Direct Conveyors, founded in 2006, has steadily carved out a niche in the material handling industry with a unique business approach that blends custom solutions with standard conveyor systems. The company has grown consistently through word of mouth and referrals, thanks to its reputation for delivering innovative and effective conveyor solutions.
Over the past two decades, Direct Conveyors has transitioned from producing custom, one-off solutions to providing standard products alongside its bespoke offerings, maintaining a strong focus on delivering high-quality conveyor systems tailored to the needs of manufacturing and automation.
Central to the company’s philosophy is the idea that it’s not just about moving parts; it’s about solving problems. Vice President Tyler Wood shares that the company’s growth has been driven by a commitment to understanding and solving the unique challenges of its clients. “What made us so different when we first started was really coming up with solutions for customers and solving problems based on our experience in material handling,” he explains.
Today, as the company continues to evolve, Direct Conveyors not only continues to provide custom solutions but has also partnered with several key industry leaders, including Rolmaster, Vitrans, and Precision Tool Services (PTS). These strategic partnerships have enabled the company to enhance its product offerings and expand its capabilities in a rapidly changing industry.
In its early days, Direct Conveyors stood apart from the competition by focusing on solving real problems for clients with customized solutions. While many competitors were focused on providing standardized products from catalogs, Direct Conveyors began by offering tailored conveyor systems designed to meet the specific needs of its clients.
The company’s custom focus laid the foundation for its success and allowed it to expand over time. However, as the business grew, Direct Conveyors also recognized the opportunity to introduce a standardized product line, catering to clients who required off-the-shelf solutions. By balancing custom-built solutions and standardized systems, Direct Conveyors has been able to meet the needs of a broad range of industries while maintaining the level of service that has come to define the brand.
The core of Direct Conveyors’ success is its problem-solving approach. Direct Conveyors engages directly with clients to provide solutions that are both effective and tailored to their unique challenges. As Wood explains, “We’re more flexible, we’re more solutions driven. We can say, ‘Hey, this is how we can do it, this is how we’ve done it in the past. Here are pictures, here are videos… this is how we solve it.’”
This approach goes beyond simply providing products. Direct Conveyors helps clients make informed decisions by sharing real-world examples and ensuring that its solutions fit seamlessly into customers’ manufacturing and automation processes. Whether clients need a custom-built solution or a standard product, Direct Conveyors aims to deliver with precision and expertise, allowing it to stand out in a crowded industry.
The growing trend toward automation is revolutionizing the material handling industry, and Direct Conveyors has positioned itself at the forefront of this shift. As manufacturing facilities increasingly turn to robots and AI to optimize their operations, Direct Conveyors has embraced the opportunity to integrate automated solutions with its conveyors. “Automation is a perfect fit for our business. Wherever there’s a robot or a piece of machinery, there’s typically an infeed or outfeed conveyor—and that’s exactly where our equipment comes into play,” says Wood.
Artificial intelligence and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are expected to play an increasingly significant role in shaping the industry, with applications ranging from predictive maintenance to quality control automation. “Artificial intelligence is a big, big game-changer,” Wood notes, pointing out that customers are eager to implement new technologies in their facilities.
With robots and AI systems becoming more widespread, the need for advanced, adaptable conveyor systems is more pressing than ever and AMRs, which can autonomously navigate factory floors, are poised to be a key development in automation. Wood predicts that in the next five years, they will transform the landscape of material handling. “It’s going to be astonishing what AI and AMRs can do,” he says. Direct Conveyors is actively working on developing solutions that integrate seamlessly with these new technologies, ensuring that its systems remain cutting-edge and capable of meeting the evolving demands of the market.
One of the factors contributing to Direct Conveyors’ growth and ability to meet diverse customer needs is its strategic partnerships. By collaborating with other industry leaders, the company has been able to offer more comprehensive solutions and expand its reach.
Through its collaboration with Rolmaster, a leading provider of heavy-duty roller conveyors, Direct Conveyors has been able to offer solutions for customers with larger, heavier parts that require specialized handling. “We handle parts that weigh between zero and about 1,500 pounds,” says Wood, “but when you start talking about dunnage or pallets that weigh 1,500 pounds plus, that’s where Rolmaster comes in.”
By combining its own expertise with Rolmaster’s heavy-duty conveyor solutions, Direct Conveyors can now offer a broader range of products, allowing the team to serve industries with more demanding material handling requirements. Whether it’s manufacturing automotive parts or large-scale industrial applications, the partnership with Rolmaster enables Direct Conveyors to deliver reliable, durable conveyor systems for even the heaviest loads.
Direct Conveyors’ collaboration with Vitrans has proven invaluable in expanding its assembly line offerings. Vitrans is known for its expertise in standardized assembly pallet systems, which are used in industries such as automotive manufacturing and other high-volume assembly operations. Wood explains that this partnership allows Direct Conveyors to offer fully integrated solutions for assembly lines. “We saw both in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., and by partnering with them, we can now do it all,” he says. By integrating Vitrans’ assembly pallet systems with its own conveyor solutions, Direct Conveyors can now provide clients with a one-stop shop for their material handling needs, combining the best of both worlds: standardized, reliable systems and customized, adaptable solutions for more specialized applications.
Precision Tool Services (PTS) represents the final cornerstone in Direct Conveyors’ trio of strategic partnerships, forming a forward-thinking alliance grounded in innovation and seamless integration. As a premier controls integration company, PTS brings deep expertise in electrical and automation solutions that perfectly complement Direct Conveyors’ mechanical engineering capabilities.
This strategic alignment empowers Direct Conveyors to deliver comprehensive, turnkey systems tailored to the evolving demands of modern manufacturing environments. “We’re able to deliver significantly more value to our customers by becoming a true one-stop shop,” says Wood. “The ability to incorporate logic and controls into our conveyor systems has opened the door to a much broader customer base.”
By integrating mechanical and electrical systems into cohesive, intelligent solutions, the partnership positions Direct Conveyors at the forefront of smart manufacturing—helping customers streamline operations, improve efficiency, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.
While Direct Conveyors has grown primarily through organic means and word-of-mouth referrals, Wood recognizes the importance of marketing to fuel future growth. “Our big thing that we really want to focus on is marketing—getting our message out about how we came about doing custom solutions,” he explains. The company has been working on refining its brand and messaging to ensure that its unique approach to both custom and standard solutions is well understood in the marketplace.
As Direct Conveyors looks toward the future, it is committed to expanding the team and staying at the cutting edge of industry trends. “We keep adding more professionals—we’ve got a really, really strong team that all works together to accomplish some of these more challenging applications,” says Wood. With such a strong foundation in place, Direct Conveyors is poised to continue its growth and leadership in the material handling industry.
As the industry continues to evolve, with automation and AI playing an increasingly prominent role, this company is well-equipped to meet the demands of the future. By combining a solutions-oriented approach with the power of strategic partnerships, the company is set to continue its legacy of innovation, customer satisfaction, and growth for years to come. Vice President Tyler Wood sums it up: “We just keep growing and building on the foundation we’ve already laid. We’ll continue to evolve and expand in ways that provide real value for our customers.”
