happy to share that information!"

Another Ultra Dealer attended the Show from nearby Chattanooga, Ben Wilbur of Dignified Outside was there and was amazed at the response we were receiving at the time. He said "I am sure I will do one of these shows next year, maybe even in the Fall...." And I am sure he will.

To me, I think this is one of the best ways to get our name out there and to share with the public all the exciting things coming from Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Inc.

Until next time....

History of Ultra

Why Ultra?

The love affair with ornamental fencing began hundreds of years before Ultra was started. Metal fence was beautiful, majestic, and made from a material that was destined to rust and crumble—iron. As good as the coatings technologies evolved through the ages, nothing could protect that fragile metal from deteriorating.

Along comes Ultra Aluminum and their concept for architecturally appealing fence that would withstand the tortures of weather, pollution, chemicals and savage environments.

Ultra started with humble beginnings in 1996 and a desire to replicate the intricate details of historic ornamental iron fences, only using materials that would end up being stronger, and stand up to the torturous variations of the environment with long lasting durability. At Ultra, we push everything to the edge, and choose our materials and components in support of that quest.

The timeline below outlines that evolution and amazing growth of Ultra Aluminum, from our beginnings in a small garage, to the state-of-the-art 85,000 square foot manufacturing facility we operate out of today. We started as a small company based on amazing customer service, and despite our amazing growth, we still work hard to replicate.

The Ultra Timeline
Click to View
We're Environmentally Responsible Made in the U.S.A.

Ultra is proud to only use American made components in all its products.
Always look for the Made In The USA label when deciding which fence products to use.

Logos of New Ultra Products and a few Tips

There are so many new and great products at Ultra that I thought I should post the logos of these new products.

Also, I had a conversation with a new Ultra Dealer this week explaining the difference in Rail Ends (a.k.a. Wall Mounts/Column Mounts) for Signature Railing regarding the whole "Tab" vs. "No Tab" issue and I thought I would share this image with you.




Also, just to see who is reading this and paying attention, The first Ultra Dealer that comments on this posting will receive a free notching tool for doing so. Please see picture below to see what I am talking about giving away ($200 value).



**Ben do not apply a comment to win this, I will explain why via phone call....

Defender

With our Defender ^TM Picket fencing 7' or higher, you can add even more security. Notice how the pickets are very close to the posts, so when viewed from a distance, there is uniformity to the spacing. This would be the perfect product for a bank, a hospital, airport or any municipal or industrial project. The Defender was designed to offer not only the appearance of higher security, but a truly higher level of security. One thing we can all agree on, in this rapidly changing world, we will always need to secure and defend the things that are most important to us, more so now than ever.

Need security? Check out the specs on our Defender ^TM security fence with angled spear top pickets?

Angled, pressed spear style is the ultimate in security. Spear tops face outward at 51 degree angle. Available in both our Industrial Series and Industrial Series Premium grades, premium grades have a reinforced double-wall rail with hidden fasteners.

Standard Sections are 6' wide x 7', 8', 9', or 10' high. Sections come fully assembled. Custom widths or heights -- 7’, 8', 9', 10', 11', and 12'-- are available.

Pickets: 1'' square x .062 wall

Spacing Between Pickets: standard 3-5/8" and optional 1-1/2"

Fasteners: Stainless steel

Horizontal Rails: 1-5/8'' x 1-5/8'' with .100 side walls and .070 top walls

Posts: 2-1/2" square x .100 wall; 3" square x .125 wall; 4" square x .125 wall (blanks). All posts include standard caps.

Alloy: High-strength Ultrum ^TM 6005-T5 alloy, min. strength 35,000 PSI
Finish: Powercoat ^TM. When applied, Powercoat is twice the thickness and hardness of a typical acrylic, baked enamel or "wet paint" finish, making it more durable, fade-resistant and scratch-resistant than other coatings.

A Newer Video on Revolution

Design Studio at UltraFence.com

Click to Start


Imagine how much easier it is to sell that fencing or railing job to that customer when they can see all their options on style, accessories and colors. With our Design Studio they can see it!

Welcome to the Ultra Design Studio

We make it easy to visualize the dramatic difference Ultra ornamental fencing and railing can make to your home.

Choose from our wide selection of styles, select a front or back yard setting, then accessorize with colors, post caps, picket tops and other designer accents.

We made these tools to help your customers and in the future, who knows, we may even add the ability for you (or the customer) to upload a picture of their house, patio or deck area to our website and then see their choice of fence or railing at their own home. Maybe the ascertive salesperson can even use this tool to printout the picture to put with the quote/proposal/contract....

Revolution by Ultra

This video says it all. And it is so great to share it with you.


