School bus seating supplier HSM Transportation and Foam Rubber Products, a supplier of foam products for the school, transit, and furniture seating industries, have agreed to combine operations to expand offerings for aftermarket bus seating.

As a result, HSM Transportation will open a new aftermarket distribution center located in High Point, N.C., to establish a scalable and more efficient operation to better serve its customers, with a planned commencement in October, according to a news release from the seating solutions supplier.

The new distribution center will service the transportation industry with rebond seat cushioning for the school bus and golf cart markets and expand HSM Transportation’s aftermarket offerings. These operational changes are expected to create several new jobs in High Point, according to the company.

HSM Transportation is reportedly making the move so the 25,000 square-foot facility can combine the expertise of its Triad Fabco brand with Foam Rubber Products to provide customers with both molded and fabricated seating options for a variety of transportation applications. The newly combined product offering — called HSM Aftermarket Quick Ship — presents a complete line of foam, vinyl, and portable restraints for a variety of buses, according to the company.

“Our new distribution center and HSM Aftermarket Quick Ship product line create a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ for our customers to order all aftermarket bus seat covers, foam, and restraint systems,” said Scott Dahl, vice president and general manager of HSM Transportation. “Customers will save on freight and reduce the number of purchase orders issued across locations.”

To support the new distribution center, some transportation-related equipment and production will be shifted from Foam Rubber Products's facility in New Castle, Ind., to High Point. Other operations within the New Castle facility will continue, including foam fabrication processes that serve the furniture industry.