The 21st Annual California Family Business Award
Nominated Family Information Form
2010
FAMILY BUSINESS INFORMATION:
Company Name: BETTS SPRING COMPANY
Mailing Address: 2843 S Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93725
Location Address: 2843 S Maple Ave, Fresno, CA 93725
City: Fresno State: CA
Zip: 93725
Phone: 559-498-3304
Company Owner: W. Michael Betts IV
Website: www.BettsSpring.com
Contact Person: Bill Betts
Brief description of your organization and its principal product or service:
Betts Spring Company (BSC) serves a multitude of industries through four (4) divisions Spring Manufacturing, Truck Parts and Service, Vehicle Component Manufacturing &
Life-Time Fenders.
Spring Manufacturing – Our Spring Manufacturing Division is unique in its ability to
serve customers across a broad range of applications as a single source supplier. BSC
manufactures compression, extension, torsion and leaf springs for a variety of industries
but most notably coil & leaf spring suspension products for the automotive aftermarket.
Our products are utilized to lift or lower vehicle profiles as well as to increase
performance/handling for vehicles ranging from race cars to pick-up trucks. We offer
dedicated services including proprietary design, prototyping and first article production
sample testing. We are structured to provide cost effective small runs as well as value
priced larger production run quantities. Quality, cycle time and customer service are key
competencies grounded in our ISO certified quality system. Betts is also unique in its
respect and partnership with its customers. Unlike most of our competitors, Betts does
not sell direct to the end consumer.
Truck Parts & Service – With nine (9) strategically located warehouse distribution and
service centers, Betts Truck Parts is uniquely positioned to service national and regional
fleets on the West Coast. While we began with a solitary focus on leaf spring
suspension applications nearly thirty (30) years ago, our product offering has been
strategically expanded to meet the growing demands of our customers who appreciated
Betts’ attention to detail and service. With over 20,000 SKU's in our product offering, we
have become the first stop for a broad range of lower body and accessory applications.
Our commitment to using technology as a tool to assure that we stock the right products
in the right location has separated us from the competition and earned high customer
loyalty. Our full service centers also distinguish Betts as a true partner with our
customers in keeping their fleets on the road and serving the American consumer.
Betts Truck Parts was recently awarded the prestigious 2008 Heavy Duty Truck Parts
Distributor of the Year Award by Truck Parts and Service Magazine. This
recognition is awarded based on industry wide voting of peer distributors and
manufacturers.
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Vehicle Component Manufacturing (VCM) – Our VCM Division is the recognized
industry leader in spray suppression system components in the heavy duty
transportation sector. We patented the first mud flap holder over fifty years ago and
continue our commitment to innovation to this day as evidenced by our introduction of
the Direct Flex System, the worlds first integrated spray suppression solution. We have
earned an enviable leading "first hang" position with major OE manufactures of Class
Eight vehicles and as such are the first choice for aftermarket replacement and
upgrade. Our position has been earned by unwavering attention to quality and on time
delivery, which consistently exceeds 99%. Industry leaders such as Daimler Truck
North America (Freightliner) and PACCAR (Peterbilt and Kenworth brands) have
awarded VCM with select “Master of Quality” and “Less Than 50 PPM Defect
Awards” as testimony to Betts’ quality program
Life-Time Fenders (LTF) – After nearly 140 years of organic growth, Betts made its first
acquisitive expansion in October 2007 through its purchase of Life-Time Fender LLC.
Itself a family owned business with nearly four decades of progressive expansion, LTF
represented an excellent opportunity for synergistic combination with Betts’ branded
spray suppression products for comprehensive support to the heavy duty trucking
industry.
1. Family History

Longevity
Betts Spring Company is a sixth (6th) generation, family owned business that
began its tradition of service and excellence in 1868. William Michael Betts, a
talented English steel craftsman sailed to the United States in 1860 in search of
new opportunities. The country was divided by civil war - but he was not deterred
from his quest to pioneer spring manufacturing west of the Mississippi. After the
war subsided he set sail again, around South America to make port in the
bustling city of San Francisco. There he would open his own shop making
springs for carriages, streetcars and wagons of every kind. It didn't take long
before Betts Spring Company became a well-known and respected business.
William Michael Betts built a reputation for quality springs through his policy of
"Building Well and Serving Better", the company’s foundation to this day.
Today Betts Spring Company is still owned and operated by the Betts family who
continue William Michael Betts’ traditions of excellence. Betts Spring Company is
well known around the world for its innovative products, quality manufacturing
and on time delivery. Today, Betts is the oldest spring company in the U.S.A with
original family ownership and second oldest in the nation.

