CERUS GEAR IS RIGHT ON TARGET

Cory and Carrie Newman are life-long patriots and supporters of the second amendment. Cory was working as a firearms designer for a large company on the east coast when they felt compelled to move and start their own business in Cache Valley. The Newmans founded Cerus Gear to improve gun cleaning mats, which protect work surfaces and firearm finishes while cleaning the firearm. At the time, gun cleaning mats were severely lacking, with everything done overseas, incorrect, and not aesthetically pleasing. Cory tapped his skills as a designer and created the signature product, the AR-15 Instructional ProMat. With color-coordinated instructions and one-to-one parts placement, it teaches any firearm owner how to fieldstrip and clean their AR-15.

The Newmans knew their product was a hit when their 13- and 15-year-old daughters individually were able to disassemble and assemble the firearm only using the mat as their guide. From there, a product lineup of over 400 different firearm models, patriotic designs, and color variants were born. The Logan SBDC was instrumental in helping Cerus Gear with strategic direction, web development, employee issues, company structure, funding, and a variety of other issues. They also focused on offering product photography to further their online presence. Additionally, they served as mentors in the start-up process and connected them with great local resources.

The Cerus Gear business model is so successful because of two very different sales channels: consumers and businesses. First, the direct-to-consumer channel serves customers through the Cerus website where other gun enthusiasts and firearm owners can buy mats for themselves or as gifts. Cory explains, “The goal is to help build confidence. When a person is trained and knows the components of their firearm, safety increases and they know they can protect themselves and others.” The second sales channel provides custom mats to manufacturers, dealers, trainers, and other businesses in the industry. “We have been blessed to partner with some of the top manufactures” Carrie says.