Tim Fulton developed TISABAS (“Tim Saves Backs”) in his home workshop in Sitka in 2018. During his 38-years in the airline industry, Fulton prototyped a variety of rollers and belts to safely move heavy items like fish boxes inside of aircraft. He sold his first two production models to Malaysian Airlines, and steadily built an overseas market for the device. His company, Ramper Innovations, was valued at $3.5 million and appeared poised for growth until tariffs on some of his Japanese-made components forced him to significantly raise his price. Now, both customers and investors are shying away, and Fulton is considering his options: Moving his manufacturing out of the country, or declaring bankruptcy. (KCAW/Woolsey)
An Alaskan entrepreneur was featured on the cover of the New York Times business section Tuesday (April 29), but not for the reasons he had hoped.
Tim Fulton launched Ramper Innovations in Sitka in 2018 to manufacture a unique conveyor system for loading baggage on airliners, and slowly grew the business into a $3-and-a-half million-dollar company with three full time employees, and customers in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
But almost overnight, tariffs imposed by President Trump have brought Ramper Innovations to the brink of bankruptcy. While Fulton’s equipment is manufactured in Sitka, some of the specialized parts are made overseas. Raising the price for his product has caused one of Fulton’s major customers to cancel, and uncertainty over future US trade policy has discouraged his investors.
KCAW’s Robert Woolsey recently spoke to Fulton from his wife’s home in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where he’s considering relocating his business.
