Andy Gorman was an asphalt paver for 20 years, and every time he bent to hook up a trailer to a truck, use a tool or work on any number of blue-collar tasks, his cell phone would flip out of his shirt pocket, plopping precisely into wet asphalt. Every time he bought a replacement cell phone, it, too, would fall out of his pocket, only to be found crushed beneath a truck, ruined in a puddle or caught under machinery. “For the past several years, I’ve also encountered situations in which I needed security clearance to get onto a job site, which meant I needed to think about how to protect and carry a security badge,” Gorman says. While paving the Portland International Airport, he noted that coworkers who dropped their security badges would subsequently be prohibited from the job site until a replacement badge arrived, losing up to 10 days of time and income while they waited for a new badge. Between the expense of purchasing new cell phones and the importance of his security badges, Gorman knew all too well about the cost of everyday necessities falling out of pockets, so he decided to take action. He invented the retractable tool tether and became the co-owner of AGC Enterprises NW, LLC.
An Extra Set of Hands in Arm’s Reach
The retractable tool tether is like having an extra set of hands and arms attached to the wearer’s bag or belt. The apparatus comes in light- and heavy-duty editions, featureing a vinyl coated steel cable that reaches 26 inches and retracts back into a small container that clips onto any belt, purse or jacket. “As an avid hunter and fisherman, I realized it worked for any number of small personal accessories, from binoculars, to wrenches, or lipstick and pepper spray for women,” Gorman says. The product is available in 13 assorted colors, and can be customized with a company or team logo printed on the compartment piece where the retracted wire is stored. Units come in three different models, one with a Velcro strip, one with a red and blue flashing LED light and one with a white LED flashlight. Available in either heavy- or light-duty, the product appeals to several markets, from cyclists to construction workers, and Gorman has created unique package designs for each to encourage sales in a wide spectrum of retail settings.
The suggested retail price for retractable tool tethers with Velcro is $14.95, and both flashlight models retail for $17.50. First-time customers receive a 10 percent discount from their order, and while there is no minimum dollar amount to spend, Gorman generally accepts orders by boxes of 25 pieces, which range from $200 to $237, with the Velco models being the less expensive of the two. Recently, he also added a pre-Christmas Sample Six Pack to his selection. For this pack, vendors can call him directly, request which tethers they wish to try, and never again worry about dropping their valuables.
For more information:
AGC Enterprises NW, LLC
7475 SW 82nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97223
Tel.: 971-246-3571
Email: info@retractabletooltether.com
Website: www.wholesalecentral.com/agcenterprises