Vol Case & Container, an Oak Ridge-based supplier of custom packaging and containers for manufacturers, was recently awarded a $200,000 contract for DLA Troop Support. The company is providing shipping containers that allow for the safe transport of hospital supplies to troop stations around the world. 

East Vol Case & Container originally became an APEX Accelerator client in 2001. When the company was purchased by its current owners in 2021, the new owners, Jay King and Matteo Valles, sought to increase their business reach and connected with TSBDC Counselor Stephen Williams through their local chamber of commerce. Stephen encouraged them to connect with the APEX Accelerator to learn how to expand into the government contracting space. 

Jay started by attending beginner classes to learn the basics of how to set the company up for success in the government marketplace. From there, he attended several additional APEX training courses and conferences to learn all he could. By the time he met with East Tennessee Counselor Jutta Bangs, he was prepared to get down to the hard work. 

The two worked together on everything from general government contracting readiness to a marketing strategy to DLA packaging and labeling requirements. Through it all, Jay did lots of legwork to be sure he was ready for each meeting and had followed all the guidance Jutta gave him.  

Jay says, “APEX has been immensely helpful throughout our entire government contracting journey. From the 101 lessons of road-mapping necessary system access, form filing, resource databases, etc. to the more nuanced insights of how to amend contracts and strategically evaluate bids, they have accelerated our government contracting journey by 10x.” 

According to Jutta Bangs, “Jay is a dream client: very diligent, does his research, and is very open to any advice. He is well-prepared for any meeting and makes the most of our time together. He knows where he needs help and is very quick to learn new processes. The company has taken the time to build the capacity to take on larger government contracts. They have invested time to learn how the government buys, and what it takes to submit a strong proposal.”

Jay says, “For us, this award affirms that our process, our products, and our partnership-model of customer service are valued in the market. It also marks a milestone in our journey with APEX, as they have been instrumental in helping navigate the opaque landscape of government contracting.”

For more information on Vol Case & Container, visit https://volcase.com/ or connect with Jay King on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-king-016158aa/.