Skip to Content

About GSS


GSS USA, Inc. is a wholesaler of components and assemblies to the Commercial Vehicle distribution network.  Our market specialty is the school bus industry, but we also warehouse and sell components that serve the needs of our commercial truck and trailer customers.  We specialize in hard-to-source components, as well as strategic components that we believe are underserved by the CV supply chain today.

In addition to our wholesale components business, we also act as your supply chain management partner, helping you find high-quality, reliable, competitive global sources for your components and assemblies.  Our vast network of international suppliers allows us to focus on the customer’s needs, rather than be limited to a single product line or a single supplier.

Our Team


Branden Smeltzer ​ ​

Chief Executive Officer

Connect on LinkedIn

Andrew Gilbert

Chief Operating Officer

Connect on LinkedIn

Bill Wakefield

Director, Sales and Marketing

Connect on LinkedIn






 

GSS Helps Businesses Tap Into Products, Resources And Technology Not Available In North America at a Competitive Price Point.


At GSS we customize our services to meet your supply chain development needs.  From simply identifying an international manufacturing partner for our customers to work with directly up to developing a complete and comprehensive manufacturing plan for a new product, we can do it all for you.

With over a decade of experience sourcing components from countries across the globe, GSS can perform the following:

  • Qualify a manufacturing partner through a comprehensive RFQ process
  • Setup QC processes that conform with your business needs
  • Ensure ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949, or other quality systems compliance
  • Ensure regulatory certification of products
  • Identify multiple manufacturing partners in different countries to avoid any current or future geopolitical issues
  • International logistics
  • Domestic warehousing, inventory management, and distribution

Global sourcing has become a matter of intense focus, especially with the 25% tariff imposed on Chinese imports to the USA, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting severe supply chain disruptions.  Many North American businesses that relied on a supplier based in China experienced unforeseen delays, supply disruption, and cost increases. In several cases, the dependence on a single region or a single supplier impacted business continuity. The absence of alternative suppliers meant that some of these businesses had to temporarily suspend operations. Partnering with GSS allows us to use our knowledge and experience in multiple markets and leverage relationships with hundreds of factories worldwide to protect your continuity of supply.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

GSS exclusively serves the commercial vehicle OEM and aftermarket community.  Our core business has historically been the school bus aftermarket space, but we also serve many other commercial vehicle customers with our products and services.

Yes.  We seek out products that our customers tell us are being under-served by the current supply base and then focus on finding the highest-quality, lowest-cost global suppliers for those products.  We import and warehouse those products in our Orlando, Florida warehouse, and sell them to distributors in the commercial vehicle marketplace.

At present our in-house product line consists of electrical, electronic, electro-mechanical components and assemblies for commercial vehicles. In addition, we have vehicle signage products, and a wide variety of hardware and accessory products.

Our business is built upon a foundation of sourcing excellence in the global supply community.  Over the course of the last decade we have developed relationships with a wide variety of global supply partners who are looking to expand their business in North America.  In addition to buying GSS products from those suppliers we also work with other wholesalers, distributors, system suppliers, and OEMs to help them establish direct sourcing relationships with those suppliers.  We target components and assemblies where those customers are having difficulty with their current supply chain and help them come up with reliable long-term solutions.

We are presently working directly with approximately 25 international suppliers, but our network of contacts and potential future suppliers numbers over 100 companies serving a variety of product needs.

In the very near future we will be adding a Products page to our website, but in the meantime you can go to our Contact webpage and call us or email us for product and pricing information.

You can contact us at info@gss-usa.net and one of our staff will get in touch with you to explore your sourcing needs.  We will work with you to understand the product designs, specifications, validation requirements, and cost targets and then we will structure a supplier review process tailored to your needs.

Yes. We attained our ISO 9001:2015 certification in August 2022.

GSS products include a limited warranty as specified in this Limited Warranty Statement.