Five years ago the normally staid paint meter industry was hit by a "Category 5" hurricane when FenderSplendor, Inc. 'blew into town.' Used to high profit margins and expensive distribution networks; industry 'diehards' where literally blindsided when FenderSplendor cut the price of Paint Meters for car dealers in half.
FenderSplendor President Allen Willey, a former multi-franchise new car dealer, explained the tsunami this way: "When I looked at the market for Paint Meters I realized that every new car
dealer and used car dealer in America would want one, if the price was more affordable. After selling an existing gauge at a large discount, I proved that the market was ready and decided
to manufacture my own gauge. We became the OEM manufacturer of the FS 488 Paint Meter about 2 � years ago, and have dominated the market since then."
Willey brought many innovations to the Paint Gauge industry; dealing competitors a series of knock-out blows. "First we cut the price in half, then we developed an Internet based direct
sales model that cut the distribution cost. See Wholesale Paint Meters (http://www.wholesalepaintmeters.com)."
"We then decided to offer the industries first 3 year exchange warranty. After selling several thousand FS 488s in the first 12 months, we added an illuminated display so dealers could
read the gauge more easily at night--when customers commonly go to dealerships. Today over 5,000 Car Dealers rely on a FenderSplendor FS 488 Paint Meter to make sure they don't miss
hidden body damage on cars they are trading for or buying at auctions." See FenderSplendor FS 488 (http://www.fendersplendor.com).
When asked about plans for the future, the normally ebullient Willey was somewhat more guarded. He did hint that the powder coating industry and other metal manufacturing businesses were
large users of coating thickness gauges and that his FS 502 (http://www.fs502.com) was beginning to generate larger and larger sales. "We will continue
to 'attack' the industrial market with the FS 502 and have taken steps to make sure the FS 488 says in front of all competitors."