Partners Mark Crosby and Joe Barry are not exactly typical hardware distributors. Crosby speaks fluent Chinese as a result of two years in China ; Barry transplanted himself from New York City to Salt Lake City. But together they know the caster business inside and out. And, with their combined talents and an overdose of enthusiasm, they have turned a team effort into one of the fastest growing caster houses in the West. A1 Casters got started in 1988 with a 4, 000-square-foot facility, but after a year in cramped quarters, they moved to a building with a loading dock and about one third more space. This second facility met their needs for more than seven years, while they continued to add employees, staff and stock. In 1999, Mark and Joe purchased the ground for a new 7, 500 square foot building of their own. "It was an uphill battle, but it's really been worth it. We couldn't be happier with our new offices and warehouse, " Joe says. Modern, clean and impressive, the new facility, at the intersection of two major routes near downtown Salt Lake City, offers 1, 000 square feet of showroom, 1, 000 square feet of offices and 5, 500 square feet of warehouse space. Although their primary business is casters, A-1 also sells hand trucks, platform trucks, dock equipment, pallet jacks, shelving, bins, totes, electric lifts and stackers and a wide variety of other material-handling products. They cover the states of Utah, Montana, Wyoming and a portion of Idaho. They initiated a now-successful dealer program in 2001 to help in marketing in these western states, which they continue to expand. Typical A-l dealers include industrial supply stores, bearing houses and mill supply locations. The market in their territory is mostly small manufacturers and end users. Typical customers include hospitals, bakeries, fabricators, wood shops and cabinet makers. A-l Casters maintains a large inventory of component forks, wheels, axles, bearings and other accessories to meet their customer's individual needs. They offer the superior Colson caster, which is currently being showcased on an interactive CD-ROM. Joe notes that when a customer buys casters, price is an important factor with quality and availability often secondary considerations. "The Colson name is widely recognized now, " says Mark. "The quality of the Colson caster is the main reason. Rarely, do we get someone who walks in here with a broken Colson caster. If they do, it's usually 20 years old. And that's a real compliment to Colson, " he adds. "We're out there replacing the competition's casters... not ours." A-l Casters backs its quality product line with friendly, fast and knowledgeable service. "If we don't have it, then we'll get it, " Joe says. "We bend over backwards to help people. We treat people good and we're fair." Mark adds, "The real key to our success is doing what we'll say we'll do."