An Interview with Blake Bonner: 
A New Chapter for Baart
From navigating growth to adapting to industry change, Blake Bonner discusses his first 
year and what comes next for Baart.
Earlier this year, Blake Bonner became 
President of Baart Industrial Group, 
following his brother, Dan Bonner, in the 
position. Blake entered the role during a 
period of continued growth and change for 
the company. 
We spoke with Blake about his first year, 
the challenges that come with growth, 
the integration of TWL (Total Warehouse 
Logistics), changes he is seeing across 
the industry, and what he sees ahead 
for Baart.
You stepped into the role of President 
earlier this year. How would you describe 
your first year so far?
It has been an amazing experience. 
Dan left big shoes to fill, so I knew I had to 
hit the ground running. 
We are going through a lot of growth right 
now, which naturally comes with some 
growing pains, but it is also an exciting 
time for the company.
I have been travelling quite a bit, making 
introductions with customers and 
spending time in our Houston warehouse. 
We are also putting a greater focus on 
training so we can continue improving the 
customer experience. 
There has been a lot to learn, but I have 
really enjoyed the opportunity to work 
with our customers and our team in a 
different capacity.
TWL has been an important part of 
Baart’s growth. What has the experience 
of integrating TWL into the business been 
like, and what have you learned from it?
Thank goodness we have a very 
experienced team helping to make the 
transition as smooth as possible. 
As Baart continues to grow, we need 
systems that can grow with us and 
make the overall experience better for 
our customers.
The process has also made me realise just 
how incredible our warehouse operation 
is and how much potential it has. Once 
TWL is fully up and running, it will make a 
significant difference in how we operate 
and serve our customers.
What have been some of the biggest 
challenges Baart has encountered as the 
company has grown?
Shipping is always a challenge, particularly 
as our volume continues to increase. We 
ship a lot of products every day, and as we 
grow, we also bring more people onto the 
team who need to be trained quickly. 
Through all of that, accuracy has to remain 
our priority. We have also upgraded our 
packing boxes to make sure we are using 
the appropriate strength box for the 
products we are shipping. 
These may seem like small details, but 
when you are growing and shipping 
significant volumes every day, those 
details become very important.
How have those growing pains changed 
the way you think about leading 
the company?
I always want us to be the best Baart we 
can be for our customers. They deserve 
that, and we have to make sure we keep 
that at the forefront of everything we do.
As we continue to grow, we also have to 
think about how our infrastructure needs 
to grow with us. 
At some point, that could mean adding 
another warehouse on the East Coast to 
better serve our customers in that region.
What changes are you seeing in the 
bearing and power transmission industry 
right now?
I see a lot of consolidation happening, 
with larger companies acquiring smaller 
businesses. I think distributors and 
customers can get frustrated by these 
acquisitions because they can change 
existing supplier relationships. 
If a distributor or customer has been 
buying from a smaller company, for 
example, that relationship may end after 
an acquisition if the larger company 
already has an established relationship 
with them.
I also think that as companies become 
larger, there can be more pressure for 
regular price increases and changes to 
product lines. 
For distributors and customers, that 
can create uncertainty around pricing, 
availability and whether the products they 
rely on will continue to be available.
For Baart, I think this creates an 
opportunity to provide some stability 
in an industry that is changing. 
We want our customers to know that 
we are focused on building long-term 
relationships and being a consistent 
partner as they navigate those changes.
Looking ahead, what do you think Baart 
will look like a few years from now, and 
what are you most excited about?
We are going to keep growing and 
continue working to become an even 
better company for all of our partner 
customers. I am particularly excited about 
the growth and development of our people 
and our footprint.
For me, that is what the next stage is 
really about: continuing to build the team, 
expand our capabilities and make sure we 
are prepared to support our customers as 
Baart grows.
Contact here:                                                       
+1 844 462 2278                                                                                                       
sales@baartgroup.com 
www.baartgroup.com
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