Trident Nov 14 2005 - Tridentnews.ca

TRIDENT, NOVEMBER 14, 2005 A d v e r t i s i n g S p e c i a l
15
Approach to customer service recognized by Navy
Vice-Admiral lauds Atlantic Aero Marine for contribution to Op Unison
Crewmembers from HMCS ATHABASKAN prepare for
departure for Operation Unison.
PTE JODIE CAVICCHI, FIS HALIFAX
a conscious effort to keep it
small, noting that he prides
himself on being a handson
owner.
“I don’t wait for the
accountant three months after
my year end to tell me some
good news... I know every day
what’s going on,” he added.
“You’re better off to go in
the ditch at 40 miles an hour
than 140. At 40 you’ll get hurt
but you won’t get killed. The
other one, you will.”
Atlantic Aero Marine was
established in 1987 and boasts
an extensive line of marine
and industrial products,
“everything from a needle to
an anchor and more.” It counts
among its clients several federal
government departments
and agencies, including DND,
Customs Canada, the RCMP
and the Coast Guard.
Seifried is certainly no
stranger around HMC Dockyard,
spending six years in the
Navy before beginning his
career in marine industrial
supplies with Gabriel Aero
Marine Instruments in Halifax
35 years ago.
“I’ve been in the dockyard
since 1965,” he said. “I’ve got
more time there than (Rear)
Admiral (Dan) McNeil. He’s a
great guy, but I’ve got more
time than him.”
As an interesting footnote to
this story, Seifried said he has
also developed a great deal of
respect for Rear Admiral
McNeil’s wife Kathy, who
works as a radiation therapist
at the Nova Scotia Cancer
Centre, where he is receiving
his treatments.
By Dave MacNeil
Trident staff
If you think there’s no Sunday
shopping in Nova Scotia,
try telling that to the Canadian
Navy.
With just a few days to prepare
three of its ships for a
humanitarian aid mission to
the hurricane-ravaged Gulf
Coast of the United States, the
Navy knew it needed a lot of
help in rounding up tons of
supplies during the Labour
Day long weekend.
One of the local companies
coming to their assistance
was Atlantic Aero Marine, in
Dartmouth’s Burnside Industrial
Park.
Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships
(HMCS) ATHABASKAN,
TORONTO and VILLE DE
QUEBEC were able to deploy
the day following Labour Day,
but it was only after one terribly
busy weekend.
Mark Martin, inside sales
manager at Atlantic Aero
Marine, said the company
supplied approximately
$30,000 in basic survival
equipment, such as sunscreen,
blankets, insect repellant and
fuel jugs. He said it was all
delivered to the ships, with all
the proper documentation,
over the Labour Day weekend,
while company owner
Terry Seifried recovered in
hospital from a brain biopsy.
“They did that instead of
visit me, which I endorsed,”
said Seifried, who is currently
undergoing radiation
and chemotherapy for a
brain tumour.
“The important thing was
they got someone on the other
end of the phone, on a long
weekend,” he noted, adding
that it’s that degree of accessibility
and customer service
that has made his company
successful over the years.
The effort didn’t go unnoticed
either, as Vice-Admiral
Ron Buck, Acting Chief of
the Defence Staff, sent a
letter of commendation to
Seifried, thanking Atlantic
Aero Marine for their role in
Operation Unison.
“Please convey my gratitude
to your staff for their
help throughout the Labour
Day weekend,”
Vice-Admiral Buck wrote.
“Helping our friends and
neighbours in the United
States is a privilege that the
Canadian Forces stood by to
do, and we could not have
done it without the support of
devoted Canadians.
“Particularly, I wish to recognize
your inside sales manager,
Mr. Mark Martin, who
displayed tremendous professionalism
in providing a wide
range of assistance to DND
staff,” the letter continued.
“Through his motivation and
efforts, deliveries were completed
within tight timelines
in order to meet the ships’sailing
schedule.
“Credibility and customer
service is number one to us,”
said Seifried, who despite his
cancer treatments, continues
to put in a full day most days,
and sometimes more. Later
this month, he’s travelling to
Ottawa to follow up on some
projects on which the company
has quoted, to see if they’re
going to be fulfilled before the
end of the current fiscal year.
“This is a very strong team,”
he said. “First, second and
third (bases) are covered
extremely well, and I’m at
home plate and I catch everything
and drop nothing.”
Seifried said the newest
member of his team, retired
Chief Petty Officer Barry
Getson, “has made a great
impact on the marketing
side.” In addition to him and
Martin, the company also
relies heavily on office manager
Jackie Bouchard, who,
Seifried noted, is “working on
some new data and concepts
for logistics to keep the company
running smoothly,” and
Holly Martin, who works
part-time and looks after
international tender systems
and other special projects.
“It’s one of those little companies
where you can... say
this is what I like and, if we
don’t have it in stock, you’ll
have it in three days or sooner,”
he explained. “You don’t
have (to wait) three months.”
Seifried said despite his
company’s success, he’s made
Terry H. Seifried
Pres/Gen-Mgr
RCN/CAF Ret’d
WHOLESALE • RETAIL
• Equipment to Military Specifications • To Coast Guard Specifications
• To Solas Specifications • Quotations to Government & Industry
We specialize in the sale of Marine, Aviation and Land Products Recreational & Commercial
• ACR EPIRBS 406
• Aircraft Recovery Systems
• Boatswain Pipes & Chains
• Canvas: Fabrication & Repairs
• Cortec Anti-corrosion Supplies
• Cyalume: Chemical Lightsticks
• Distress Signals, Black Ball
• Electrical & Lighting Supplies
• Emergency Survival Kits
• Environmental & Industrial
Clothing
• Extruded Rubber Products
51 Raddall Ave., Unit 3
Burnside Ind. Park
Dartmouth, NS
Canada B3B 1T8
• Firefighting Equipment
• Flags and Banners
• Glow-in-the Dark Safety Signage
(photoluminescent)
• Gun-line Refills
• Industrial filters & gaskets
• Inflatable Boats
• Lifting Hardware & Wire Rope
• Locks & Security Devices
• Marine Hardware
• Mechanical Equipment
• Mustang Survival Clothing
Lest we
forget
• NATO Equipment
• Navigational Aids & Electronics
• Personal Protective & First Aid
Equipment
• Pollution Control Equipment
• Ropes: Nylons, Poly, Manila,
Cotton
• Safety and Survival Equipment
• Survival Rations
• Toggle Pins
• Tool Sets
• Traffic Control Items
Serving the Canadian Military Since 1985
Tel: 902-481-9000
Fax: 902-481-1900
Website: www.atlanticaeromarine.com
Email: sales@atlanticaeromarine.com
Inflatable Boat Sales & Repairs
Please visit our website with
122-page downloadable catalogue and price list
www.atlanticaeromarine.com