ForConstructionPros.com

When Rob Gerczak, president of A Plus Striping Inc., Vernon, NJ, started his striping company in 2000 he soon realized he needed to find a niche within the industry. But instead of choosing a particular type of service he pursued a particular type of customer - paving, sealcoating, and general contractors.

A Plus Striping is a full-service striping contractor offering parking lot, intersection, and roadway markings; warehouse and parking garage striping; thermoplastic markings; sports court striping; and signage.

Although A Plus Striping is a striping-only contractor, Gerczak still markets his company as a full service pavement maintenance contractor, and that's because of the relationships he has formed with other area contractors.

"I have established great relationships with several different sealcoating and paving companies," Gerczak says. "When we come across a job where the customer wants paving, I bring in the paving or sealcoating contractor best suited for the job at hand. And they do likewise when a customer wants striping. It's a mutual relationship.

"Because I know that these contractors are going to call when they are ready for me to stripe, I can focus my time on maintaining those relationships rather than trying to 'sell' my services directly to owners. The leg work is already done."