Tag: shrink wrap

Over the past few years, the world has seen some pretty tough economic times.  It was extremely difficult for small businesses to stay afloat during the latest US recession (beginning late 2007 and lasting into the summer of 2009).  Dr. Shrink, Inc. felt the need to fight through the recession instead of hanging back and having it adversely affect our business.  In order to combat the harsh financial struggle that seemed to be everyone’s biggest enemy; Dr. Shrink was progressive in our approach to overcome these tough times.
Dr. Shrink knew it was crucial to be smart on where we chose to spend our money during this time.  We were still a fairly new company in 2007 (in our 15th year of business) so continuing to promote our name and the Dr. Shrink brand was critical.  We had often exhibited at trade shows as a way to promote our products, but during the years of 07’ – 09’, Dr. Shrink looked at trade shows with a heavier focus and also as a necessity.  CEO Mike Stenberg invested the time and money into exhibiting at more shows in order to promote our company and make new customers; even when it seemed like new customers were far out of sight.
Dr. Shrink has taken pride in knowing we have always been a forward-thinking and innovative company and we wanted to build on these strengths during the recession.  In addition to providing our customers with an extensive, high quality line of premium shrink wrap and installation accessories, we continued to develop new and useful products for our customers to help them stay proficient.  Creating new, innovative products takes an enormous amount of time and money. Even during this hard economic time and our reduced budget, we knew it was vital to continue putting resources into new product development.  Living up to the high standards our customers expect from us was a must and creating these new products definitely helped us grow.  In addition to bringing new products to the market, we put extensive effort into researching potential distributors to supply Dr. Shrink products worldwide.  We wanted our products to be readily available for all customers no matter what part of the globe they’re from.  Adding more national and international distributors during these hard times helped us grow even more.  In addition to these efforts to grow during the recession, we knew one thing would still be around once the recession was over—the internet.  Dr. Shrink decided to revamp the company website to make it more user-friendly and provide easier navigation.  We also optimized the site so it could easily be seen when searched online.
Lastly, and maybe one of the most monumental steps that Dr. Shrink took during the recession, was the creation of a new department within the company– our Marketing Department.  In July of 2009, Dr. Shrink hired Angela Jensen to be a full-time telemarketer and as time progressed, so did our marketing outlets and services.  We built a presence on many social media outlets and started blogging.  We also created custom Dr. Shrink flyers, which promoted our premium shrink wrap products targeted to new industries.  Our new flyers were taken to all relevant trade shows; construction, scaffolding, agriculture, wind power, packaging & transportation, the list goes on.  Dr. Shrink realized with a new marketing department intact, that in addition to marketing our own company, we could now help our customer’s promote their company.  We wanted to provide our customers (who didn’t have the resources to attend trade shows, spend time on advertising, etc.) with marketing help and guidance.  Some examples of marketing assistance offered to our customers are: custom flyers, logo creation, affordable website templates, press release kits, and many other tools.  This side of our Marketing Department has made an impact on our customer’s business, in turn helping our own.  It is nice to know Dr. Shrink and our customers are growing and prospering together.
The recession is over and Dr. Shrink has come out of it thriving by being proactive and forward-thinking.  We have developed and matured as a company and will always strive to offer our customers the absolute best products and customer service.

