IFW Bedslide
Keith Carpenter, Bedslide
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Why southern Oregon?
We’ve had opportunity to relocate, but this is home!
Location: Medford (541)842-2789
Owner: Keith Carpenter Employees: 31 Click here to visit the Bedslide website
IFW Bedslide founder and President Keith Carpenter isn’t shy about stating the facts when asked what makes his 8-year old company innovative. “We were simply lazy! We thought to ourselves that there must be a better way to retrieve items from the back of our trucks without crawling inside to get them” A former financial planner for 25 years, Keith along with two other partners set out to build a common-sense, easy-to-build-and-repair slide and mounting system for pick-up trucks in a garage. Likened to an oversized kitchen drawer, the cargo management system, capable of holding up to 1200 pounds, works with just the turn of the latch and a pull on the handle.
Although there were a few years in the beginning when Keith received no income and claims he was clueless about the industry, today the company is growing close to 40% each year and now supplies the likes of General Motors and over 1500 dealers nationwide. International markets are opening up, as well. Of course you can still custom-order your own Bedslide, and the 31-employee team is happy to do so.
The excitement level about the product and its potential for growth pervades the entire company. Keith views the personal involvement on part of his employees as critical to the success of the company. Every employee has opportunity to contribute new ideas. This employee-connection, along with simply watching the company grow while staying ahead of the competition drives Keith to keep IFW Bedslide products on the leading edge and to ensure that they don’t look like something built in a garage anymore. Keith comments that the cool factor for their product is the fact that once a truck owner has a Bedslide, they have to have it again.
IFW Bedslide was honored with a prestigious Ron Webster award for the best and most innovative product in the light truck accessory market after attending their first trade show in 2000. The future continues to look bright for this one-time hobbyist but now thriving manufacturer. Keith expects production to nearly double in less than five years moving its current monthly number of units produced from 840 to 1600. And innovation, while perhaps not so accidental now, will continue as IFW Bedslide looks at new products, including a top-secret product for motorcycle enthusiasts.
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