When Mark Thompson joined Hawg Halters at Dahlonega near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1999 as Managing Director, he did so in a very different motorcycle parts market environment to the one we see today, and one that was about to evolve out of all recognition …
Mark Thompson, CEO, Hawg Halters Inc.
When Mark Thompson joined Hawg Halters at Dahlonega near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1999 as Managing Director, he did so in a very different motorcycle parts market environment to the one we see today, and one that was about to evolve out of all recognition …
Indeed, it was utterly changed within just five years. However, Mark’ s timing was exquisite, as he subsequently assumed full control of the company the V-twin parts and accessories market not only grew rapidly( it doubled in size, and then almost doubled again by the time of“ the great reckoning” in 2008), but it quickly became home to a multi-verse of custom business opportunities, diversifying away from the Chopper mono-culture that it had been. As the company name suggests, it was in the brakes market that HHI initially made its name, a brakes market in which a single, well-known competitor had been so dominant that they had made it nearly impossible for any other serious volume player to emerge. However, Hawg Halter’ s reputation for“ serious stopping power” soon got them established, and the foothold gained is one that Mark has proven adept at expanding on. The core competencies that Mark set out to leverage suited the rapid evolution of the market. As Choppers gave way to new business opportunities, not least Baggers, Hawg Halters’ initial emphasis on brakes became the foundation from which he was able to evolve with the Bagger market as it too evolved. Since then Mark says that HHI has“ challenged the status quo of the marketplace and carved out a
Mark Thompson, CEO of Hawg Halters, built his first bike when he was 15- a 1941 Flathead basket case, followed by a 1967 Shovelhead chopper. After gaining a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree at Cleveland State University he spent time at Ford ' s engine plant as a Manufacturing Engineer, where he finessed his hands-on skills such as tool and die making. He joined HHI in 1999 as Managing Director and went on to assume full control along with his wife Beth, who manages the front office operations.
leading position of our own in a dynamic, changing motorcycle industry – one where to stand still is to race to the back of the field.” A reputation for stylish and highly technical but very, very reliable parts was earned quite quickly, followed by awards and diversification that captured the direction of the market as custom tourers and new, specialty custom bike builders moved center stage. Baggers, indeed Tourers in general, proved to be one of the very few genuine growth sectors of the market
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