Words can only get you so far, and to really understand how to do something correctly, you need to do it yourself. In today’s world, where time is scarce, Western Shelter has established a way for vendors to receive state-of-the-art training on our suite of protective solutions for everything from expeditionary to organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE). That simple step is to come and visit Western Shelter HQ in Eugene, OR. We’ve had prime vendors capitalize on this opportunity to receive training and build deeper relationships with the Western Shelter team on how to use and deploy not just our expeditionary shelter systems but all of the products under our company’s umbrella. Have you ever wondered what a trip to Western Shelter HQ is like? Keep reading to learn all the advantages of a day hosted by Western Shelter.

Each year, Western Shelter sales representatives attend a series of trade shows around the world to display our catalog of solutions. The shows are a great way for us to connect with vendors face-to-face. Unfortunately, we can only do so much at these trade shows due to time constraints, and they don’t represent the vast catalog of what we provide. Because of this, we welcome our key partners to visit our headquarters and receive training as well as develop strategies to service the end user. It’s a chance for the partners to enhance their solutions for their clients and for Western Shelter to show off just how versatile our offerings are.

Western Shelter always prepares for visits and training with high expectations. We want to optimize the time we spend together. One goal is to build a stronger relationship between our two teams, together being more responsive to our customers. We want to educate our partners on our products for optimal performance out in the field. But we especially want to show that we are more than just a shelter tent company. Defense & Security Sales Manager Steven Kendrick enjoys showcasing the entire index of Western Shelter: “We are a full concept solution provider for protective equipment. You don’t just have to buy a field hospital from us. We have so much more to offer. Power Distribution, environmental control units (ECUs), protective apparel, gym fitness lockers such as the StrongBoxes, you name it. Visits are a great way to expose and market us so that people know we are more than just shelter systems.”

For the day, we mainly focus on hands-on training so that you can grow accustomed to and comfortable with each system. Let’s start the day off with the StrongBox. The patented designs of the StrongBox Ruggedized Strength Training System stand up to the rigors of repeated reps and deployments. This fitness locker is ready for action in even the toughest terrain and comes complete with everything needed to get your fitness operation going. The StrongBox is complete with every piece of equipment needed to get a full workout. With pull-up bars, squat racks, wall-ball targets, box jump platforms, and much more, it's a turnkey fitness solution that can deploy practically anywhere. Created from an ISO-standardized shipping container, we built the StrongBox for transport by land, sea, or air. One of the capabilities is all of the additional, included equipment not directly attached to the container can store and lock inside the unit when not in use. If you’re a battalion training for the Army Combat Fitness Test or just need a place at base camp to maintain fitness, every usable inch of the StrongBox configures to meet the exact specifications of your project. 

We’ve had multiple prime vendors satisfy their customer’s mission with the StrongBox’s unique build and capabilities. All this is due to utilizing our state-of-the-art fabrication and machining center. The key components on the inside are all military grade, so you get a purpose build and mission-configurable solution that meets your needs. We can dive deeper into customizable solutions that best provide your fitness needs and can do so much regarding these lockers. Benefits such as power distribution, electrical distribution, and so much more come with all of our shelters and connections. The main thing we want to show is how our product is different, how it’s stronger, how it holds up in the elements more, and how it’s more functional and adaptable to customer needs. With other companies, you’d need to outsource for add-on power and other capabilities. With Western Shelter, you have it all right in front of you. 

Nick A. had positive remarks after seeing the StrongBox firsthand: “I knew you guys did a StrongBox, but I had never seen one. I’m familiar with the competition, so I was pretty happy with the comparison between the two. I think yours is more robust. It’s a better product and something we can push to a lot of different customers.” Michale T. believed seeing the StrongBox was the highlight of his visit to Western Shelter: “I would say the StrongBox is one of the wow things for the quality and the construction of it. Cause I didn’t have a lot of expectations of that brand cause I didn’t know enough about it. So I would say that was the one thing that impressed me the most.”

When asked what the biggest difference between us and the competition was, we explained our equipment looks truly like a military-grade container that you could drop out of an airplane. The longevity really speaks volumes when you can see it in person. The fact that Western Shelter is a vertically integrated manufacturer makes the lead times faster. Overall, after experiencing and learning about the StrongBox in person, our prime vendors looked forward to utilizing the solution for customers that have yet to be introduced to this product line.

Following the StrongBox, we’ll move over to a demonstration of the Mobile Expandable Container System (MECS). This revolutionary new hard-walled platform from Western Shelter Mobility provides the benefits of a rapidly deployable shelter with extreme weather resistance and long-term durability. The MECS offers fast and consistent deployment with only two operators in less than 10 minutes. With a steel frame, heavy-duty hinge mechanisms, and light but strong aluminum panels, the MECS is designed to handle the toughest transportation and deployment conditions imaginable. Common uses include billeting, mobile command centers, offices, kitchens, bathrooms, and much more.

As a team, Kendrick and some of the prime vendors can successfully set up the MECS, easily beating the published ten minute time to deploy. Our roof system has an eve to keep the water from rolling under, solving a common problem with legacy systems in the field. The seals and hydraulics are state-of-the-art in quality. We’ve put an integrated level system on both the interior and the exterior, removing the necessity for additional tools for stability.  We designed the interior walls to double as dry-erase boards. They loved how everything had a neat and proper stow. Prime Vendor Warren W. had kind things to say of the MECS’ capabilities: “It’s just the ease of opening and closing is incredible. The integrity is fantastic. It’s a good system.”