Dr. Shrink has always been a company that cares about people and the community that we reside in.  When we heard that there was an organization in our community (Love INC of Manistee) that needed  help raising money to continue their charity efforts with local families, Dr. Shrink stepped up to the plate to lend a hand.  With the beautiful Manistee National Golf Course & Resort just down the road, it made sense to hold a benefit golf outing for Love INC.
Love INC is a non-profit organization that has helped thousands of people in the Manistee and Benzie counties every year.  Whether it be food, clothing, shelter, life skill classes, or emergency relief; Love INC puts forth many resources to help people in need.  With that being said, funding for such programs plays an enormous role in helping the people and families who do receive these aids.  In order to continue to offer these and other programs to the people who need them, Love INC is trying to raise money to continue to offer them.  Dr. Shrink has teamed up with Love INC to bring a community together and help to make sure these programs stay in place.
This event is for anyone that wants to support Love INC or who just wants to play a round of golf on an amazing course for a great cause.  The Dr. Shrink staff will be participating in this event and we encourage our customers to come out and join us.  Dr. Shrink, Inc. President and CEO Mike Stenberg wanted to personally invite our customers to come and join us saying, “It would be a pleasure seeing all of our customers and business friends at our first annual charity golf tournament for Love, INC.  We promise a great time while benefiting Love, INC and their caring agenda.  So far we have customers coming from as far away as Rhode Island, New York, Maryland and Minnesota.  Come on up to beautiful Manistee, MI and have some fun.”  In addition to many other great prizes, there will be an exclusive “Dr. Shrink Customer Only” prize raffle at the end of the event for all of our customers that participate.  One lucky Dr. Shrink customer will receive new Shrinkfast 998 Heat Tool Kit!
 
Dr. Shrink and Love INC would like to thank the following sponsors:
Bob’s Roofing
Callesen & Associates
Jeff Petroski of the Comfort Center
Daniel D. Laskey Company, PC
Exit Great Lakes Reality
Kendra C. Thompson Architects, PC
Manistee Ford
Mary Sturdevant Agency State Farm Insurance
MS Creative
Muffler Man of Manistee
North Shore Marine & RV
Northwestern Bank
Olsen’s Food Store
Pamela’s Interior Design & Construction
Sports Ink
Lucky Lizard Awards & Gifts
West Shore Bank
Yates Chevrolet & Cadillac
Smeltzer & Sons Photography
Members Credit Union
Go With the Flow Solutions
Paco Theiscn
Lloyd Henry’s
Paul Vandermaas of Las-Drop
Manistee National Golf & Resort
102.7 WMOM FM Radio
91.1 The Promise FM Radio
Manistee News Advocate
Manistee Chamber of Commerce
Ludington Daily News
 
And all the everyone who will be participating in this event!
 
For complete details, please see the flyer above.  For any questions or to sign up for this event, contact Travis at 231-723-2685 or email him attravis@dr-shrink.com.

