More than 55 years ago, Bill Minneman created a company in Ohio called Minco Tool & Mold. He started the company after completing an apprenticeship at Universal Tool of Dayton, with a bit of financial help from his father. The company thrived to the point that Minneman got his brother to jump in as a partner in the renamed MTM Molded Products. That family ownership continues today as MTM Case-Gard.
MTM sells products in more than 108 countries around the world. The company has 75 team members and produces more than 325 products. MTM Case-Gard was one of the original companies at the first SHOT Show in 1979 in St. Louis. For this month’s Spotlight, we chatted with Klay Maynard, National Sales Manager for MTM Case-Gard.
AB: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us this month. Can you give us an update on what’s happening with MTM Case-Gard in the last 5-6 months since the show season?
KM: Business has been good this year. We feel we took a lot of great feedback away from the shows, and we’re excited to develop a couple of great products in the coming months based on customers' needs we hear need addressing in the storage space.
AB: MTM has a wide array of products for shooting sports and outdoors enthusiasts. How do you stay on top of trends to keep your line fresh and updated?
KM: I’d say we strive to have a balance between listening to customers’ needs as well as our own needs while we are out hunting. Our team is involved in all of the areas we make products for, so we try to ask ourselves where we can make better storage solutions to worry less about the gear and more about the hunting process.
AB: How has the new Traveler Bow Case been received? That’s a fantastic price point for retailers and bowhunters who want to protect their gear. Did you expect it to do this well?
KM: After years of work on the design of our new bow case, we were happy to hear that people liked it. We tried to pack as much value as possible into the product while keeping it very affordable. All while still being American-made at our Dayton, Ohio, facility.
AB: MTM Case-Gard has several other archery-specific products, including The Mule gear crate, Broadhead Box and Crossbow Case. One of our top picks would be the Broadhead Wrench & Nock Adjustment Tool, because that’s invaluable when you need it. How has the archery line fared and do you see more new products in the future?
KM: Folks are hard on their hands. Getting the job done often requires getting your hands dirty. We’ve heard from many people who love the wrench for keeping their hands safe when working with broadheads. It’s quick, easy, and affordable.
AB: What kind of torture testing and trial-and-error do your products go through? Hunters can do some crazy things to them in the field, along with having accidents. What kind of things do you do during testing to make sure they’re ready to go?
KM: Well, we have been working with high-impact polypropylene plastic for more than 50 years now. We pride ourselves on making strong and durable products that are still affordable. Beyond that, we use our products ourselves. The bow case has been in hunting camps in southern Ohio for the past two bow seasons, getting put through its paces in the back of pickup trucks and UTVs.
AB: What kind of feedback — good and bad — do you receive that helps MTM Case-Gard grow and thrive?
KM: Constructive criticism is always the best. When someone has an idea for improving one of our products, we’ll be there to listen and take notes. Our clay bird throwers have evolved entirely from customer feedback. The same is true across our archery line, from the quantity of arrows people want to carry to new product ideas.
AB: What should dealers know about MTM Case-Gard, perhaps one or two key things that set you apart?
KM: We are American-made, and we will humbly admit we are not the biggest manufacturer in this space. But that means we pride ourselves on a higher level of customer service and attention to our dealers.
AB: Where do you think the archery industry is headed in the next 5-10 years?
KM: We have seen many younger people get into archery due to the lower cost of entry compared to hunting with a firearm. When younger folks invest in an industry, that sometimes means growth for the years to come. We hope that industry growth comes, and we are there to be a part of it.
AB: Is there anything else you’d like retailers to know about MTM Case-Gard?
KM: Folks have trusted us to carry their arrows and archery gear for years. We hope to continue to help by providing American-made accessories for years to come. So far, we’ve heard a lot of good feedback about our recently released Mule Mobile Gear Crate. It saves archery hunters a lot of time by keeping all their boots, clothes, gear, etc. in one place. It’s our largest storage crate with 81 quarts of O-ring sealed storage, and in addition to our bow case, it is available to retailers now.
