It takes a visionary leader to take a business to the next level, as businesses are reliant on a leader’s sense of direction, motivation, and character. John Miles is one such leader who labored to make Knox, makers of fire-resistant gear and apparel, the leading provider of durable and high-quality items in the industry today. Committed to taking the brand to the next level, Miles is working relentlessly to provide blue-collar workers with the best and most affordable fire-retardant clothing of the highest quality.
Miles established his values-driven business in 2019 with every intention to maintain its affordable pricing and commitment to quality. Knox is driven by values that Miles himself subscribes to: innovation, quality, integrity, teamwork, and respect. For Miles, Knox is an opportunity to create something out of the ordinary, a company that is not motivated to compete but one that prioritizes the benefits that consumers can get from its products.
Named after Miles’s youngest son, Damien Knox, the company’s products are carefully engineered apparel designed to provide safety, protection, and durability in hazardous environments, such as those in construction, oil and gas companies, drilling, pipeline fitting, ironworks, power plants, refineries, and welding companies, to mention a few. These industries expose their workers to dire circumstances on a daily, and it is for this reason that companies and workers invest in durable protective gear.
Miles has had first-hand experience when it comes to such environments, having worked in the pipeline fitting industry for 12 years. He has seen how dangerous such workplaces can be, and it became one of his primary motivations to come up with Knox. He understands that workers deserve the best kind of protective gear and apparel available in the market today. Inspired by his family, Miles took a leap of faith and developed Knox as a passion project. Interestingly, it has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Evanston, Illinois. Its online store is poised to dominate the online market, and Miles could not be any happier.
“Built on the road and by hands that know the industry inside and out. We now serve customers all over the United States and are thrilled to be a part of the high-soaring wing of the oil and gas industry,” Miles shared.
To set the pace and direction of his company, Miles developed a simple and straightforward mission statement: “We aim to evolve the way our oil and gas industry moves. Our main goal is to provide the best quality fire retardant clothing, both in design and functionality.”
Apart from being known for the impressive quality of its products, Miles established a culture of upholding the company’s non-negotiable values. Additionally, he successfully created a collaborative culture within his team. Giving back to the community is also one of the company’s practices, a way of paying it forward to make a difference in society.
As the rising CEO of Knox, much can be learned from the humble beginnings of John Miles. Starting a business in Illinois may have been something he did not foresee in the past, but responding to a need in many industries has made him a key personality when it comes to workplace safety. His remarkable success with Knox is a testament to his dedication and vision as a promising leader in the industry.
