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About Tmi

Manufacturing

doctor's office with white countertops and a paper towel machine
About TMI

TMI CARES

A 100% Employee Owned Company

TMI’s mission statement is “TMI Cares”. It is TMI’s mission to care about its customers, employees, and community. Because TMI cares about its customers, we will provide them with quality products and service them in a legendary way. Because TMI cares about its employees, TMI is committed to the continued development of its human assets and growth of opportunity for each individual. Because TMI cares about our community, we support improvement of the community and its economic growth.

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countertop with a sink and wood doors

Casework Factory & Equipment

The TMI factories in Dickinson, ND, each utilize some of the furniture industry’s leading equipment technology.

The Laminate Casework Factory has 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Casework plant additions were completed in 1973, 1987, and 1991. The Drawer Box and Sub-Base Factory, constructed in 2008, consists of about 5,750 square feet and supports the main Casework Factory.

TMI has the product scope, technology, services, and manufacturing scale to handle large, complex construction projects.

Office & Technology

TMI’s offices were built in 1988 and expanded in 1996. Consisting of 30,000 square feet, they are attractive and technologically current. A computer network connects pre-production activities with manufacturing processes and serves the offices and factories. Technology enables TMI to manage massive amounts of information, stay efficient, and be responsive to customer needs.

The TMI Specialty Contracting Division represents TMI and other manufacturers in Idaho, Iowa, Michigan Upper Peninsula, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. It has responsibilities similar to a TMI dealer, with offices in Dickinson (ND) and West Fargo (ND). It currently has 14 employees.

Receptionist desk
Receptionist desk with dark gray wood and metal inlets

Architectural Woodwork Factory & Equipment

The TMI Architectural Woodwork and Countertop Factory has 42,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The Architectural Woodwork Factory was completed in 1998, with the Countertop addition completed in 1999.

The experienced factory staff work with various architectural woodwork materials that have been uniquely designed for each project. This includes laminates, solid surfacing and 3form, hardwoods, veneers, metals, glass, and a variety of hardware specific to the design for each project. TMI employs technology to engineer fully customized millwork that accommodates the end user’s aesthetics and needs.

TMI Transport

TMI Transport is responsible for shipping TMI’s products across the United States, enabling us to control delivery. As TMI employees, our drivers help to ensure our products reach the job site on time and in good condition. They stay in contact with our dealers, customers, project managers, and job superintendents while en route to coordinate delivery and ensure an efficient unloading process when they arrive at the job site.

TMI Transport was started in 1973. Today it full-service leases 15 tractors and 32 furniture vans.

About TMI

Philosophy

TMI Cares

TMI’s mission statement is “TMI Cares.” It is TMI’s mission to care about its customers, employees, and community. Because TMI cares about its customers, we will provide them with quality products and service them in a legendary way. Because TMI cares about its employees, TMI is committed to the continued development of its human assets and growth of opportunity for each individual. Because TMI cares about our community, we support improvement of the community and its economic growth.

World Class

TMI’s vision is to become a World Class company. To be World Class means excellence and professionalism permeate the organization. The organization presents a professional and positive public image through its appearance, actions, and communications. To be World Class is to be the preferred supplier by dealers, owners, architects, general contractors, and construction managers.

TMI’s pursuit of World Class excellence is embodied by having the product scope, services, and manufacturing scale for large, complex construction projects. Our products conform to specifications, drawings, and industry standards and are delivered complete and on time.

Governing Principles

The general principles governing TMI’s business activities are:

  • The customer comes first
  • All people are good
  • People, workers, management, and company are all the same thing
  • People have a right to know and a responsibility to understand the essence of the business
  • Every employee must contribute to and benefit from the success of the company
  • Integrity in all that we do
  • The business will never be any simpler than what it is today

Sales Channels

TMI Systems Corporation brings its products to market through multiple sales channels. This includes independent dealers or specialty contractors and TMI’s Specialty Contracting Division, which sells directly to construction managers, general contractors, and owners. TMI also sells to other specialty contractors and millwork companies.

TMI has 14 independent dealers located across the United States. TMI’s dealers are responsible for promoting the TMI products to owners, architects, general contractors, and construction managers. They are also responsible for bidding, project managing, and installing TMI products.

Safety

TMI has been under the average DART (Days Away Restricted Time) rate of 3.1 for U.S. manufacturing companies. For the past six years. We achieved a rate of 0.0 in 2021, and we are currently at 0.0 to date in 2022. The TMI manufacturing division reached 450 consecutive days without a lost-time accident in 2021. 

About Tmi

Business Pillars

Focus on People

TMI focuses on its customers. Forming positive business relationships with dealers, architects, and contractors is essential to success in the construction industry. Positive customer-business relationships are created by communicating face to face, keeping commitments, working professionally, and treating customers with respect.

TMI focuses on its employees by creating a safe work environment that provides people with the opportunity to be successful. The TMI factory is modern, well-lit, and clean, with spacious workstations adequate for efficient job functions. TMI employees are well informed. Since 1979 we have been an open book managed company, sharing financial, safety, and business information with all employees at quarterly company meetings.

Be market-driven rather than product-driven

The strategy to custom manufacture and supply multiple products for construction projects in the several market segments served by TMI and its distribution network is key to being market-driven. TMI’s current product offering of laminate fixed and rail-mounted flexible casework, mobile casework, architectural woodwork, and countertops are attractive to dealers, architects, construction managers, general contractors, owners, and end-users. TMI believes custom-built products better meet the needs of the customer.

TMI has developed sophisticated information management systems and production processes to manage large quantities of information accurately. Our market-driven strategy enhances our ability to price, engineer, and manufacture a nearly infinite combination of casework products by offering many variables in terms of colors, dimensions, hardware selections, materials, and construction details.

