London Inc. September 2024 - 15

Patience, however, would pay
off. Though it wasn't immediately
obvious in April 2020, a trailer boom
was developing that would make
Bluewater's relocation - to a larger
lot with visibility from the 402 - a
wise one.
" Basically, Covid was really good
for trailer sales, " Gallaway says.
" Things went crazy and you sold
whatever you had. You bought from
any manufacturer that you could get
product from just to keep up. We went
from six employees to 18 to try to keep
up with demand. "
Founded by owner Mitch Deborger
in the early 2000s, he began by selling
trailers he was building himself on
his family's farm straight out of high
school. Over time, demand grew to
the point where it made more sense to
shift into retail rather than manufacturing,
since Deborger was primarily
focused on farming.
" Demand grew pretty quickly in the
infancy of Bluewater Trailers, " says
marketing manager Ryan Van Horne.
" To keep up, [Deborger] had to start
connecting with quality manufacturers
across North America. "
Today, the company sells and
services a wide range of trailers, from
utility trailers for homeowners to
agricultural and commercial trailers
of all sizes. Bluewater's volume ranks
among the top five dealerships in the
province, but the company strives to
maintain the customer service and
relationship management of a smaller
player.
" There's a statement Mitch likes
using a lot: 'We want to earn your
business before and after the sale,' "
Van Horne says. " From sales and
warranty to parts to service, it's a
full-circle customer experience, and
that's what brings customers back. "
According to Gallaway, the next
move for the Bluewater Trailers is a
second location to the east, perhaps
Barrie or Oshawa. It will be a new
phase for the business, but one that
they feel confident entering since
they already know their client base
is spread throughout the province.
Expanding east, they reason, would
simply help to meet their customers
where they are.
" I was in eastern Ontario and lost
count of how many Bluewater Trailers
I saw on a four-hour trip, " says Van
Horne.
" The visibility and the
customers are already there, so it's
more about growing the brand with a
physical space. "
KIERAN DELAMONT
Michael Geraghty
Chair, Fanshawe College
Board of Governors
The Fanshawe College Board
of Governors is pleased to
announce the election of
Michael Geraghty as Chair
for the 2024-25 term starting
September 1.
The board also congratulates First Vice-Chair Sandy
Jansen, Second Vice-Chair Larry MacKinnon, welcomes
new External Governor Mamta Chail and Student Governor
Shadé Dias.
Our Governors, drawn from the communities we serve,
play a vital role in guiding the College. Their mandate is
to develop and monitor policies that ensure Fanshawe
College fulfills its Mission to: " Provide pathways to success,
an exceptional learning experience and a global outlook to
meet student and employer needs. "
2024-25
Fanshawe
College
Board of
Governors
* Tim Anderson
* Mamta Chail
* Mojdeh Cox
* Peter Devlin
* Shadé Dias
* Courtney Ecker
* Laura Elliott
* Mihad Fahmy
* Michael Geraghty
(Chair)
* Sandra Jansen
(1st Vice-Chair)
* Denise Luksys
* Larry MacKinnon
(2nd Vice-Chair)
* Brad Nelson
* Louise Poole
* David Ross
SEPTEMBER 2024 | londonincmagazine.ca | 15

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London Inc. September 2024

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