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PURSUING THE DREAM: GLM Industries partners Wendell
McClain, Chuck Gaskins, snf Mark Lassiter. |
 As
production at Murray Outdoor Products ground to a painful
close during the first quarter of this year, Maintenance
Supervisor and McKenzian Chuck Gaskins and two members of
his crew, Wendell McClain from Paris and Mark Lassiter of
Dresden, realized new jobs in their field at local
factories were scarce to the point of non-existent.
Chuck had been with Murray since they opened in 1988; for
Mark, it was the third time he had lost a job because of
production moving into another country.
Discouragement came hard to the three hard-working men who
still believed in the truth of the American Dream despite
big business yanking the rug from beneath them and
hundreds of other locals.
Recalls Chuck, "We were all sitting around talking one day
and came up with the idea. 'Hey! Let's just start our own
business.'"
The men knew they could work together, having handled many
projects together at the plant. They also knew they had
the skills they needed to succeed; at Murray they plied
their skills for every job that came up from carpentry to
electrician.
"Murray never contracted anything out," they men declare,
showing photos of gleaming overhead light work and air
line assemblies they had installed in the factory.
The men say they simply build off each others strengths,
with Chuck providing carpentry, electrical, and plumbing
experience as well as design and job planning; Wendell
supplying years of experience as a welder and Mark
enjoying painting plus providing additional management
experience.
"We're three but we're made as one," says Wendell,
explaining the group's collaborative efforts.
As their dream of owning their own business became more
real, they discussed products and services they could
supply that might meet with public demand.
"Our original interest was lawn and garden trailers and
barbecue grills and that's the only one we've built so
far," laughs Chuck, pointing to a barrel-style grill in
the team's immaculate shop located behind Bryant's Flowers
and Gifts in McKenzie.
That barbecue grills did not become the mainstay of GLM
Industries, as the group became known, is not a matter of
concern to the men whose work has evolved into "quite a
bit of everything."
The first chore for the new partnership as Murray closed
its doors was to prepare their work and office space, a
chore that alone reveals the group's industry and quality
attention to detail. Their spacious workshop is a
veritable showplace of cleanliness with even a
current-project area as neat as a pin.
"We don't like to work in a mess; we like to do good
quality work and we also feel the shop reflects our
business," says Chuck.
GLM Industries opened officially on July 1 this year,
appropriately just before Independence Day for the
patriotic gentlemen upon whose shop wall is displayed a
huge American flag.
Manufacturing and installing flagpoles has become one of
GLM's top-selling services with customers as far away as
Lexington and Dresden as well as closer by in McKenzie and
Huntingdon.
"We felt flagpoles would be a good contribution after
September 11," said already patriotic Gaskins, "besides
they are the perfect complement to any business or house."
To enhance their thriving flagpole business, the men
contracted with a flag and banner company to supply flags
and flagpole accessories, allowing GLM Industries to offer
quality, American-made flags and banners from the American
flag to custom-designed products.
"They're all U.S. made. I've noticed a lot of stores
selling American flags made in China we're not going to do
that," says Mark, who has felt the slashing bite of
overseas competition.
Another of the group's original ideas - two-wheel and
four-wheel lawn and garden trailers and wagons - offer
lawn care businesses and gardening enthusiasts with
products "more heavy duty than what you can buy at
Wal-Mart." The trailers are so heavy-duty, in fact, that
Chuck has maintained one with a test-load of 1000 pounds.
As of last week, the trailer had stood up to the test.
GLM currently provides sandblasting services with the use
of a sand blast cabinet, however, the crew plans to expand
into adjacent buildings to build a sandblast room and to
acquire storage space for finished products.
A portable welder allows the team to take their services
where they are needed, providing house calls to farmers
having problems with farm equipment and to others unable
to bring items in for repair.
"If it has to do with wood or metal we can do it; large or
small, we'll attempt anything," says Chuck without a trace
of uncertainty.
One of the group's most recent successes was the
installation of the new awning in front of the McKenzie
Middle School, a project that enhances the beauty of the
school while providing shade in the summer as well as
shelter from rain, snow and ice.
Another job started small when GLM contracted to repair a
damaged facia on the home of Sharon and Jim Scruton in
McKenzie.
"We went out there on a small job on the house and spent
eight days out there working," says Chuck. "She said she
had some projects to do on the house and barn but had a
budget she had to stay within. We gave her a price on the
house and when the work was done she was so pleased with
that, she wanted us to go ahead and work on the barn."
Sharon's barn project consisted originally of applying tin
siding, having already re-roofed the structure with new
tin. However, "it was leaning; it was in bad shape," says
Chuck.
The trio straightened the building, repaired some
structural damage and installed new red tin and still
stayed within the Scruton's budget, the group reported
with pride.
Currently, in addition to other projects, the GLM crew is
building a deck and is available for room additions and
remodeling jobs, planning eventually to move into
full-scale building projects.
All in all, their entrepreneurial venture has been a
fruitful one, to the relief of their wives, who, Mark
says, were nervous when they started "pulling money out of
savings."
"Now they're right there beside us," grins Wendell.
In addition to thanking their wives for their support, the
men say, "We put a lot of faith in God, that's what got
this started."
The three family men attend church services in their
various communities. Chuck and wife Cindy are members of
the First Baptist Church in McKenzie. The Gaskins have two
children: Jonathan, 19, and Kimberly Faye, 15.
Mark and Debbie are members of the Mack's Grove Baptist
Church, located between Dresden and Palmersville. They
have two boys, Josh, 20 and Jacob, 16.
Wendell and Janice attend Cedar Hill Baptist Church in
Cottage Grove. Their sons are Steve, 27, Nick, 23, and
Todd, 19. They also have one grandchild, Steve, Jr., who
is three years old.
For more information, call GLM Industries at 731-352-2300. |
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