The rise of J.S. Truckmart
Story by/par Allison Rogers
Businesses can be formed in a variety of ways. In the auto recycling industry, many professionals are part of a rich legacy, family businesses that have been passed down two, three or even four generations. Though not every journey in this sector follows this path; JS Truckmart has one of those stories.
The tale begins with a team of well-rounded individuals who recognized a gap in the market in Southeast Saskatchewan for an automotive recycler. The ownership team bring a unique set of skills to the table that complement each other well, with Jeremy Swanson focusing on business growth and sales; Christa Morhart focusing on the recruitment, retention, finance and cross-border transactions, and Bart Morhart focusing on the production and logistics side. The hiring department managers—who handle warranty, dismantling and shipping—have also been key in the overall success of JS Truckmart. Warranty and sales manager Robert Herrington has also proven to be an integral part of the management team since joining JS Truckmart a number of years ago.
Since its establishment, JS Truckmart’s ownership team quickly embarked on what would quickly become an incredibly impressive automotive recycling facility offering OEM and premium remanufactured parts across all of North America.
The first home to JS Truckmart was much different than what we see today. JS Truckmart quickly outgrew their humble beginning in 2017 with a dynamic growth from their leased property, small warehouse and one dismantle hoist.
“We discussed, as management, that we wanted to focus on culture, and capitalize on hiring personalities, attitude, and loyalty over skillset, with a focus on culture.”
— Christa Morhart, partner, J.S. Truckmart
The expansion to a new facility with five hoists, 19 acres of land, and over 12,000 square feet of warehouse space has allowed for explosive growth in just a few years—not just in space, but also in manpower.
Today, JS Truckmart has fifty-two employees rounding out their team; including some key players who have stuck with them from the very beginning. Investing in their business, with a state-of-the-art facility, up to date equipment and training for the entire team is of huge importance to JS Truckmart. Consistently developing, reviewing and implementing processes and procedures in all departments to improve efficiency has provided the building blocks for the growth for the company.
Diversity in the workplace, capitalizing on recruiting positive attitudes with a willingness to train the skillset, and providing opportunities for employees to grow within the company has been integral to employee retention. JS Truckmart is known for their award-winning customer service, a direct result of the recruitment and process implementation.
The managing partners attribute their overall success to their unique business model, with a strong focus on breaking through age-old barriers. Being open to tearing down the walls of cross border trading and shipping across Canada and the United States are strong key points of the business model. Reaching out to other auto recyclers and working together to gain trust and a valued relationship in trading has also been a key point in the business model.
One hundred percent of JS Truckmart’s sales team works remotely, adding another unique factor in their success.
“Our growth has not been about luck; it’s about hard work, vision and believing what you can achieve.”
— Jeremy Swanson, partner, J.S. Truckmart
“The sales team are laser-focused. The productivity, the efficiency…it’s so impressive that many of our customers don’t even realize the salespeople are not physically here in the building,” added Jeremy.
“I love having our salespeople work remotely,” added Christa. “Of course, it’s nice when we get together and see them, but the focus is there; the efficiency is there, and how great is it that they don’t have to endure the stresses of a Saskatchewan commute, especially in the frigid Winter temperatures?” “We have added positions over the years that have enhanced the customer service component of JS Truckmart and we pride ourselves in our quality control processes, as well as ability to ship any part across Canada and the USA. Our teams have worked hard and followed us through change to ensure we continue to meet our company goals,” said Bart.
JS Truckmart are also active members of a number of associations, continuously learning and implementing new processes to standardize their approach to dismantling vehicles and processing the premium recycled parts. These associations include URG, Team PRP, QRP Canada, SARA, ARA, and the Automotive Recyclers Association of Canada. Having a voice in the industry and aligning their vision with other like-minded recyclers is important to the management team at JS Truckmart.
At its core, JS Truckmart was built on dedication, strong team dynamics, and a clear vision. Like other automotive recyclers, JS Truckmart remains committed to improving their carbon management, with a strong focus on their recycling processes and end-of-life materials recovery. “We’re here to stay,” concluded Jeremy, the confidence clear in his voice. “It’s not about luck; it’s about hard work, vision and believing what you can achieve.”
