A Foot in the Right Direction

MANILA, Philippines — Established in 2007 in Antipolo by entrepreneur John Ruston, Freestyle Foot Care has gained a foothold in the US, supplying laboratories and customers with orthotic devices: wooden or plastic shells or shoe inserts that alleviate pain from leg and foot problems associated with gait issues, diabetes and injury.

How did a small business like Freestyle Foot Care break into the US market? With a foot in the right direction and help from its logistics partner, UPS.

Freestyle Foot Care began making basic foot orthotic devices for children and adults with injuries. John wanted to develop talent from the local shoe industry, so he signed up veteran shoe workers with experience producing for the local footwear industry. He then invested in machines that could produce both wood and plastic molds. All these were meant to develop and produce higher-value products.

“We were taking baby steps then, but my late husband John had set lofty goals for the company,” said John’s wife Liza, now Freestyle president and general manager. “He saw Freestyle Foot Care as a business that would reach and help a lot of people who had to deal with the pain and discomfort of their condition.”

Soon the company added orthotic devices specific for dress shoes and other components like top covers, shells and plastic-injected products. With the output, it wasn’t long before Freestyle Foot Care attracted the attention of orthotics laboratories in the US. It quickly became apparent to the Rustons that they needed a capable partner to support their business.

UPS approached Freestyle Foot Care and offered import and export solutions tailored to their needs.

“UPS was the only major courier service that took the time to talk to us,” shares Liza. “Our first agent took note of the four balikbayan boxes that we were sending out. Those four boxes were our first-ever shipment. He helped us identify the right service to help us meet our turnaround time. That shipment was a success.”

With business growing, some of Freestyle Foot Care’s customers demanded tight 24- to 72-hour turnaround times for products to be customized, manufactured and delivered. The company had to navigate customs clearance, manage their production time to ensure flexibility and schedule deliveries without getting delayed because of the number of holidays in both the US and the Philippines.

Supporting the company’s goal to expand, UPS helped Freestyle Foot Care manage their delivery timelines and supply chain. One of the solutions UPS introduced was UPS Express, which allowed Freestyle Foot Care to guarantee delivery to their customers by 10:30 a.m. or noon by the next day to most parts of the US.

Delivering reliably helped Freestyle Foot Care gain customers’ business. One laboratory promised the company 10 percent of their total volume if they were able to meet their 72-hour turnaround time.

“We were competing with companies located 50 miles away from the lab. They were looking to us to deliver higher-quality products at a competitive price and within a tight timeline,” says Liza. “With UPS’s help, that first order was delivered perfectly. In less than six months, we secured 90 percent of the lab’s business. To this day, they’re still doing business with us.”

Today, Freestyle Foot Care makes approximately 7,000 pairs of prefabricated orthotics and 7,500 pairs of custom orthotics a month. From shipping 40 boxes a month, they now ship over 150 boxes a month.

“For businesses new to serving international markets, it is important to establish efficiency and consistency,” said UPS Philippines managing director Chris Buono. “At UPS, we have a suite of solutions covering shipping, visibility, and even returns to help Filipino businesses break into the international market.”

UPS also assisted the company by helping them avoid customs delays, ensuring their shipments made the cut-off times for export, and get critical supplies timely.

After gaining a foothold in the US, Freestyle Foot Care is turning its sights to Asia, establishing an outlet in Antipolo to manage local demand. Liza reveals that she has been investing in equipment to boost their production capacity in order to expand their presence in the region.

“Our partnership with UPS made our journey as an SME easier. They made sure we were equipped with solutions tailor-fit to the size of our business and our product requirements,” Liza says. “They have consistently provided us with expertise, quality service and proactive support.”

“Pursuing international markets need not be intimidating.”