Please contact your Ultra Rep or give me a shout at ultraaluminum@gmail.com

Fence Tech 2010 Ultra Introduces New Products

At this year's AFA Fence Tech, Ultra stole the show by introducing many new products. The fact that we now have nine standard colors with two textures set us apart from so many wanna-be's. Our New Ultra Arbors have been something customers have asked for for years, and Ultra has answered the call. Help provide enough people get what they want and need and you can get what you want and need.Plus we debuted our Defender Picket in CS (3/4" ) Grade and our ISP (1" Premium) Grade. In addition to having the finest aluminum railing line-up we were able to highlight our railing with stainless steel cables call Ultra-Tec. But the biggest show-stopper was our gates. Not only were they displayed in Satin Black, the color and texture that took last year's Fence Tech in New Orleans by storm by emulating old fashioned wrought iron better than anything in the aluminum industry, they had a few extra features.
The set of Estate Gates had "Art Medallions" that were plasma cut and is now a standard offering of Ultra. This along with the biggest and best of show news, was Revolution Gate Systems by Ultra. These new gates can be ordered with the operator motor already installed in a sleek, attractive aluminum housing that is powder-coated to match the gate and is seamless with the frame. It has the ability to do things that other operators cannot do and will require many more posts to do it all justice. (no pun intended)..
But for now, with no further delay I will share a short one minute clip from Fence Tech 2010 for those of you that were not able to attend. Or for those who did, but want to see again what all the buzz is about...




Come See Us at Fence Tech 2011 in Las Vegas or check out our products at www.ultrafence.com
Remember to share this blog with your friends on Facebook...

Imagine Combining Precast Walls and Columns with Ultra Fence

For real longevity, strength and beauty.....

NOTICE: These are not Ultra Fences, I am displaying them because they should be. And hopefully we can fully penetrate this market niche. I believe the permanence, strength and zero-maintenance of pre-cast walls and columns will pair perfectly with Ultra's Top Quality CS/CSP and IS/ISP Series of Fences and Gates. Together they are better than either are independent of one another. Or at least that is my belief....

Secure Your Privacy with Concrete and an Ultra Fence

Gated community fences are not just for the wealthy anymore. There has been an astonishing increase of gated residential communities over the past few decades. Many middle class people are turning to gated wall community lifestyles. A properly designed gated community fence provides the safety, privacy and security homeowners' desire and in turn equates into higher property values.

The Census Bureau states that all across the United States as well as around the world, people in cities and suburbs desire to live in walled or gated communities. The Census Bureau's 2001 American Housing Survey contacted 62,000 random household and found:

• Over seven million households are in areas behind gated community fences.
• Four million have gates with entry codes, key cards and/or security guards.
• The West and Southwest areas have the largest concentration of gated communities, but popularity is growing in the East and around the world.
• After 9/11, living gated community fence use increased as a way to create a family or community safety zone.
• Security is paramount for baby boomers as they look forward toward retirement.

Whether surrounding luxury homes or apartment buildings, gated community fences create a barrier defining property, providing protection and keeping specific objects or persons in or out. Gating or walling a community limits the number of people who can come in, park their cars, loiter and litter. A gated community wall can discourage criminal activity as well.

Other Examples of mixing ornamental with precast walls and columns:

• 
• 
• 
  

This little mock-up is to show the potential of Ultra CS/CSP and IS/ISP products and Gates in conjunction with precast companies. These companies are easy to locate, in their infancy, looking for ways to expand their potential when a solid wall is not appropriate. They need a "Lifetime Quality" Product that can seamlessly interface with their systems.
I have many ideas that will help do this.
--
Darrin Jones
Regional Sales Manager
South Central U.S.A.
Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Inc.
(256) 214-0633
ultraaluminum@gmail.com
www.ultrafence.com
www.ultraeasy.blogspot.com

Wave Mailer Program from Ultra

If you are buying ornamental aluminum fence or railing from one of our competitors, don't feel locked to them.

With Ultra you will get the premium product in the industry that is at the very top of the pack regarding strength and longevity of it's coating.

Combine this with the most innovative product line and the fastest turnaround time in the industry, and you will find that....



















we have the key to your success!!




Just read over these test results from an independent testing facility and see how we compare to the competition....
Just Click on the image below for more details or click here for more tests and specifications on Ultra.

D and D Technologies

At Ultra, we are proud to offer gate hardware by D & D Technologies from Australia.

We stock and sell many of their best products, like :

Locking security for picket-style gates

Z Lokk is available in two models: One for gate frames of up to 1 5/8" and a longer-bodied model to fit gate frames up to 2 1/2". With dual security lock cylinders, the Z Lokk is an ideal choice for picket-style security gates.
View Z Lokk Products

and

Regular

The TruClose Regular hinge range is suitable for gates weighing up to 55lb (25kg) with a maximum gate load up to 550lb (250kg). A number of options are available.
View TruClose Regular Products

as well as....

The World's #1 Child Safety Gate Latch

Magna-Latch Safety Gate Latches are designed specifically for securing gates around swimming pools, home yards and child care centres. They are the original and still the best magnetic latches on the market.
View Magna-Latch Products

Check out this interesting view of where and how D & D Technologies stays at the top of their game through innovation, quality and value.

Sounds a lot like Ultra, I guess that is why we are proud to offer their hardware to our customers.


http://www.ddtechglobal.com/index.php/company/_video_company/