DEER PARK, New York – When a new generation takes over the family pallet business, there are decisions to be made. For example, is the business model still profitable, or has it gotten stale? If so, what changes need to be made to ensure success in the future?
And while repairing and tearing apart broken GMAs may have been the passion of the founder, succeeding generations might not feel that fire, or at least not in the same way. Sometimes they choose to do things that are attuned more closely to their own values and priorities.
One example of such a shift in direction is APM Shipping Services (www.apmshippingservices.com), a pallet recycler and shipping supplies provider based in Deer Park (Long Island), New York. Like a lot of pallet company operators, Jesse Viola and his brother Michael are second-generation owners. And they have grown the business outside of just pallets. Today, as much as 50% of the company’s revenue is now generated from stretch wrap. This product category fits well with Jesse’s affiliated digital media production company. It uses innovative commercials to boost stretch wrap sales. And the approach is working. This small Long Island, New York pallet recycler definitely ticks some different boxes than most.
Predictably, the boys grew up in their family pallet business, with Jesse Viola having an interest in the arts. “I’ve been a musician, and a creative person since I was a child,” he said. Eventually, he was hired to write and develop soundtracks for some independent films being made in New York City, including Best Man in Dark (2014). Those experiences led to building relationships with people in the film production business.
“And from those relationships, we started creating videos and commercials for our company, APM, focusing on the stretch film sector,” he continued.
In balancing his creative interests, Viola had initially left the family business to take a job selling stretch wrap. His sales efforts gradually built momentum, but ultimately, he decided to come back, bringing his packaging expertise with him.
APM started with one video commercial, and the successful response led Viola to develop others. “We began to really build this digital content marketing approach to selling our products,” he said, remarking that it also organically led to doing digital marketing content for other companies in their network who had responded favorably to the APM videos. Viola International Media specializes in digital storytelling that resonates with customers. The media company is independent of APM.
“We’re in a business that is a commodity,” he said of the pallet and wrap business. “It’s a very low sex appeal situation, and how do I drive to the heart of this thing through digital media, while basically touching the most universal aspect that people like to do business with people that they know, and trust and feel comfortable with? And, and that’s how it all shook out, and that’s where we are now.”
Viola observed that across the spectrum, the world is becoming increasingly digital. “Any company, regardless of what it is, you have to be there in that (digital) world, and you have to be participating,” he said. “We stand out in an industry that really hasn’t seen much innovation in marketing.”
Viola believes that his experience at APM can help other pallet businesses both in terms of broadening their product line to include stretch wrap and other shipping supplies, as well as regarding digital marketing. “When you’re a recycler, it’s very difficult to grow your business,” he commented, “because of your inability to control your supply chain. I feel that people have a hard time seeing anything other than pallets, which is where I really believe we can help. There are many other ancillary items that fit right into the conversations that you’re having every day.”
One of those products is stretch wrap. He calls it a “no-brainer.”
Regarding marketing media, Viola emphasized that his company can create campaigns for companies in the pallet and packaging space with expertise that no other marketing company could come close to matching, thanks to its roots in the pallet business. Unit load procurement people, just as people in other sectors, are rapidly shifting to digital. With this trend underway, he believes that his company can produce digital stories that will help pallet companies build and reinforce relationships.
“If you’re doing business in the next 5-10 years, you have to start thinking about digital,” he concluded.
To talk to APM about stretch wrap marketing or Viola International Media about its digital marketing services, contact Jesse Viola at jviola@violainternational.com.
