How HMA is Bringing Laughs to a Technical Industry

If you work in materials testing or pavement construction, your day-to-day involves dirt, rocks, and hot liquid asphalt. It's a serious, essential business, and something HMA Lab Supply (part of the InstroTek family of companies) is well acquainted with.

But recently, we brought back an old tradition aimed at bringing a little levity to our otherwise technical industry.

What’s with the ducks?

If you’ve been following us on YouTube or LinkedIn, you might have noticed a few rubber ducks popping up on your feed. The tradition started years ago when John Muhlke, the original founder of HMA Lab Supply, began including a small rubber duck inside every water bath shipment. Customers loved it, and over time, expecting a duck with their order became part of the HMA experience. 

Today, we’re keeping that legacy alive with our "HMA Ducks" video series—a playful branding effort designed to bring warmth, fun, and a family feeling to the industry.

Making these videos is a true collaborative team effort. While our creative writing team scripts out the scenarios, veteran Hot Mix Podcast guest and HMA Director of Operations Brian O'Toole brings the ducks to life. 

Crouched under the table out of frame, Brian performs the acting and custom duck voices on the spot. Each “character” adds a bit of humor to the daily realities of lab work.

Fun Videos with Real Benefits

While the videos are meant to bring a smile to your face, they also serve a serious purpose: highlighting what HMA Lab Supply brings to the table. As a true "one-stop shop," HMA provides everything from major testing equipment to everyday consumable lab supplies and nuclear gauges. 

Each video tackles key differentiators, showing how HMA stands out from competitors.

Check Them Out and Share Your Ideas!

We invite you to watch the duck video series on the HMA Lab Supply YouTube channel and LinkedIn page. We are already working on the next generation of duck videos featuring fun themes like Star Trek, Top Gun, and Ghostbusters!

Have an idea for a future theme or feedback on our current duck videos? Leave us a comment on YouTube or LinkedIn—we’d love to hear it!

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