In Business, the expression, “stick to your knitting,” refers to a company that focuses on its core capabilities, doing what it is familiar with and what it does best. In the book, In Search of Excellence, published in the the early 1980s, stick to your knitting was one of eight themes the authors found common among successful corporations.
For Mason Brothers Company, a wholesale grocer in Wadena, Minnesota, taking a straightforward, stick-to-your-knitting approach to business is nothing new. It's been doing that ever since its founding nearly 90 years ago.
This business technique, along with an emphasis on quality service, customer satisfaction, and managed growth, has been the company's guiding principles. Applied consistently over time, Mason Brothers has sustained its development and success.
Situated in the heart of Minnesota's major lakes and resort areas, 143 miles northwest of Minneapolis/St Paul, Mason Brothers' “knitting” is servicing independent, small town grocery stores. It is a one-stop shop, distributing a full line of products, from national brands to a complete line of private label items exclusive to them. This includes fresh dairy, produce, and meats; frozen and refrigerated foods; general merchandise; health and beauty care products; and specialty foods.
“Since the very beginning, customer service has been our strength,” says the company's Jeff Harrison. “We've always strived to provide the products and services our customer need to survive and thrive.”
Harrison co-owns Mason Brothers with his brother Ric. The two, who took over the company when their father Harry retired in 1999, have stuck to the company's knitting, while adding processes, tools, and technology to increase productivity and efficiency.
In May, the family-owned business celebrated its 88th anniversary. It was founded in Wadena in 1920 by brothers Harold and Victor (“Doc”) Mason who peddled groceries throughout the area. Within three years, they got to the point where they needed a warehouse, and the business has continued to evolve.
Mason Brothers now owns, operates, and maintains a fleet of refrigerated vehicles that services its more than 250 customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Close call
Another significant event in the company's history was June 18, 1968. That was when its warehouse was totally destroyed by fire. Thanks to the generosity of another local family, the Merickels who lived across the alley from Harry Harrison, Mason Brothers was back in business within two days.
The Merickel brothers, who own Merickel Lumber, one of the largest lumberyards in central Minnesota, owned an empty feed and seed building. “They gave the building to my dad to use, rent free, for as long as it was needed,” recalls Jeff Harrison. “This kept us in business. We had product in transit, but no place to put it.”
Mason Brothers built a new 40,000-square foot warehouse that was completed by the end of 1968. That facility has gone through seven additions. It is now more than 160,000 square feet, housing more than 10,000 items, and 16 dock doors for shipping and receiving.
Along with some dry storage, it has 20,000 square feet of frozen storage, 12,000 square feet of refrigerated storage, and 6,000 square feet of refrigerated loading dock space. There is a USDA inspected meat packing area where meat is further processed in case-ready packages.
A separate 12,000-square foot facility houses Mason Brothers' Abby's Bakery. Added in 1995, it produces an extensive line of baked goods, from donuts, muffins, and pastries, to bread and rolls, to cakes and pies, and everything in between.
The bakery is named for Harrison's daughter, the family's first granddaughter.
Product expansion
Up until 1969, Mason Brothers handled only dry grocery products. It moved into refrigerated products when it began handling a limited line of margarine and butter products.
It was around this time the company developed a relationship with Russ Davis Wholesale, a business that sells and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to retail stores. It built a facility next door to Mason Brothers.
The two companies work together to provide almost every imaginable produce product, delivered by either company's fleet.
In 1974, Mason Brothers purchased its first tractor trailer rigs. It had been using only straight trucks up unto this point.
The refrigerated side of its business expanded considerably in 1976, when Mason Brothers became a distributor of Land O' Lakes dairy products. It purchased its first refrigerated trailers at this time.
It now also handles the full line of Cass Clay Creamery products.
In 1979, Mason Brothers added fresh meat to its product line. It began handling an all-natural beef line of products from Heartland Farms in 2003.
The fleet evolved over time into all refrigerated equipment as the company began handling more refrigerated products, as well as frozen foods.
Standardized power
Mason Brothers has settled on Freightliner tractors. The most recent purchases were two used 2005 Columbia daycabs. “Basically we got two tractors with low miles and a full warranty for about the price of one new one,” Harrison notes.
The fleet is made up of 20 daycab tractors and two sleeper tractors, used on the longer Wisconsin routes.
The company's 28 drivers are assigned to routes, not trucks. The routes cover northeastern North Dakota, nearly all of Minnesota, and western and northern Wisconsin.
“We had been able to get our drivers home every night until our service area expanded and the Hours of Service rules changed,” says Harrison.
The tractors, which range in age from 1984 to 2006 models, are basically spec'd alike. Their power comes from Caterpillar C-12 or C-13 380-horsepower diesel engines with 10-speed Eaton transmissions. The fleet is governed at 66 mph but that will be adjusted downward, he says, to help reduce fuel consumption.
