Press

Port Colborne, ON – Highway construction and maintenance managers in the State of Texas now have a single source for knowledgeable service and reliable products for poGroup Shotrtable traffic controls. Peter Vieveen, President and founder of North America Traffic Inc. (NAT), has announced the appointment of Flex Supply LLC as an authorized sales and service distributor for the NAT line of portable traffic signals and automated flagger assistance devices.

Vieveen spoke highly of the latest addition to his growing distributor network. “With their extensive background in the construction industry and their years of experience in equipment rentals, Flex Supply is really the ideal fit for NAT’s customer-focused approach to business. They have first-hand insight into what customers need, plus the know-how to deliver it.”

Reliability for highway projects

A family-run business under the ownership of Chad and Tracie Osborne, Flex Supply is based in Winona, TX and serves highway projects throughout the state. Chad Osborne reports that he was familiar with NAT portable signals having had North America Traffic AFADs as part of their product line offering, and they now welcomed the opportunity to add the PTL line to their inventory. “This is a big state with a lot of miles between projects,” he notes. “Contractors need a reliable product on their site. They can’t afford to be waiting around for service because of a signal problem. With their responsibility to the public, they have to feel confident that their signals will do the job when they have lane closures overnight.”

Flex Supply specializes in complete traffic control solutions, providing a complete range of TXDOT-approved barricades, signs and message boards, lighting systems and control devices. Now, Flex Supply can offer the original AFAD (automated flagger assistance device) as well as NAT’s versatile range of solar-powered portable traffic signals and control systems.

NAT committed to people

The Osbornes, along with Sales Manager Frank Sturgeon, inspected the NAT headquarters, not far from Niagara Falls, before committing to their distribution agreement. Although the factory and engineering facility are well equipped with the latest manufacturing equipment and processes, the technology is not what impressed Flex Supply the most. “It’s their commitment and investment in their people,’ says Chad Osborne.

“Their approach to production, to marketing, their continuous training… Peter’s leadership and his drive to make his company better for the customer is what sets North America Traffic apart. We could see that NAT has the best unit in the field – and now we see that they have the best service support, too!”

Save costs and improve safety

Osborne feels that the simplicity of the NAT controls and setup is also uniquely suited to the needs of Texas customers. “Our construction season is 365 days,” Osborne continues. “So the workforce is very stable, but employees are also very focused on particular tasks. NAT equipment is simple enough, you don’t need to hire a dedicated crew member to set up traffic patterns and lane closures – anyone on the crew can learn this very quickly. That will save costs but it also improves safety because you can have people who are qualified for the traffic equipment on site all the time.”

Meeting specialized needs

North America Traffic has earned its position in the market by constantly innovating and responding to unique needs. Flex Supply is already taking advantage of NAT’s custom engineering services by having them adapt a controller for its portable signals and hardwiring it into the controller programming for fixed signals at a diamond intersection. NAT will now offer the package as an option for standalone signals as well as for portable signals working in tandem with the permanent traffic lights. Flex Supply is also working with NAT to streamline the automation features of the standard AFAD sets to reduce costs on units that will be used only by a dedicated onsite operator.

Flex Supply has its initial NAT units for its fleet, with more to be delivered over the next several months. “We get calls every day about AFADs and signals,” Osborne reports. “In our other business, we install permanent signals and we work with traffic signals on a daily basis. We know what the business needs, and that’s why we chose North America Traffic.”

About North America Traffic Inc. 

North America Traffic was launched as R.C. Flagman in 1993 when Peter Vieveen built the world’s first Remote Controlled Flagman™ out of his garage. At the time, Mr. Vieveen was a Senior Estimator in the construction industry with over 25 years of construction experience. He understood the importance of reducing costs while increasing safety. North America Traffic now operates a full production facility, and its products have been used on over 3,000 projects across North America. Today, the company is the world leader in traffic control systems, with 8 different models of portable traffic signals, flashing beacons and flagging systems to meet all traffic control needs.