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Tri-Tech Forensics

Leland, NC

Improving the Evidence Collection Process

Forty years ago, there was very little investigators could—or would—do to identify perpetrators of sexual assault, even with forensic evidence present. After his niece was assaulted, Jay Walker founded Tri-Tech Forensics in an effort to improve evidence collection, pioneering the mass production of forensic evidence collection kits and improving the transfer of evidence from the first responders to the forensic labs.

Today, led by CEO Jim Seidel, Tri-Tech is a multi-million-dollar company that has grown organically and through strategic acquisitions, building their crime scene investigation offerings and expanding into emergency medical equipment kits through the acquisition of Rescue Essentials. “Even if we have to reposition our business, we always need to be growing organically,” Seidel said. He took the helm in 2013 and led the company through two moves: from Southport to Leland and, recently, into a newly constructed 85,000 square-foot warehouse, a 65,000 square-foot increase from their original Southport location.

Expanding Capabilities

Seidel was already an experienced CEO when he joined Tri-Tech. He knew that even the highest performing companies benefit from expert advice, so he reached out to the SBTDC immediately. “I spent as much time as I could picking [my counselor’s] brain and sharing with her the issues we had to see if they could help us.” Soon, Tri-Tech was working with MBA students through the SBTDC to create Power BI dashboards to improve the team’s workflow, assist with warehouse layout, sales analytics, and inventory planning. Over a decade later, Tri-Tech works with a team of SBTDC counselors who specialize in a range of fields, from government contracting to international business. Whenever the business encounters a problem, said Jeff Hidek, Marketing Director, “We can just reach out to the SBTDC. They’ll have the answer.”

“I reach out to the SBTDC first every time. The quality of the counselors is excellent. They have great, real-life business experience.”

Jim Seidel

The International Connection

Growing their international presence was a key goal for Tri-Tech. To further that goal, international business counselor Ginny Vaca offered referrals, assisted with a STEP grant that covered the cost of a translation project, and identified trade shows for Tri-Tech to attend. “Our participation in the international trade shows was really important in the Rescue Essentials business,” Seidel said. Now, Tri-Tech exports medical emergency kits to over one hundred countries and forensics kits to over sixty countries. 

For businesses looking to get into international markets, Seidel offered a word of caution, “Contact the SBTDC. Because it is not easy . . . You don’t want to get stung,” he said. “Some products you’re not allowed to export to certain countries.” He credits Vaca with walking him through export compliance requirements.

Experts in Acquisition

One of the keys to Tri-Tech’s continued success is in their acquisition process. “The secret of having successful acquisitions is in the integration, no doubt about it. I’ve seen firsthand big mistakes made,” said Jim Seidel. “You have to get to know the people and the processes to figure out how to integrate it in the best way.” He recommends retaining as much of the original leadership as possible to encourage a smooth transition. Recently, Tri-Tech acquired two of their suppliers, scaling the company into manufacturing products in addition to distribution. “I’m really proud that [Sam Medical] decided to sell to us . . . I think a lot of Sam Sheinberg and his wife, Sherry,” Seidel said. “We’re going to take good care of his brand and his name.” 

Always Growing

Looking ahead, Seidel predicts continued expansion. “If we have another growth year, we’ll be out of space,” he said. At the end of the day,Tri-Tech’s success comes down to their positive work culture and their team’s passion for their mission. “We’ve got a great team from top to bottom. . . . When you do this amount of business with this many customers, it’s not one person.”

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