Feelings of compassion and sympathy are expressed by people all over the globe when they hear of natural disasters causing devastation and destruction in people’s lives.  After a natural disaster strikes, people and families who are affected are left in great need of essentials in order to survive.  Whether it be a fire, earthquake, flood, tsunami, tornado, or hurricane; shelter is always a number one priority once the disaster has struck.  It is understood that in the midst of a disaster the need for a quick, reliable, and durable shelter is a necessity.  Dr. Shrink President Mike Stenberg was one of the many people who felt there had to be something he or his company could do whenever a natural disaster struck.  The idea to create a disaster shelter out of shrink wrap was born.   Dr. Shrink (in collaboration with Camcar Plastics and Transhield) is proud to now introduce our new, ready-to-assemble Disaster Shelter.
Our Disaster Shelters are designed to be lightweight and easy to assemble in order to offer the fastest and most efficient form of shelter and protection from the harsh elements of a passing storm/disaster.  The skeleton of the shelter is constructed of PVC piping which creates the frame.  The structure is lightweight yet durable enough to withstand wind gusts.  The cover is made from our premium 10-mil shrink wrap material with an attachable cloth-lined, waterproof floor.  Sewn-in zipper screen windows and pre-installed vents keep fresh air circulating and the shelter ventilated.
Finalizations for the Disaster Shelters came just in time in order to help accommodate the growing need for emergency relief shelters in Japan.  Mike was extremely glad to know there was something Dr. Shrink could offer to the relief effort of this disaster.  Dr. Shrink has extended a hand to the people of Japan by donating 50 of our Disaster Shelters to the small village of Rikuzen Tekada, the most impacted zone of the 2011 tsunami and earthquake.  (Click here for recent articles published on our donation: https://exm.nr/imTefe,  https://bit.ly/jIC3GJ, &https://bit.ly/mRxAAC ).  The tents should supply the only known standing shelters to the region at this time.
If you have any questions about Dr. Shrink’s new Disaster Shelters, please contact us at 231-723-2685 or by email at sales@dr-shrink.com.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to shrink wrap?  Or thought about starting a mobile shrink wrap company and just don’t know where to start?  You’re not alone and Dr. Shrink has created a solution for you.  We want you to gain experience and learn from the best.
Dr. Shrink offers ShrinkWrap U, a training course held quarterly in our facility in Manistee, MI to help people who are interested in learning how to shrink wrap and/or starting a shrink wrap business.  This one day class teaches you everything you need to know in order to shrink wrap like a pro.  Half the day will be spent in a classroom setting, learning about the products used in the shrinking process, safety practices, and marketing and business start-up tips.  The second half of the day will be extensive hands-on training and live demonstrations.  You will be trained on how to properly shrink wrap a boat for storage and also the basic steps involved in wrapping a piece of equipment.  We are certain you will leave our warehouse feeling confident in your newfound skills and abilities as a shrink wrapper; however, we realize questions and concerns are bound to come up when you’re out in the field or on a jobsite.  When you leave our facility, we’ll still be here to help in any way we can.  One of the perks of being a SWU grad is having a great support system whenever you need it.  We are sure you’ll have a customer ask you to shrink wrap something you may not be familiar with.  We can walk you through it, suggest which size of shrink wrap would work best, and what materials you’ll need.  We’re just a phone call or email away!
We have had many people attend ShrinkWrap U who have seen firsthand the benefits of learning from the shrink wrap experts at Dr. Shrink.  We had a chance to talk to one of our past graduates, Tim Guyther from Pallets n’ Such in Bessemer City, NC and to get his thoughts about his ShrinkWrap U experience.  When asked if he thought ShrinkWrap U was beneficial Tim stated, “Absolutely!  It is absolutely worth coming out and taking the class.”  Tim said he realizes the classroom aspect of the course is imperative in order to learn how, why, and when to use certain tapes, strapping, and other accessories in addition to learning about business start-up practices and marketing advice.  However, he found the outdoor training to be the most beneficial stating, “I’m a hands-on kind of guy.  So actually working with the product was perfect for me.  I needed that practice and know-how of using the heat tool and most importantly, I needed that reassurance that I was doing it right, at the right speed, and so on.”  We never cease to amaze someone when they attend ShrinkWrap U and Tim was no exception.  When asked if there was anything that he learned at ShrinkWrap U that was surprising to him Tim said, “The strength [of the shrink wrap] was very surprising to me.  I couldn’t believe it could really hold that much weight.”  Click the link to see the full interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwkDokLlgj8.
Our next classes will be held on June 9, 2011 and August 18, 2011. Make sure to fill out our enrollment formhttps://assets1.mytrainsite.com/501008/shrinkwrapu_enrollment_form.pdf to reserve your spot today!  If you have any questions about the class or would like more information, email us atsales@dr-shrink.com or call 800-968-5147.

Shrink wrap is made of petroleum products, and as you have seen at the gas pumps, prices are rising.  Since the beginning of 2011, we have seen costs go up by 20% on resins—and there are still more potential increases on the table for late July and August.  Many of our installation accessories including tape, vents, and zipper doors have also been affected by rising costs.
Shrink wrap and installation accessories will not be as low as last year.  For those of you in the marine industry, now is a great time to determine your price structure for fall shrink wrap covers and notify your customers of price increases.  As always, shrink wrap will be the lowest cost item in any project, but you will need to account for higher material prices, increased transportation costs to get to the job, and more costly propane.
Material cost per boat cover will be as it stands – about 15-20% higher than last year.
If we use a 30’ Sea Ray Sundancer with arch for an example (26’X45’ 7-ml White Shrink Wrap):
•2010 Prices for Shrink Wrap approximately $66.00
•2011 Prices for Shrink Wrap approximately $76.00-79.20
A smaller boat such as a 20’ Four Winns (17’X25’ 7-ml White Shrink Wrap):
•2010 Prices for Shrink Wrap approximately $24.42
•2011 Prices for Shrink Wrap approximately $28.00-29.30
An increase to your customer of about $.50 per foot will cover the added cost of materials.    Breaking the material pricing down to cost per boat, or per piece of machinery, will show your customers that these increases do not have to become a deal breaker.
Shrink wrap is still the most cost effective way to keep boats, equipment, buildings, etc. safe from weather damage.  Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Shrink anytime for current shrink wrap and accessory prices.