The three newly purchased Columbia daycabs have automatic transmissions and are being used for the Minneapolis/St Paul routes where heavy stop-and-go traffic is the norm. “We purchased these trucks to make things a little easier and safer for the drivers,” explains Harrison.
Being in a small community (Wadena has a population of less then 4,400 and more than 200 businesses) is a plus, he observes. So is being one of the largest employers in the area. “You get to know a lot of people.”
Another local business is Polman Transfer, a family-owned over-the-road freight company. When it comes time to acquire new equipment, Harrison occasionally seeks advice and guidance from Nick and DJ Polman, as well as from their head mechanic, Wally Anderson.
“Polman is a large operation with a lot of trucks and experience with all types of equipment,” says Harrison. “They're always good about helping us out.”
Knowledge, experience, and sound advice has helped Mason Brothers get the most longevity out of its fleet, where trucks average 80,000 to 120,000 “peddler” miles per year.
The newest trucks are always placed into service on the routes with the most mileage, says Mason Brothers' transportation manager Scott Putzke. As they age, the trucks are rotated into routes with fewer miles, and then eventually become yard tractors, which are used as a substitute for deliveries when the need arises.
A number of the fleet's newer tractors are outfitted with specially made deer bumpers. Deer-vehicle collisions pose a sizable hazard all year long, notes Putzke. With more fiberglass being used in today's tractors, even simple bumps can be very costly to repair. The deer bumper extension prevents a lot of damage.
Multi-temp trailers
The majority of the fleet's refrigerated trailers, all multi-temperature units, are Utility models, with a few Great Danes. Each trailer has an E-Track cargo tie-down anchoring system, load bars, and moveable bulkheads.
Throughout the years, trailer length has been expanded. The fleet includes 42-, 45- and 48-footers, with the latest additions being 53-footers. “These let us get on an additional five pallets of merchandise on for more productivity,” says Harrison.
All trailers have rear roll-up doors and three curbside swing doors, spaced according to Mason Brothers' specifications to accommodate the unloading of each compartment. Each trailer carries a custom-made aluminum walk ramp, which can be used at any door, a hand truck, and aluminum rollers for unloading.
Two trailers, used for certain difficult city routes, have Interlift folding liftgates on the rear to help expedite unloading.
The newer trailers are being outfitted with Air-Weigh on-board trailer scales. These convert trailer air-suspension pressure to an accurate on-the-ground weight.
“Overloading is an issue when backhauling dairy products,” says Harrison, “as a trailer will often weigh out before it cubes out.”
Mason Brothers is standard on Carrier Transicold refrigeration units, using a range of models, including the Genesis systems. These consist of a host refrigeration system and a choice of individually controlled remote evaporators.
The evaporators allow maximum capacity and airflow in every compartment, says Putzke, which helps compensate for variations in ambient temperatures, multiple door openings, and moveable bulkheads that tend to leak after a while.
The fleet's latest refrigeration unit purchases have been Carrier Transicold's Vector 1800MT, which uses Carrier's exclusive Deltek hybrid diesel-electric technology.
“Our Carrier dealer Interstate in Fargo, North Dakota, recommended we try a couple because the Vector 1800MT has increased system reliability,” Harrison says. “We did, and we like them. We'll continue to use them.”
Unlike conventional mechanical refrigeration, the Vector 1800MT uses an electric generator to power all components, eliminating parts and maintenance items, which increases reliability, says Putzke.
“Another nice feature of the units is the built-in electric standby motor to reduce fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, and noise,” adds Harrison.
Trailers are typically used for about 15 years, before being delegated to serve as storage containers. “We're changing our specs to try and get 20 years of delivery use,” he says.
Mason Brothers has its own three-bay maintenance shop, mechanics, and fueling facilities. Vehicle maintenance and general repair work is done on site.
Fleet utilization
Drivers begin their delivers at 2 am, averaging three to 10 stops per route. Some stops require the driver to unload the product by hand, others are pallet drops. Average unload time is about 30 minutes. A number of the routes have regularly scheduled backhauls.
There are two shuttle runs: one to Thief River Falls, Minnesota; the other to Duluth, Minnesota. Delivery drivers are stationed at each location to deliver to customers.
This helps Mason Brothers be more efficient and reduce operating costs, as route drivers don't have to waste time and fuel by driving back and forth from its facility.
Many of its route trucks make multiple trips within a 24-hour period. “That's how we've been able to maintain our fleet at the level we do,” says Harrison.
“Aside from seasonal changes, our routes are established and fairly consistent. Our delivery times are probably within one-half hour, day in and day out.”
