Mid-size shippers offer good business for Florida Ports By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOTThe motto around Hecht Rubber Corporation of Jacksonville, FL is, “Everything in Rubber for Business, Industry, Government & Safety.” Since 1944 the company has provided what its executives strive to be unparalleled service and support to thousands of satisfied customers worldwide. The business as been so successful at what it does and reaching beyond the domestic market that it recently won a “Business Exporter” award handed out during a banquet, part of the third annual two-day Florida Chamber International Business Forum, “One Voice for Trade: Florida Without Borders.”„ The business forum discussed topics ranging from globalization, regional integration and trade impediments to major issues affecting Florida as a major international center. Larry Hecht, who spoke to AJOT via telephone from his corporate office in Jacksonville, explains that exporting is a big part of the company’s business besides supplying customers across the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. Mr. Hecht is owner of the company. “We do business in at least 12 foreign countries,” he says. “Among them are countries in South America, Europe, Russia and Israel. Israel is very big for us.” Among the European countries with which Hecht Rubber Corp. does business are Austria, Greece, Italy, and Poland. Overall, the company sells and ships a wide variety of rubber products from absorbers, adhesives, belting, boots, buckets, bumpers, and carpet runners, to chute lining, clamps, coatings, cord, cork, die cutting, door and window seals, expansion joints, O-rings, seals, hose, tubing, polyurethane, ensolite, footwear, hydraulics, mats and matting, and a wide assortment of other products. “We ship our products from the Port of Jacksonville as well as the Port of Miami,” he says. Proximity is a major reason for selecting these ports. “We have a facility in Jacksonville and a large warehouse in Miami,” he says. “But our sales people are all over the world.” The company employs outside distribution salespeople. All products are trucked from the two warehouses in containers to the ports where they are loaded onto various steamship lines. An advantage for Hecht Rubber is the fact that the company stocks thousands upon thousands of hard-to-find items in both common and uncommon sizes, a major plus for companies worldwide in search of such items. If the exact item needed is not in stock, Hecht’s professional staff can manufacture the product to the buyers’ specifications at its state-of-the-art custom fabrication facility. Mr. Hecht sees this as a huge advantage in today’s world “We are rubber specialists,” he says. “Since 1944, we have set the industry standard as a source of contact by many national firms and the military because of our product line expertise. Customers are confident of our technical know how and skilled experience in answering any questions.” Since its establishment, Hecht Rubber has been producing all types of rubber and rubber specialty items. In addition to the many stock items in its catalog, the company offers all kinds, shapes and sizes of extruded, molded, die-cut and lathe-cut goods that can be fabricated exactly to specification. “Our custom fabrication department can make gaskets, washers, O-rings, bushings, seals, pads, bumpers and grommets,” he says. The majority of our products meet military specifications. Giving the company an advantage is the service it has dubbed, “Hecht Express.” Employing an advanced computerized logistical delivery and manufacturing system makes it possible for the company to ship products within 24-hours of receiving orders. “We’ll ship anything, from a single micro-grommet, to giant elephant truck sized hose,” Hecht states. Heavy earth moving equipment Also wining an award at the Florida Chamber International Business Forum was Nationwide Equipment Company, honored in 2001 as the recipient of the President’s E-Award for Ex