During storage and transit, Wind Power equipment needs safeguarding against weather damage.  Dr. Shrink’s premium shrink wrap provides complete protection to ensure hubs, gearboxes, blades, and     towers are in proper working condition when arriving at their final destination.  Our premium shrink wrap system is simple to use and very cost effective.  Coming in 12’ to 50’ in width and in a variety of different mil thicknesses, our shrink wrap is guaranteed to cover any job!  In addition to our bulk sheeting, Dr. Shrink’s custom pre-sewn Blade and Tower End Bags have a ratchet strap sewn in to save time and make installation even easier.  We will be exhibiting at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) show in Anaheim, CA from 5/23-5/25.  Make sure to stop by booth #2399C if you’ll be attending the show or around the area.  Call Dr. Shrink today for more information on how to get your valuable nacelles, hubs, rotors, and bases protected from the elements!

Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, blogging and beyond; these are all different forms of social media and they all play a very big role in today’s world and marketplace.  Many people keep in touch with their friends and family, watch the latest videos online, check in to their favorite places, and even write whatever comes to mind (in 140 characters or less, of course) all through the portals known conjunctively as social media.  Dr. Shrink is no exception to this at all.  As a matter of fact, Dr. Shrink already uses many of these different applications in day to day use.
But why do we use social media and why is it so important to us?  Dr. Shrink uses these outlets to connect with our customers, future customers, and industry professionals all over the world.  We are a very tech savvy company and use the resources of social media outlets as our ally to help keep our Dr. Shrink enthusiasts informed with all the latest news and happenings.  We try our very best to create a relationship with our customers and we believe these outlets are a way to show the personality, humor, and fun there is behind our company brand.  Not only is it important to Dr. Shrink, but we also believe it is important to any company in the marketplace to be a part of this growing community.  We love interacting with other companies and associations to stay updated with new trends and industries.  We strongly encourage everyone (not online or online) to take advantage of these free outlets to connect with their customer base.
As we mentioned before, Dr. Shrink uses an assortment of social media outlets including: Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, YouTube, Keep and Share, and blogging to keep everyone up-to-date and informed about the ever changing shrink wrap industry.  In a world where you can never have enough friends, fans, followers, and subscribers, Dr. Shrink is launching a new promotion to get you to join in the buzz known as social media.
Throughout the month of May, Dr. Shrink is holding a Social Media Buzz promotion and it couldn’t be a better time for you to jump on the Dr.’s social media train!  It could land you a brand new 32GB iPod Touch just for becoming a part of our social media family!  See the flyer above for all the details on how you could win.
For any questions on this promotion, please contact us at sales@dr-shrink.com. Click on the links below to join our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Two weeks ago, we took an in depth look into trade shows and why they are so important to the growth and development of Dr. Shrink.  This week, we will divulge into our reasons for exhibiting at ConExpo; one of the recent shows that Dr. Shrink participated in.  We will also receive some insight from Ryan Polcyn, who was Dr. Shrink’s rep at the show, and share his thoughts about the show and the impact it had for Dr. Shrink.
ConExpo 2011 was held in Las Vegas, NV at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  This five day event had over 120,000 industry professional attendees and housed over 2,400 exhibitors.  Featuring everything imaginable when it comes to the construction and agricultural industries, ConExpo showcased the latest equipment, technologies, products, and services; and Dr. Shrink was glad to be in the thick of this giant event.
Most people relate Dr. Shrink and our shrink wrapping products mainly with the boating and marine industry, however, shrink wrap is becoming an industry standard in the construction and agriculture fields as well.  From large industrial equipment, to scaffolding and containment, to entire buildings; shrink wrap is making its mark on the industry and is becoming more prominent every day.  Ryan gave us some great insight into Dr. Shrink’s role at ConExpo and explained how our company is bringing more awareness and knowledge of shrink wrapping to industry professionals at these types of shows.
“We got the chance to demonstrate our whole shrink wrap system and how shrink wrap is used to protect equipment for transport, storage, and even for scaffolding projects.”  Throughout the five day event, Ryan had many opportunities to interact with all sorts of different people—when asked what his favorite part about going to shows was he said, “Meeting new clients, mingling with people and helping them with questions on the shrink wrapping process, and discovering new avenues for people to use this cost-effective solution for their products and jobs.”  He continued, “There are always going to be new uses for shrink wrap in one way or another and going to shows like ConExpo is a great way to explore those possibilities.”
Even though ConExpo is held only once every three years, Dr. Shrink made an impact with our presence this year.  Ryan shared his thoughts on how the show went overall stating, “The show was definitely a success, we had a lot of good interest.  It’s really neat to work with people on the construction side of things and understand and learn how we can best help and serve them.”  If you have any questions about how shrink wrap can be used in the construction or agriculture industries, please don’t hesitate to call Dr. Shrink at 800-968-5147 or email us at drshrink@dr-shrink.com.

