Ahmeek, MI – March 15, 2017 - At the end of 2016, Honolulu Wood Treating made a statement. They wanted to be the exclusive distributor of GatorBar in Hawaii and seized the opportunity by committing to a truckload order, right before the turn of the New Year. Honolulu Wood Treating, along with Aloha Marketing, spent January and February of 2017 making sure the GatorBar roll out would be a success. Now, less than three months after their initial PO, they’re demanding to be high priority. But, with good reason and plenty of weight to back up their assertion. About 546,000 pounds, or a 13 truckload GatorBar order, to be exact.
“Half of the first truckload was sold within days after receipt into our yard. One of our dealers on Kauai ordered a 25,000 foot ‘master bundle’ and sold 16,000 feet of it the next day,” said Gary Okimoto of Honolulu Wood Treating. “They ordered a second master bundle shortly after.”
Things were moving faster than HWT had anticipated which sparked a commitment to a second GatorBar truckload, plus 12 more, shortly after the first had landed. The additional 12 truckloads will service HWT through 2017 and into the New Year.
Paul Kane of Aloha Marketing is representing GatorBar on the islands and has been a leading force in the promotion and distribution efforts.
“There’s definitely been a buzz around the islands about GatorBar,” said Paul Kane of Aloha Marketing. “Hawaii is a great niche market for it. Corrosion is a big issue on the islands and transportation costs are high. GatorBar is lightweight and will not corrode, addressing both of these areas.”
Neuvokas CEO, Erik Kiilunen, spent a week in the Aloha State assisting with the GatorBar Product Launch in late February.
“It’s all hands on deck when you get this kind of commitment. Our team is ready to help wherever we can to make sure this partnership is beneficial for all,” said Kiilunen. “Our product is solving a real problem in Hawaii. It’s great when we can help make a change for the better.”
About Neuvokas Corporation. Founded in 2012, Neuvokas Corporation is an Ahmeek, MI based company that manufactures and distributes FRP rebar made from basalt fiber (BFRP). Distributed under the GatorBar™ brand Neuvokas’ BFRP is stronger and seven times lighter than steel, is non-corrosive and sells for the same price as it’s domestically produced steel counterpart.
About Honolulu Wood Treating. Established in 1955 and based in Kapolei, Hawaii, Honolulu Wood Treating provides wood treatment and building product distribution services to more than 50 dealer customers throughout the State of Hawaii.
About Aloha Marketing. Paul Kane has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years and is representing many chemical and construction materials. Kane has developed several products specifically designed for use in the Hawaiian market for both mainland and Hawaii based manufacturers.