Aero Industries has grown considerably since it was founded by the Tuerk family in 1944. Today it’s still a family-owned company and has become a leader in the manufacturing of transportation industry tarp systems and accessories. In this interview, Jim Tuerk, grandson of company founder Paul Frederick Tuerk, shares wisdom from his time at Aero’s helm.

What were some of the game-changing innovations that put Aero on the map?

One of the first of our innovative products was created in the 50s — the Neoprene-Hypalon Tarp. It replaced the canvas tarp and the vinyl tarp and was superior in every way. In short, it just took off and saved truckers a lot of headaches from dealing with tearing, wear and high winds.

In the 1960s, my father, Robert Tuerk, developed the dock plate, roof bows, spreader bar bows and split headers. In essence, he got us into the metal manufacturing market, which allowed us to sell to a larger market. This created an entirely new profit center for Aero. Our next big innovation was the One-Minute Roll Away Tarp, followed by the Shortie Roll Tarp. Both were extremely successful products and major breakthroughs in the industry.

In 1969, Aero came out with side kits. This was an ingenious way to convert a flatbed trailer into a dual-purpose trailer through use of posts and panels. This was the breakout product for Aero. It was Robert’s greatest invention. As a corollary, the Delta-T posts were created and were adaptable for every type of trailer. The Delta-T was ultimately called an “Aero Kit” and could be used on both grain haulers and steel haulers.

In 1984, the Conestoga was created. This collapsible trailer cover was a major breakthrough because it allowed a trucker to uncover and cover a flatbed in one minute. This is one of the biggest innovations to ever hit the tarp market and still one of our top-selling products. All of these innovations stemmed from the principle of “taking care of the customer” because all these products definitely made the trucker’s life much easier.

You joined the family business during a difficult time. How would you describe the challenges?

The overall challenge was developing a vision. On the practical side, there were two main periods that were challenging, both on the cusp of a recession. It wasn’t just one thing, it was everything. I was 26 when I was immersed into the company more deeply than I was ready for. In early l980, I had gotten very, very sick and a perfect storm appeared on the horizon where a sizable number of things went bad all at the same time. It seemed like an impossible situation, so I had to grow up really fast. My father, Robert Tuerk, had started his semi-retirement, and I was left to ignorantly and blissfully try to learn how to run the business and ride this thing out. We emerged from the recession in 1984, but we knew we had to get Aero growing and prospering again.

You became Aero’s president in 1989, as yet another recession was looming. How did you guide the company through that economic downturn?

The recession hit in the fall of that year, just after opening a new facility in Hammond, IN. We were struggling mightily. Fortunately, we were able to recapitalize using the Morris Street building. These were grim times and especially tough for a young man just taking over a business. I became a turnaround specialist quickly.

How has innovation kept the company progressing for over 80 years?

At Aero, innovation starts with listening to the customer, which has been the basis for the creation of almost all our products. Our product development and customization stems from creating true intellectual property. I have become an expert in patents, which has allowed me to properly synthesize our developments into legally protectable patents with clear product differential. We also license other people’s patents. It was very important for me to set my ego aside in letting several people in the company develop or help develop our new patentable products and fostered a commitment to Aero innovation within the company.

How does Aero stay on top of its game after all these years?

We keep it simple. Product innovation. Customer relationships. Being good to our word.