The Dr. now has first-hand experience dealing with the damage and destruction after a tornado or severe storm hits.   An extremely severe thunderstorm that developed along a warm front came ashore into Manistee around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning.  High winds (with gusts up to 80 mph) wrapped up in the brunt of the storm crashed down to the surface over a one square mile area in the industrial park where Dr. Shrink, Inc. is located.  The storm ripped off the roof of our warehouse and caused serious damage.  In addition to Dr. Shrink’s warehouse facility, several other buildings in the area were also damaged or destroyed.
  
Dr. Shrink came together as a team immediately on Sunday in order to repair the problems.  Mike Stenberg (CEO) states, “After a damaging storm hit our warehouse, the Dr. Shrink team took a very bad situation and turned it around in under ten hours.  I was in China as the situation occurred and communicated by phone and text messaging to see how the Dr. Shrink team handled the recovery.   I am very impressed how our warehouse was totally enclosed in just a few hours—and our customer service was not affected in any way.  I applaud our team.”
It was Dr. Shrink’s main goal to get the situation handled quickly and efficiently in order to keep our service up to the high standards our customer’s expect.  Local roofing companies were overwhelmed doing repairs and time wasn’t on our side.  Without a second thought, we pulled out the shrink wrap and heat tools and got to work.  Using a 50’ x 100’ 9 mil roll and 2 x 6 boards, the Dr. Shrink staff was able to cover about 3,000 square feet of our damaged warehouse structure.
  
Mike states, “Shrink wrap was instrumental in making our warehouse totally weather tight in such a short time.   This now gives us more experience, and the ability to help other companies and individuals, protect their damaged structures after storms, earthquakes, or tornados hit.”
Complete roofing repairs will take a few weeks to be finalized but Dr. Shrink will continue to provide top customer service and prompt delivery as if this disaster did not affect us.  Ryan Polcyn states, “It has been a team effort cleaning up while keeping operations moving with no downtime.  Restoration would not have been this seamless without our great staff and a great product.”  If you have any questions on installing shrink wrap for disaster restoration, do not hesitate to contact us at 800.968.5147 or by emailing drshrink@dr-shrink.com.  Thank you for working with us and as always, please let us know if there is anything we can do to improve our service.
 
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