Edgebanding Machine
Collage of machinery used at TMI

Be technologically current

Being technologically current gives the company permission to invest in technology before it is cost-justified by the traditional rate of return investment analysis. Waiting for technology to be cost-justified results in technology investments that are one or two generations behind. It is the technology that allows the company to manage massive amounts of information, be efficient, and be responsive to customer needs.

do business from a position of financial strength

Doing business from a place of financial stability is crucial to TMI’s success. We are committed to annual audited financial statements and a strong, conservative, well-structured balance sheet. TMI maintains adequate bonding limits at competitive prices. We meet and often exceed major construction companies’ pre-bid qualifications for financial stability.

It was financial strength that enabled TMI to withstand the rigors of the “Great Recession” and be in a position to capitalize on the recovery of the construction markets.

Science tables with dark countertops and grey cabinets.
About Tmi

Company History

Larry Strand, the founder of TMI
1969
TMI was founded by Larry R. Strand.
TMI was founded in February 1969 by Larry R. Strand. He started TMI at 31 with $25,000 and an agreement to acquire some of the assets and assume some of the liabilities of the bankrupt Hauck Millwork Company. Hauck Millwork started manufacturing in Dickinson, North Dakota, in the early 1950 but discontinued operations in 1968.Strand immediately focused on manufacturing laminate casework for the national education market and building a nationwide network of independent dealers.
1969
1971
TMI Union Represented
The national construction market in TMI’s early history was heavily unionized. Larry recognized that it would be advantageous for TMI to have a union-made product. In 1971, he invited the Carpenter union to organize the TMI employees. Today, TMI factory employees are represented by the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.
1971
1973
Founded TMI Transport Corporation
Due to TMI’s remote location in North Dakota and to effectively service a national market, Strand realized that TMI would need to get into the transportation business. TMI Transport Corporation was started in March 1973. The company’s product lines were expanded to include laminate doors, wall paneling, and office furniture.
1973
1979
Acquired Competitor's Backlog
TMI’s early years were challenging. By the end of 1978, the company was overextended and on the verge of bankruptcy. TMI shed all but its casework line and aggressively cut costs. In early 1979 a Texas competitor failed and offered its backlog to TMI. The added backlog plus the cost-cutting allowed TMI to break even in 1979. TMI went on to experience 24 consecutive years of profitability.
1979
Dennis Johnson
1984
Dennis Johnson named president of TMI
Initially hired in 1974 as an industrial engineer, Dennis Johnson was named president of TMI in January 1982.TMI acquired Bartley Supply Company in July 1982. Based in St. Cloud, MN, Bartley Supply Company is a wholesaler of heating, pumping, and plumbing fixtures and equipment. On February 3, 1984, while returning to Dickinson from a visit to St. Cloud, Mr. Strand died when the airplane he was piloting encountered bad weather and crashed near Tappen, ND. The Strand family decided to sell TMI later that year.A TMI employee group led by Dennis Johnson purchased the Strand family’s TMI stock in May 1985.
1984
Tom Krank
1985-1995
Tom Krank named Senior Vice President
TMI expanded into architectural woodwork, countertops, and direct sales in the late 1980s. At the same time, TMI recognized that the casework market was evolving from a market accepting a manufacturer’s standard product to demanding many more product choices. The number of options grew in quantity and complexity. TMI realized it was in the business of managing information.TMI took advantage of the Y2K challenge and, in 1994, embarked upon a bold software re-write project under the leadership of Tom Krank. Mr. Krank joined TMI in 1979 and, in 2012, was named Senior Vice President.TMI began to convert from a mainframe computer system and stand-alone estimating, drafting, engineering, and materials management software to a client server-based network with highly integrated software. The project was completed and made it possible for TMI to manufacture a highly- customized product line with the ability to download work orders electronically to its significant pieces of factory equipment. The software is known as jSEPP and is a significant competitive advantage for TMI today.
1985-1995
Dean Rummel
1999
Dean Rummel named President and Chief Operating Officer
In May 1999, Dean Rummel was named President and Chief Operating Officer of TMI. Dennis Johnson remained as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Rummel had joined the company in 1980 as an accountant. He served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Sales and Marketing before becoming TMI's third President. In October 2015, Dean announced his retirement effective March 2017.
1999
Kevin Kovash
2007
Kevin Kovash named Senior Vice President in 2007
Following Mr. Rummel, Kevin Kovash assumed Sales & Marketing responsibilities. Mr. Kovash joined TMI in 1974 and was named Senior Vice President in 2007. Kevin built and supports the premier dealership and other customer-based organizations that TMI enjoys today. He is recognized nationally as an industry leader.
2007
2008-2016
Survived The Great Recession
TMI has survived enormous industry changes caused by the “Great Recession” of 2008-2009 and the impact of the Bakken oil development in western North Dakota. TMI is located on the southern edge of the world-class Bakken oil play. From 2010-2015 the company contended with high housing costs, generous oil field compensation levels, and low unemployment due to the oil impact. From 2009 to the end of 2021, nearly 620 direct and indirect competitors of TMI have failed due to the recession
2008-2016
FEB. 7, 2019
TMI celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
FEB. 7, 2019
JUNE 30, 2019
Transitions to Employee Stock Ownership Plan
TMI announces the ownership transition from the Johnson family to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. (ESOP) The newly formed ESOP provides ownership interest for current and future employees. The qualified retirement plan generates significant benefits for TMI’s employees, rewarding those who have played a critical role in the company’s continued success.
JUNE 30, 2019

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