For Kendrick, his favorite moment of a visit is having everyone involved work together to set up the shelter system together: “You can read all you want about a MECS, but it’s not like really deploying it for yourself. Having them put their hands on and work with all the components really sinks in more than just reading about it. I love walking into a fully deployed MECS and explaining what all of this could be. There are so many applications: mobile command center, offices, conjunction with the StrongBox, laundromat, restroom, and lodging units.” The sky’s the limit on what you can accomplish with this protective solution. Did you know the MECS works great for winter missions? You can read all about their winter capabilities here.

After a quick lunch break, get ready to deploy our innovative version of the Quonset Hut, the Guardian. The advanced technology of the Guardian Shelter redefines mission capabilities and offers unparalleled rugged performance. The multi-functional shelter was engineered to be the fastest and lightest deployable shelter on the market and built to withstand sustained wind loads up to 90 MPH, gusts up to 120 MPH, and 24PSF snow loads. With newly integrated technology, the shelter’s frame offers more component capabilities than any other shelter and provides versatile setups with infinite scalability. We designed the Guardian to be durable with flexible functionality that can adapt to any critical mission.

Everyone has seen a Quonset Hut before, but not like this one. A lot of people find the Keter system groundbreaking. What makes it unique in the market is it provides a better environmental seal. The patent pending design offers modular parts replacement reducing costs to repair and increasing total life expectancy. The length is infinitely scalable as it allows you to add additional modules at any time. It requires no additional tools and is easy to assemble. The extra tie-downs and anchor points add to the robust nature of this system. During the demonstration, everyone wanted to participate in setting up the system. In just a few minutes, an entire bay was up and ready. The structure is so sturdy that one attendee did pull-ups on the frame of the shelter. Warren W. was overall impressed by the sturdiness of the Guardian: “I’m a little bit more informed on it. I think it’s a great concept. Easy to process. Very sturdy. It’s a pretty impressive shelter.”

There are many capabilities prevalent within the Guardian. The components are a single-man carry, so it doesn’t weigh a lot. The engineers established an effective way to deploy the shelter system. Everything requires zero additional tools, so the only piece of equipment you need is a ladder, which we’ve designed as part of the system. The fact that we can hang and deploy more components off the walls with the L-Track system means we'll have a plentiful series of accessories available for your mission. Everything will be able to mount to that L-Track System. The Keter system is a design feature that holds the cover set and insulation in place. When you expand the frame, it makes it straight and sleek in profile, perfect for elements and weather. You can mount them anywhere on the frame and the walls. It's great for hanging lights or anything you might want to hang up there. Nick A. was also satisfied by his experience with the Guardian: “I wasn’t familiar with it at all, but how it goes up, I thought it was pretty intriguing. The way the frame breaks down and gets smaller but then can do a lot of shelters in different ways and different lengths.”

It’s not rocket science to deploy. Our end users deal with 17-hour days, extreme conditions and dangerous situations, so we simplify things and make everything less cumbersome. Anybody can set this up. Anybody should be able to put one of these together. The shelter is stronger because people can do pull-ups on it. It’s not just a tent. It’s a full-on system.  

Many of our prime vendors have strong thoughts as they leave our facility. Michael T. saw an immense opportunity with the deep catalog Western Shelter provides: “I would say that the one thing I’ve learned the most is the breadth and depth of what you guys offer and can do. It’s more of a family of products and capabilities than just shelters.”

Many know us for our legacy products, but everyone walks away impressed that we are a full-scale protective solutions company. Kendrick knows the benefits of hands-on training are outstanding: "It was worth the drive and worth the commute. Worth being away from home. They leave knowing they need to call Western Shelter before dealing with any of the other vendors. We’re great at a lot of different things. How can we help you?" Many walk away with a book of knowledge about our systems. We’re on the right track to grow with them and produce better products. Warren W. believed the direction our businesses were going by the end of the trip was outstanding: “I feel that today, [Western Shelter] is purpose-driven. People know what they’re doing. They got goals. You guys are building outstanding equipment. I’m impressed. I am. I was pleasantly surprised. I mean the equipment and personnel were just outstanding. It’s a good company.”

We cover so many areas in the Protective Environments sector. If you need shelters and accessories, we have you covered. We also offer military cables and connectors. We have great options for ECUs to help you create an optimal environment. There are so many capabilities all in one place you won’t need to go anywhere else for your protective wants and needs. But if you want to understand what Western Shelter is about, the best thing to do is book a visit for yourself.

Caleb Johnson, Western Shelter’s Vice President of Sales – Defense and Security, believes that booking a visit is the best way for you to find the perfect solution to your mission: “The best part of having our customers and partners visit our headquarters in Eugene is the response we receive regarding our capabilities, quality, and team. Most visitors come to our facility thinking about a specific product or training and always leave with more than expected. We are truly unique in our wide range of product offerings in over body and on body protection but calculated in our vision in a way that when somebody walks in the door, it all makes sense. I love having customers and partners visit because it makes the rest easy, we are truly an overall solution provider, and when walking the floor or training with our team, you can be confident in your decision to choose Western Shelter Systems. We have seen this over and over, so if you are considering working with us or buying our products, please reach out and schedule a visit. We are confident that you will be more than happy you did.” 

You can read about a StrongBox, but there is no better way to understand it than by training that teaches you how to set it up. That is the goal. To prepare you for mission-critical situations so that you and your clients can come home to the ones who matter most. The best way to do that is to prepare and educate you for the worst. Don’t just read about all we can provide you. Book a visit with us and experience it all yourself. We have the best coaches in the business, and now, you are one step away from the hands-on training that will make you stand out above the rest. 

To learn more about what Western Shelter can do for you or to book a visit, contact us at sales@westernshelter.com or call 541-344-7267. We’ll be happy to help you accomplish your protective needs. Whatever your mission and whatever your challenge, Western Shelter will get you to complete mission-critical success.

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