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By Terri
Hughes-Lazzell
Keith Bentz was born into entrepreneurship – his grandfather owned a steel fabricating company and his father began Bentz Transport Products Inc. in Fort Wayne in 1993.
So, the fact that Bentz wanted to be his own boss someday was not a surprise. How he got into his own business wasn’t what he expected.
Bentz’s father, Richard Bentz, started the company in January 1993 in Fort Wayne, initially manufacturing aftermarket sleeper cabs and stainless accessories for medium and heavy-duty trucks. In 2007, Keith Bentz relocated the company to Ossian, just six years after taking the company over from his father.
Keith and his wife, Charla, joined the business in 1997 to assist Richard with the company that was growing. Richard would focus on sales and product costing, while Keith took control of the manufacturing side of the business.
“The business grew in 1999 and early 2000, but then there was a drastic downtown in the market the end of 2000 to 2002,” Keith said. And although it wasn’t the best time to take over the family business, due to his father’s eyesight issues, Keith bought out his father in 2001.
“The plan had always been for me to buy my dad out and take over the business,” Bentz said. “But it was the worst time to possibly do it.”
However, Bentz did and then he started working on some of the ideas he had for the company. And during the downturn in the business, he added another engineer to his staff and began working on his new product ideas. The product offerings have been expanded to include highly engineered integrated sleepers, cab modifications and off-highway cabs.
“Now, 97 percent of our revenue comes from the products we brought to the market in 2002 and after,” Bentz said. “We used our time wisely. (And) If we hadn’t developed those new products, we wouldn’t be here today.”
The additional products aftermarket fully integrated cab and sleeper modifications, and off-highway cabs.
Bentz has found its niche and continues to work on new and innovative ideas to bring to its customers in its 135,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing space in the Ossian Industrial Park One — the former Johnson Controls site.
Moving to Ossian also wasn’t on Bentz’s radar when the opportunity arose. In fact, the company had preliminary engineering plans to meet its needed growth, but expected to build a new building in 2010. However, Bentz said timing again took him in another direction.
After being contacted by the Wells County Economic Development director, at that time Garry Jones, in 2006 about the space opening up with the closure of the Johnson Controls plant. A well-maintained facility at the right price, with equipment that would be left, and 18 acres at the right price moved that plan ahead.
The move has brought with it difficulties, but Bentz is moving forward. When Bentz moved from Fort Wayne, the company was at full employment at 95.
That dropped to 33, but now is on its way back up to 45. And, Bentz expects to have the company back at full employment around 100 in 2009 due to new products the company is developing, and new business.
At a time when Bentz diversified its product line, it also diversified its customer base, and that sets it up for the future, Bentz said.
Producing cab modifications and integrations that are complex and include fit and finish, making the trucks appear to have been produced in the factory as they are, is the niche that Bentz has found.
However, the owners, Keith and Charla, are quick to point out they don’t do it alone.
“We have a great group of people here, and a good mix of depth and talent that allow us to be successful,”
Bentz said.
In addition, the company became ISO certified in 2003. Bentz Timeline:
1993: After market sleeper cabs
2002: Kenworth Cab Modifications
2003: Peterbilt Cab Modifications
2004: Integrated sleeper cabs for expeditor trucks
2005: Off Highway cabs
2005: Integrated sleeper cabs for tractors (tractor/trailers)
2006: Fire truck cabs
2007: Moved to Ossian