By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Truck & Off-Road Alliance (TORA) named Tmat as the council's newest member spotlight company. Get to know their story in the SEMA News interview with Thomas Carton, Tmat marketing coordinator, below.
SEMA News: Tell us the story of Tmat. How did the company start?
Thomas Carton: Tmat was originally devolved by the Timura family in North Royalton, Ohio, but after current owner Kenny Austin purchased his first Tmat system for a camping trip to Alaska with his kids, he knew he needed to get involved.
After taking over the product line in October 2023, Austin has been hard at work bringing Tmat to market, working closely with the Timura family who continue to manufacture and ship Tmat from their factory in Ohio. One of Austin's first big moves was a push towards engineering new accessories and testing the existing offerings for maximum versatility. His focus paid off!
After showcasing the Tmat product at the Moore Overlanding and Off-Road Expo in April of 2024, news of the Tmat's amazing capabilities suddenly got out. Orders were flowing in and, more importantly, so was feedback. Using that feedback, Austin and the engineering team developed and tested a half-dozen new and powerful Tmat accessories, which are now coming to market.
The future for Tmat looks bright as it continues to simplify cargo management for thousands of truck and SUV owners worldwide.
SN: What's going on these days? What projects are you most excited about?
TC: Today at Tmat, we are focusing on expanding the Tmat System with more accessories such as our Bucket Blockers, DIY 2x6 Divider Anchors and patent-pending Snap Fit DIY Anchors. It is our mentality that good cargo-management systems are built around our customers favorite equipment rather than the other way around. As we continue to expand and improve our accessory offerings with new and innovative solutions, we are relying on our beta testers and the aftermarket community to provide feedback on our latest advances.
SN: What's the best piece of advice you have for professionals getting started in the aftermarket?
TC: The best advice for professionals getting started in the aftermarket could very well be "listen to your customers." Ask them what it is that they need to simplify or enhance their experience with their vehicles and then aim to fulfill that need.
Fill out a TORA-member spotlight form to highlight how you or your company are contributing to the truck and off-road specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are eligible to be featured on TORA's social media, SEMA News and future TORA member updates.