Builders who specify Acme Brick have another ally at the company in the new General Sales Manager for Texas. It’s John Brewer, a man who started his career as a residential home builder. Acme announced this promotion recently, and Brewer joins a long list of talented construction experts to hold this position in the company's more than 130 year history.
Brewer has shown he has the skills and work ethic to forge relationships with some of the most demanding customers in any industry: builders. He has also demonstrated a strategic vision to lead others. He is a part of a new management team of well-seasoned building professionals who are leading Acme forward.
What This Means for You - Homebuilders and commercial contractors rely on building material providers such as Acme Brick to supply excellent products. Just as important, they rely on and demand timely service to keep their projects on schedule.
Happy Birthday to Acme Brick! The company celebrated 132 years in business on April 17, 2023.
Man on the Move
John Brewer is a man on the move, which made it a challenge to catch up with him for a brief discussion about his new role in the company. As it turned out, the best way to catch him came as he was driving from Lubbock to Abilene, Texas, after a typically long day in the field, working with his team.
Brewer’s love for the homebuilding industry came naturally. It’s where he started his career.
“I was a builder for five years,” he said. “And one of our suppliers was Acme Brick.
“I’ve always loved the construction industry and found immense gratification in the delivery of a great investment in the homes of our customers. After a while, I was ready for another chapter in my life, and always felt I wanted to one day represent a supplier I had grown to know and trust. Acme Brick provided me with that opportunity. I spoke with Rusty Haile, who was my salesman at Acme. He showed me how I could stay in the industry on the supplier side rather than as a builder. The rest is history!”
Back to the Future
The homebuilding industry has weathered some rough storms in the past few years due to the COVID pandemic and the supply chain disruptions that it spawned. For the brick industry, what does Brewer see for the future?
“I think the industry will be just fine,” he said. “As a supplier, we just want to be a part of the solution. Our company has a ‘face-to-face’ culture, which means we need to be in the trenches with our customers. Understanding what builds their foot traffic, how their marketing is structured, and every other part of their business is very important for us. We want to be with them in the process.
“As far as trends we are watching, mortgage interest rates are always important to watch. This affects new home construction and the types of products we sell. However, people are still coming to the Southwest in droves,” he said.
“In addition to new construction, we see strong demand for remodeling. Outdoor entertainment spaces, new pools, thinBRIK for interior walls, floors, fireplaces, and many other home improvement products will be in demand by homeowners. This is why we have pivoted to these categories and added them to our traditional brick products.
“Even the color trends in exterior brick are changing. For years, the ‘cool’ colors such as whites and grays have ruled, but don’t be fooled. Within the state of Texas, we’re starting to see traditional, colonial red brick make a big comeback. Plus, pastels are emerging as popular choices.”
The Acme Brick DNA
The new General Sales Manager for Texas is someone who has seen lots of change in his over three decades of work. What internal changes have had the most impact on Acme Brick customers?
“In a word: data,” he said. “We have embraced customer relationship management (CRM), and this gives us better data. This allows us to anticipate, meet, and exceed our customers’ expectations. This is done to allow us to provide industry-leading customer service and not drop the ball.
“Acme Brick has always had sales reps in the field. We are taught to drive subdivisions, put on a hard hat, and check in with the masons, superintendents, and contractors. That part of our job has not changed. It’s a part of the DNA of our company.”
The most valuable assets of Acme Brick are associates like John Brewer. If this seems like a company you would like to work with, give him a call at 817-332-4101!