Obstacles You Overcame
Over our 141 year history, we have encountered a variety of obstacles, most
notably, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which completely destroyed our
plant and equipment. Our founders heroically rebuilt and carried on with business
as usual. During the Great Depression, Percy Betts was killed in a hunting
accident, his wife Emeline stepped in and ran BCS. Her strength and
stewardship guided the Company through its greatest challenge and provide us a
good example of calm perseverance for today’s challenging market place.
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
Secret of Success
Each generation of the Betts family has strived to achieve a straightforward but
challenging goal – to leave the Company in a “better place” for the next
generation of family ownership than it was left to them by the last generation.
Throughout the history of the Company, achieving this goal has required different
skill sets and caused different actions. In some generations, product innovation
has been critical. In others, investment in plant and equipment has been the
sustaining focus. In still others, financial stewardship has been a primary
requirement. By focusing on the overarching value of “better place”, the family
has always found its way to do “the right things” for the present and future of the
business.
As the business has grown from a small manufacturing concern to a diverse,
multi-location business, there has been greater need to recruit non-family
members into key management positions. Beyond their skill set, assuring that
these key team members possess the culture that has founded Betts’ success is
critical. We look for people that are as passionate about business as we are –
“emotional ownership” is a critical attribute of any Betts associate. We develop
people’s emotional ownership by setting our own example. We run our business
like a business. Our personal work ethic is high.
2. Innovative Strategy

Competitive Advantage
The Company has leveraged its legacy core competency – manipulation of
spring steel – into multiple patented products and other proprietary know-how. A
prime example of the Company’s innovation was the development of the first
mud flap hanger, which resulted in our first patent in 1953. The inventor is
William Michael Betts III, who at 83 years young still contributes his passion and
innovative personality to the Company. Mr. Betts saw an opportunity to replace
prior art in mud flap attachment – 2x4 lumber! – with a vibration resistant spring
steel bracket that dramatically reduced flap loss.

Major Strategic Adjustments
Given that the Company’s initial product offering was suspension springs for
horse drawn carriages, many strategic adjustments have been required. They
are summarized as follows:
o Legacy Product Line Extension. The Company has been at the forefront of
developing suspension products to serve the transportation sector as it has
evolved from the equine to the space ship. Betts has been both a witness
and participant in every major cycle of evolution in transportation.
o Leveraging Know How into New Products. The Company has successfully
innovated by leveraging its legacy core competency – manipulation of spring
steel – into non-suspension products such as springs used in flow control and
barrier resistance and spray suppression products including mud flap
brackets.
o Investment in Diversification. The Company’s well known quality in design
and manufacture of truck and trailer leaf springs caused customers to solicit
Betts to install these springs on their vehicles. We listened – and the result is
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Betts Truck Parts and Service. From its humble beginning – a converted
lunch room at the front of our manufacturing plant – Betts Truck Parts and
Service is now a multi-state diversified distribution and service concern. This
diversification strategy has been an important component of the Company’s
growth and resilience.
o Acquisitive Initiatives for Market Share Gain. The Company’s decision to
acquire Life-Time Fenders was an acknowledgement of a different path to
market share gain. After more than a century of organic growth, the pursuit of
Life-Time Fender not only provided growth opportunity but by its synergy with
the Company’s VCM product offering secured its future.