Consequently, there is no need for onboard communication systems. Drivers on routes with backhauls are issued cell phones, just in case there is a last minute change to the pickup.
Company policy is that cell phones may not be used while driving. This same policy applies to the company's 12 field salespeople. “We want them focusing on driving,” Harrison stresses.
All tractors are outfitted with Xata onboard computers for tracking equipment performance and operational efficiency. PC Miler is routinely used to make sure routing is optimized.
Warehouse systems
Mason Brothers warehouse supervisor Dave Fuller, has seen a lot of changes in the 30 years he has been employed by the company. One of which is the use of a warehouse management system that incorporates RF (radio frequency) barcoding and Symbol Technologies mobile computers to track and manage all its freight.
The system, which is continually updated, was brought on board in 1997 to replace previously manual transactions.
At the same time, a new department was created to monitor the quantity, location, and status of inventory, as well as the related shipping, receiving, picking, and putaway processes, says Harrison. The department is called ICU, for inventory control unit.
“Our warehouse management system has provided measurable gains in productivity and effectiveness, and that's helped us reduce costs. Our order accuracy is now around 99.5%.”
People edge
Along with focusing on efficiency and output, another center of attention is its people. Harrison acknowledges this is one of the prime reasons for the company's continued success.
Great customer service ensures that the customers keep coming back, he says. People tend to do business with people they like and trust, and therefore, are more likely to be loyal and continue to buy from those who provide them with excellent customer service.
“We answer the phone in three rings or less,” he says, “and we don't use voicemail. This makes it more personal for our customers.”
Great customer service, Harrison continues, comes from happy and loyal employees, and Mason Brothers works diligently to assure this. It hires right, then trains and develops its people. There is very little turnover, and a majority of employees have been with the company a long time.
By way of example, Harrison cites his transportation manager Putzke. With the company for 11 years, he started as an order picker in the warehouse. Twenty-year employee Paul King hired on as a night warehouse worker and is now an assistant warehouse manager.
In addition to providing an attractive total compensation and benefits package, Mason Brothers has built for its employees and their families an onsite 24-hour health center. It includes a lap pool, two saunas, a fully equipped exercise/weight/cardio room, racquetball court, three-quarter size basketball/volleyball court, and locker rooms.
“Our best asset is our employees, who we consider as family,” Harrison says. “We want them to be healthy, happy, and have the right attitude for their job.
“Its all about teamwork, with everyone working for the benefit of the customer. A driver doesn't look good to the customer unless the order was picked right, and that means all our people must perform their duties correctly.”
There are 250 employees, about one-third being drivers and warehouse personnel, and the other half in sales, service and support, and management positions.
Family business
The Mason Brothers built their company's reputation on customer service and satisfaction, and that business principle continues today with the fourth generation of family owners.
Neither Harold nor Doc Mason had children, explains Harrison. “My grandfather, Charles Harrison, worked for the Mason Brothers and became their adopted son.” He took over the business from the brothers 1952.
In time, Charles' son, Harry, came into the business. He took the reins of the company when his father passed away in 1964. Harry's sons Jeff and younger brother Ric grew up in the business, coming onboard full-time after several years of college when their father offered them the opportunity to learn the wholesale grocery business and the company.
Jeff went full time in 1979; Ric in 1984. The brothers took over the business in 1999 when their father retired, although he still works part-time.
Over the past several years, Mason Brothers' growth has come from two key areas, Harrison notes. One is its current customers, which have become stronger as super center type stores squeeze more and more smaller independent grocery stores out of business. The other growth area has come from servicing more outlying areas.
The company has also picked up business as some grocery wholesalers have closed, and others have been consolidated or bought out. Some of the new owners don't want to bother with the needs of smaller, independent grocery accounts, he says.
“Our dad always told us that if you enjoy what you do and are willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard, you'll be successful, and that will allow you to play hard” he says. “And he was right.”
Customer concentration
Along with job-one being providing quality service and goods to the customer, Mason Brothers considers its success a reflection of the success of its retailers, Harrison points out. “And we work hard to facilitate this.”
The company has experienced retail counselors on staff and provides meat, deli, and bakery expertise. It holds educational seminars for customers, and has programs and expertise available to analyze store profits and affect them.
Beyond this, Mason Brothers can help with store design and layouts, as well as retail resets. There is also an in-house graphics department to assist with advertising and merchandizing.
The company's plan for the future, says Harrison, involves several elements. One is to keep pace with the growth of its market. Another is to continue to stick to its knitting, focusing on what it does best.
One other component is to hire and develop people that get things done — “productivity through people,” he says.
“Naturally, business challenges will continue,” he concludes, “but our conviction is that problems are opportunities for us to do better and get better.”
