2007 Dynamic Dozen Honoree: Missouri Insulation & Supply

Even when the housing market began softening in 2006, Missouri Insulation & Supply Inc. saw consistent growth. The company just had to find new ways to achieve it.

Though the insulation installer and building material wholesaler found most of its success with the previous deluge of new-home construction, it has turned up new ways to grow the company, evident in its 36 percent revenue growth from 2005 to 2006. Officials would not disclose revenue figures.

“Continually motivating salespeople in a down market – it’s obviously a challenge,” says President John Lambert. “It was also a success.”

Installing insulation in new homes is still a major part of Missouri Insulation’s business, but it has seen an increase in business from customers who want to upgrade their existing homes. That’s due to higher interest rates, according to General Manager Wyatt Larimer, and to an emphasis on energy efficiency.

Adding insulation can maintain a home’s heat longer, helping to cut utility costs.

“They’re starting to care about it,” Lambert said of customers’ willingness to spend money to save on utilities. “They’re more willing to pay for it, but it’s still not at the level I’d like it to be.”

Signs of growth

In addition to putting more focus on upgrades and renovations, Missouri Insulation has focused on expanding its services in the last three years. Existing product lines, such as vinyl siding, have been enhanced to carry more types, and the company added a spray-foam insulation division in 2006.

To accommodate the additional inventory, the company built a larger location at 1348 W. Liberty in Ozark. With 22,000 square feet, the new digs are nearly double Missouri Insulation’s previous home at 1580 W. Skyline in Ozark.

The company also has operations in Camdenton and Lebanon, and satellite operations were added in 2006 in Columbia and Bentonville, Ark.

The company’s growth, however, hasn’t been without challenges.

Missouri Insulation has had to work on internal communications with its approximately 70-member staff by adding meetings and constantly seeking staff input. Keeping communications open among widespread operations has been difficult, too, Lambert said.

“Just the logistics – moving materials between locations,” he said. “And our fleet size is around 40 vehicles, so that’s become more and more challenging.”

Customer service connections

Challenges aside, when it comes to other reasons for the company’s growth, Lambert cites quality customer service, which he said is a result of having quality employees, about five of whom were added when Missouri Insulation debuted its spray-foam division.

In the building materials industry, Lambert said customer service is what can set a company apart, as most consumers aren’t buying insulation based on a brand name.

Larimer agreed.

“As a whole, a lot of people don’t notice the difference – nor do they care,” Larimer said. “We want to try to educate the consumer about not just, ‘Here’s a price,’ but how it’s going to benefit them.”

To keep good employees on staff, Missouri Insulation works hard to take care of them, something that has become more difficult as the staff grows.

Health insurance is available to its employees for $1 a week after 90 days, something Lambert says he is proud to offer.

It’s a matter of prioritizing employees’ health and budgeting the costs, he said.

“A lot of companies pay half or 70 percent and employees still can’t afford it,” he said. “We’re basically saying this is something that we feel is important.”

The company also offers a 401(k) program; for eight years, it has matched employee contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 6 percent.

Information accurate at the time of the honor.[[In-content Ad]]