Five Star Products Inc. adapts to continuous change in the industry by focusing on its customers' needs and helping them grow their businesses.

In his 16 years in the business, David Babcock, president and CEO of Five Star Products Inc., has seen many changes in the building products industry. “I've seen ongoing changes,” he says. “There has been an incredible amount of consolidation in the industry, and I have seen a tremendous amount of companies going offshore.”

For Five Star, however, the challenges it has faced have turned the company around.

“The whole industry went into contraction in the last couple of years,” Babcock explains. “But we refocused our business in 2005.” He notes that the company changed its approach to company training, developed new products and focused more on its customers.

“We went back to our core business and became more market-focused,” Babcock adds. “We just did what we do best to survive and grow.”

Today, Five Star has become a well-known trade name both domestically and internationally. “We are the leaders in the high-performance cement and epoxy-based products for the industrial construction and repair market,” Babcock says. The company carries products that include precision, non-shrink, non-metallic cement and epoxy grouts, concrete restoration products, waterproofing products, coatings, and anchoring and foundation systems. Its clients have consisted of oil and paper companies, petro-chemical plants, power companies, U.S. military and the Department of Transportation. Additionally, Five Star has more than 40 patents worldwide.

“[The company's] goals are to continuously improve the quality and value of [its] products and services, meet the needs of [its] customers and remain as the innovative leader in the field,” Babcock explains.

Babcock says Five Star customers can expect the company to meet their needs and help them expand in the business. “If we can continue to help our customers grow, that would be very beneficial,” he states.

Product Innovation
Part of helping its customers grow in the industry is to develop new product lines, Babcock notes. In 2004, Five Star developed the pile repair product line, used for rebuilding and repairing the piles of piers and bridges. This was introduced to the market in 2005.

The company also introduced its Elastomeric Grout in the same year. This product absorbs vibration and is used in the train and trolley industries. In addition, Five Star developed a line of Novolac products for coatings, structural concrete and grout. These products are highly resistant to chemical attacks and are used in the industrial chemical and food-processing industries, Babcock states.

Five Star is also known for its computer program, Design-A-Spec, a tool that helps engineers selects proper products for any applications. “It's designed to meet the [engineers'] specifications,” Babcock notes. “It allows [customers] to design a complete customized specification quickly and efficiently,” Babcock adds. Design-A-Spec features include general conditions, material specifications, preparation, application, finishing and curing and extreme weather conditions.

Providing Customer Intimacy
Five Star prides itself with its relationship with customers. “Our company is solutions and market-driven,” Babcock states. “We focus on customer intimacy by meeting their needs.”

He adds that the company continues to create products on a regular basis. That, too, makes Five Star unique. “Our products are always intended to be very high-quality, very reliable and dependable,” he notes.

The market changes constantly, Babcock says. “There is more competition in the industry ” pricing pressure and changes in product quality,” he emphasizes. Five Star copes with these changes by staying close to its customers and focusing on finding solutions to meet their needs. “Now more than ever, it's important to service customers,” he states.

H. Nash Babcock originally founded the company as The Nash Babcock Engineering Co. in 1955. He later positioned this firm into product development, and created the U.S. Grout Corp. in 1966, manufacturing precision non-shrink, non-metallic and cement grouts, the company explains. Grout Corp. later expanded its products to include precision, non-shrink epoxy grouts, and in 1985, Five Star Products Inc. was formed. Five Star remains family-owned today.

Envisioning the Future
One of its greatest achievements, Babcock says, is to be certified as ISO 9001:2000. “It is very important to us,” Babcock notes. The company says Five Star achieved the certification by meeting the highest standards of the business. “This achievement continues to support Five Star's commitment to product quality and service to [its] customers and validates Five Star's reputation for the highest-quality standard in the industry,” the company explains.

In the future, Five Star will continue to develop new products and help customers grow in their various industries, Babcock says. “We are still going to be solutions and market-driven,” he notes.