Growth and Development
Since the early 1980’s, the Company principally invested in its diversification
efforts (Betts Truck Parts and Service and VCM divisions) through facility
acquisition and expansion and other capital investment. The most sizeable of
these individual investments was the construction of a manufacturing facility in
Fresno CA for the VCM division in 1992. A Truck Parts and Service branch was
co-located in this facility. The Company had a long-term vision for a Fresno
campus environment that would house all of its manufacturing operations and
headquarters and thus acquired adequate land to make this vision a reality.
Fresno was chosen for many reasons – its reasonably close proximity to current
business and residences of the Betts family, workforce availability and lower cost
of doing business and living in general. An emerging benefit that became more
important as time passed was the ability for Betts associates to live in the
community where they worked. This important attribute became more difficult in
the high cost Bay Area and further pushed the Betts family to look at Fresno as
its future home.
Commencing in November 2007, after several years of planning, our vision
began to take shape with the groundbreaking for our new facility at 2843 S Maple
Ave in Fresno. We relocated our Spring Manufacturing division and
headquarters from San Leandro to Fresno. Our multi-million dollar investment
included not only bricks & mortar but extensive environmentally friendly capital
equipment investment, hiring/training as well as relocation of skilled associates to
create what many considers being the “greenest” spring making plant in the
world. Our new 140,000 sq ft facility houses our corporate headquarters, spring
production plant and truck parts distribution center.
Our investment in Fresno resulted from the hard work of many Betts associates
and our “partners” – including local architect and construction resources, our
preferred equipment suppliers, City of Fresno governmental leaders and our
financing resources. Each was instrumental to our success.
3. Incorporating Family Into The Business

Family Values and Beliefs
Our company value statement sums this up
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Maintain a relationship between management, associates and customers
based on openness, honesty, trust, and high ethical standards.
Treat fellow associates with respect and dignity, offering a fair and reasonable
wage, while providing a safe, clean and healthful environment which fosters a
sense of pride, teamwork, and knowledge sharing among and between
departments and plants.
Create an environment of trust and empowerment where associates are
encouraged to take risks and to communicate all issues, concerns and
criticisms without fear of reprisal or ridicule.
Invest in the development of employees and management. Employee and
management development is key to the success of Betts Spring Company
and not only provides an environment that motivates and retains key
employees, but promotes an employer of choice that balances work and
home life.
Demonstrate unwavering attention to quality, and timely delivery of our
products and services while pursuing product innovation and technological
advances for our customers at a fair price.
Aggressively pursue cost reductions and eliminate waste to provide
profitability for future growth of our employees and the company.

Family Involvement
o William Michael (“Mike”) Betts IV – Shareholder, President
o William Michael (“Bill”) Bill Betts V – Shareholder, Procurement and
Logistics Manager
o William Michael (“Bill Sr”) Bill Betts III – strategic advisor
o Don Devany (Mike’s Brother In Law) – Senior Vice President - Betts Truck
Parts and Service
o Joe Devany (Don’s Son, Mike’s Nephew) – Production Manager – Spring
Division
o John Devany (Don’s Son, Mike’s Nephew) – Sales Manager – Betts Truck
Parts and Service

Family Governance
o Mike Betts – Majority Shareholder
o Bill Betts – Minority Shareholder
4. Succession issues

Succession Plan
Bill Betts is being mentored by Mike Betts and the Senior Management while
focusing on his managerial role as Procurement & Logistics Manager for Betts.
Bill is a member of the Board of Directors and participates in the strategic
planning and business planning efforts of the Company. The family has a well
developed estate plan that secures orderly ownership transfer.

Future Objectives
1. Sustain the Family Business for Generations to Come
2. Encourage and Support the Professional and Personal Development of our
Associates
3. Continue our Pursuit of Environmental Responsibility in all that we do
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
Degree of Preparedness for Emergencies
At Betts we live and breathe risk management, it is an integral focus throughout
our organization and drives the decisions we make each day. Conducting
periodic risk assessments helps identify where we are most exposed to adverse
consequences. We do our best to manage such risks in all areas of our
business, but most notably:
o Safety Compliance
o Succession Planning
o IT System Infrastructure
o Financial Audits
o Internal Audits
o Environmental Compliance
5. Contributions

Community
o Annual donations to different charities
o Mike Betts served on the Board of the Greater East Bay Goodwill for three
years
o Marcus Shiveley – VP of Finance and Market Development serves on Board
Member of the Diocese of Fresno Catholic Charities
o Terry Holcomb – VP of Manufacturing sits on the board of the Workforce
Development Board and is active in the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Team
in Training.

Professional Associations
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APCIS - www.apics.org
Institute for Family Business - www.cvifb.org
Society of Human Resource Management - www.shrm.org
Industry
 International Organization for Standardization (ISO) - http://www.iso.org
 National Association of Manufactures (NAM) - www.nam.org
 Heavy Duty America (H.D.A) - www.hdamerica.com/
 Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) – www.smihq.org
 Spring Research Institute (SRI) - www.springresearch.org
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