Redi-Rock International

Source: Construction Digital

Date :11/04/2008 03:51:40

Marketing Director Jake Manthei explains how Redi-Rock International has focused on research and development to become a success

Written by Roxanne Ridge and Produced by Amber Sweeney

The Manthei’s got their start in business three generations ago when starting a bean farm in Northern Michigan. Today, their portfolio of businesses range from resort RV parks to manufacturing custom wood veneers and from real estate to heavy construction.

Redi-Rock International - a spin off of heavy construct company MDC Contracting, a small family-run road building and ready mixed concrete company in Northern Michigan - launched nationally in 2008, and now leads the big block retaining wall industry.

The Manthei story all started when Jim Manthei began experimenting with building a big block retaining wall system. The result was a retaining wall system weighing over one ton each built from wet cast concrete. The Big Blocks were installed with machines and quickly became know as “a product for strong minds and weak backs.”

Contrary to the other segmental retaining walls products on the market at the time, which were made of drycast concrete and weighted 80lb – 120lb, Redi-Rock’s wetcast system weighed 2,000lb per block, allowing walls to be built very high without expensive geogrid or tiebacks.

In 1998, Jim’s revolutionary product was launched in local markets in Northern Michigan and solved a lot of retaining wall problems. The product increased MDC Contracting’s bottom line and in 2000 the brothers decided to offer the Redi-Rock Manufacturing system to other producers across America.

Ben Manthei, Jake’s father and current President of Redi-Rock, led the product launch and which has changed the way engineers and contractors look at retaining walls.

Today, the Redi-Rock International has about 130 manufacturers across North America and Europe and has done projects with major retail chains, including Walgreen’s, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s, as well as developers such as Pulte Homes, the United States Military and the Department of Transportation. The Manthei’s own and operate ten businesses and Redi-Rock International has become the portfolio’s rising star with growth over consecutive years.

What has the company been doing to rise to such a success over the last eight years?

Research and development

“To build our organization we have had to invest heavily in product development, infrastructure, and really good people,” explains Jake who has been marketing director of Redi-Rock International since 2004.

“We have carved our niche in the retaining wall industry by creating a place where we could be first and lead,” he continues. “When the industry was building drycast, 80lb split face blocks, we built a 2000lb wetcast block that looked like quarried stone – we created the Big Block Retaining Wall Industry.”

It is significant movements like this that have enabled the company to be a success. “Few companies in our industry have invested in staff dedicated solely to research and development. Our research and development department is the growth engine of our business.”

Redi-Rock has invested heavily in developing resources to make it easy for engineers to design its products. It developed a tool it refers to as The Design Charts, which are 700+ preliminary designs that include CAD drawings and calculations. “We wanted to be easy to work with, so we did the preliminary design work so engineers don’t have to. Engineers simply have to review our designs, edit them if necessary, and specify Redi-Rock,” says Jake.

“We get calls from engineers on a daily basis and we always ask: ‘Have you ever seen a retaining wall that is this high without geogrid?’ and they’re usually in disbelief when we show them how Redi-Rock products works, and we have the calculations to back up our designs! We have a tool that we designed specifically to build tall gravity walls, although we can build even taller reinforced wall too where applicable.

“We will never claim to be the cheapest, but we will claim to be the best,” says Jake.

“However, contrary to the standard we don’t focus on cost-cutting to get more customers. Instead we focus on how we can add value. In a couple of weeks, we’re going to launch a cutting edge software package for engineers that will empower them to do designs that other software on the market simply is not powerful enough to do.”

Marketing our Manufacturing Network

Redi-Rock’s innovative and problem solving products as well as its robust manufacturing network have enabled it to work with some big retail clients, national developers, and the United States Military.

“Our National Account Manager’s primary goal is to develop relationships with national accounts and to get written in as an approved product for new construction,” explains Jake. “We have a very strong manufacturing network, in fact, we have the largest manufacturing network in the Big Block Industry! This competitive advantage is what has given us the ability to work with the national retailers and developers. There is a Redi-Rock manufacturer in reach of nearly every major market in North America.

“We have 130 manufacturers in North America and in countries in Europe, which include the UK, Italy, Spain and France. We’re currently looking at moving into the [United] Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai – this is definitely somewhere where we expect to see growth. Most recently we have teamed up with a company called Construct Corp who is rolling out our products in Europe and the Middle East. We’re constantly trying to shift to keep up with the market.”

Educating North America on the Benefits of Redi-Rock

A key area that makes Redi-Rock stand out is its commitment to providing training for its manufacturers and providing opportunities for new customers to learn about the benefits of Redi-Rock’s products. In 2004, Redi-Rock University (RRU) was formed – a forum where the Redi-Rock Manufacturing network can learn about the latest engineering, installation, production, and marketing advancements. But perhaps more importantly, RRU has become a networking hub for the manufacturing network; a place to share marketing ideas and successes, new product ideas, and market trends.

“The Redi-Rock University is a great way to come and get information on the Redi-Rock products, but it also provides invaluable opportunities to network and work together to move forward in the industry – essentially, a movement has developed, which is both useful and powerful for the Big Block retaining wall industry.”

Part of the way that Redi-Rock is able to do this is through its staff. Redi-Rock hires very smart people and by doing they’re able to innovate faster than most. We really invest in people,” explains Jake. “Whether its direct employees who work for our company or our manufacturing network, we’re constantly developing ways to communicate what were and doing to customers.

“Redi-Rock is a constantly evolving business and many of our staff are attracted to the benefits that come from working in an innovative, fun and exciting company with a family-like culture. In exchange, it’s these types of smart people who will continue to make Redi-Rock grow and grow.”

Click here to view the corporate brochure on Redi Rock