Kim Shore
Editorial Review in Franchising Australia - Autumn 1994
THE WINNING EDGE
Kwik Kerb Creates a New Industry to Australia - and the World
Starting your own business is tough. "We make the road easier," says founder of Kwik Kerb, Regan Bloss. Bronwyn Donaghy reports on concrete that comes out like toothpaste and makes the kerb easier too.
Once people used bricks or wooden planks to mark the boundaries of their gardens. Some tried bush rocks and stones. Others hired concrete mixers.
But the nowadays people prefer the convenience of molded free-form concrete edging, which comes in a variety of colors and styles and can be laid in hours.
Six years ago only a handful of Queenslanders had heard of continuous concrete. With franchisees operating in most states, Kwik Kerb Instant Landscape Edging has created a whole new industry in Australia and overseas.
"We provided the catalyst for the development of the concrete edging industry," said Regan Bloss, who founded Kwik Kerb in 1987. "It’s a totally new concept. There have been a few people trying to copy our equipment since we started but we are the only company which is fully established and we have the experience to do this properly."
The success of Kwik Kerb has attracted international attention. Export markets are already opening up in New Zealand, the Christmas Islands, the Cook’Islands, Canada, the USA and Holland.
Edgemaster - Ahead Of Its Time
Kwik Kerb owes much of its success to the remarkable Edgemaster, a machine which is capable of extruding up to 50 meters of molded freeform concrete garden edging per hour, in a variety of colors. The electric or gasoline models of the Edgemaster both have a slip steering mechanism which allows tight turns in as little as half a meter of space. This means it can operate in gardens without damage to established plants. Light, self-propelled and offering a variety of molds, including car park and spoon drain
profiles, the Edgemaster is an incredibly versatile machine.
Operators do not have to spend time preparing boxing for the concrete, because the machine prepares its own boxing as it lays.
A Total Package
Kwik Kerb lends itself perfectly to
franchise-style operations. There are no royalties or franchise fees and Kwik Kerb operators are not restricted to a protected area and must generate work themselves.
The complete Kwik Kerb business package, however, contains equipment
designed or chosen to provide them with the maximum assistance in putting an efficient system into place.
As well as buying the Edgemaster
itself, and being trained in its operation, franchisees are provided with merchandising signs, decals, stationery, uniforms and advertising material.
All equipment comes in a bright lockup trailer which is designed for efficient storage and also becomes a mobile advertising billboard.
The package also includes the guidance and advice of local Kwik Kerb distributors who assist newcomers with initial advertising, which is done locally and most effectively by word of mouth. "Our franchisees put up a sign outside the house they’re working on and it’s common for them to then get four more
Kim Shore's Kwik Kerb Hot Rod
orders in the same street," said Bloss.
Distributors also assist with ideas on promoting the service. "Our people are outlaying around $30,000 for the equipment but some are earning $100,000 a year," said Regan Bloss. "They start making a profit within days of starting work and most recover their initial investment very quickly."
Kim Shore, A Confident Franchise Owner
Kim Shore from Fairfield in Sydney hasn’t started thinking about retiring yet. At 41, he is one of Kwik Kerb’s newest franchisees. After six months operating his Edgemaster he’s pleased that business has begun rolling in. "I was a driving examiner with the RTA," said Kim. "I didn’t enjoy the politics of the job and the mental stress was pretty bad." Kim says he chose Kwik Kerb "Because I wanted to do something for myself." He works from 7.00am until 6.00pm but he is still building up the business, and being his own boss, he can work any hours he likes - it’s his choice. One of the best things about the job is that Kim can organize it around his hobby, which is hot rod cars. In fact, his new Edgemaster trailer matches his hot rod.
"I spent the first few weeks going around to local councils and organizing local advertising," said Kim. "There’s a lot of building going on in my local area, and I’ve got jobs lined up everywhere."
Profits from the operation have been immediate and Kim is confident he will get his initial investment back fairly fast.
The Original Edgemaster
The original Edgemaster was developed in Queensland 15 years ago and a basic model was sold