Seventy-five years ago in a barn behind his central Ohio home, Charles Cornell developed a rubber vulcanizing process for developing repairs for tires and inner tubes in hot or cold applications. The invention launched Tech International, which today makes and distributes more than 10,000 tire repair, wheel service and industrial rubber products to customers in 95 countries.
The fourth generation family leadership of Tech International looked back at 75 years of growth and innovation at the company’s new training facility located less than a mile from the company’s headquarters in Johnstown, Ohio, on Sept. 12.
Construction of the 15,000-square-foot facility was completed in the spring of 2014. The building has Wi-Fi throughout and state of the art pneumatics for air tools, according to Dan Layne, president. The new building replaces the old training facility, which dated from the 1950s.
The "tech" in Tech International stands for “teach each customer how,” says Layne. The company’s training seminars in passenger and commercial tire repair and TPMS service fulfill Tire Industry Association (TIA) certification requirements. The company also offers off-the-road tire section repair and sales training for technicians and distributors.
Customers from around the world are invited to Tech International for product-specific training. “Tech’s unique proposition is the training we offer, and we think it’s most important customers be trained to service tires,” says Layne. Tech also staffs in-house product experts who serve as resources to customers.
To mark its anniversary, Tech commissioned artwork to serve as a visual commemoration of its people, legacy and products over the last 75 years. Layne unveiled it at the anniversary celebration, saying, “To see Tech’s history and accomplishments together in this art piece clearly demonstrates that our growth and longevity is a result of innovation; not only in our tire repair products but also through discovering new ways to leverage our intelligence.
“That pioneering mindset is what will pave the way for a successful future at Tech, as we use our core competencies in repairing, recycling, repurposing and reusing to find new ways to improve and grow our product offerings. With this in mind, we look forward to seeing Tech celebrate many milestones like we are today.” (To read Layne's speech in its entirety, click here.)
Facts about Tech International:
* family-owned and operated since 1939;
* producer and distributor of tire repair, wheel service and industrial rubber repair products;
* markets more than 10,000 items into 95 countries under the Tech brand and Truflex/Pang brands, as well as several private label brands.
* the company’s Pang Industrial brand offers a full line of rubber and chemical products for fabrication, repair and maintenance of rubber and PVC conveyor belts;
* headquartered in Johnstown, Ohio, Tech International’s global business is managed through its headquarters in Johnstown, Ohio, and company locations in Lisburn, Northern Ireland; Shanghai, China; and Tokyo, Japan, as well as regional offices across the globe.
* 240 employees in Johnstown; 550 company-wide;
* one of only two company’s to have been twice awarded the President’s “E-Star” award for outstanding export success; and
* ISO 9001-2008 certified.
For more information about the company, visit www.tech-international.com.
