News of Plumbing • Heating • Cooling • Industrial Piping Distribution
APRIL 2010VOL 65, NO. 4
BRooKSHIRe, TexAS — Despite the
challenges of the global economic
downturn, Danish pump manufac-
turer Grundfos Pumps continued its
commitment to the North American
market with the grand opening of the
new Peerless engineered Systems
(PeS) building. The 45,000-square-
foot facility was built outside Hous-
ton in Brookshire, Texas. The build ing
shares land with Grundfos Commer-
(Turn to Grundfos... page 72.)
KITZ acquiresPerrinGmbHHouSToN — KITZ Corporation of
Japan and the parent of KITZ Corpo-
ration of America, has completed the
acquisition of PerrinGmbH.
Founded in 1900 and headquar-
tered in Nidderau, Germany, near
Frankfurt, Perrin manufactures a
wide range of metal seated ball
valves in sizes 1/2" to 24" and Class
150 – 2500 with temperature ranges
from -320°F to +1470°F. Materials of
To offer large stocks of radiant equipment
New LeNox, ILL. — Munch’s Supply Co. Inc.
recently opened a new branch on the north side
of Chicago. Munch Chicago, which is located
at the corner of Addison and Talman at the
Chicago River, is the first
branch that Munch’s Supply
has opened in the city of
Chicago.
The new 55,000-square-foot location is only
1 mile away from the Kennedy expressway.
The branch offers on-site parking and is easily
accessible from any part of the
city. Munch Chicago is a pre-
mier, state-of-the-art distribu-
tion facility that will further the
company’s abilities to provide
its customers with the excel-
lent service that Munch’s is
known for.
“Munch’s Supply is doing
something unheard of in these
current economic conditions
— we are expanding and hiring,” said Robert
Munch Jr., president of Munch’s. “It feels great
to be able to offer our customers a location
close to them that will save them both time and
gas money.”
Munch’s will be hosting a grand opening
vendor day celebration on April 21. The dis-
counts, specials and door prizes offered this
day will make it a “can’t miss” event.
As with Munch’s six other locations
throughout the Chicagoland area, the new
branch is fully stocked and staffed to meet any(Turn to First Windy City... page 72.)
Grundfos opensU.S. EngineeredSystems facility
Munch opens new location in Chicago
(Turn to Perrin, page 72.)
The always-innovative Alan Vinturella from Southland Plumbing Supply in New Orleans believes that diversi-
fying into the lighting market will help the company grow its volume and profitability. Southland’s Lighting Di-
vision launched in December, with a stunning showroom that is adjacent to their Kohler Premier Showroom in
Metairie. Vinturella has been joined in the business by his wife Mona and two of their children, Chad and Loni.
A special section honoring distributors
starts on pg. 20!
Story begins on page 10.
6 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
See contact information on page 82
See contact information on page 82
IN THIS ISSUE
The Front PageSouthland Plumbing Supply in newOrleans kept its doors open followingthe devastation of hurricane Katrina,proving to be a valuable partner to itscontractors and vendors. in DecemberSouthland opened its latest venture —a stunning lighting Division that willkeep the distributor on the road toprofitability and further growth. thefeature story begins on page 10.
In the News
Granite Group opens new n.h. branch........4
Wayne Pipe & Supply spans a century .......16
ThE WholEsalEr celebrates 65 years
as publisher to the PhCP, PVF
wholesale distribution industry .......20 - 60
Pioneer industries restructures ..................70
Bradford White water heaters get nod from
green restaurant association ...................71
Caroma products now on Autodesk Revit ...74
Product review: Water heating ...........77 – 78
Peter Schor’s K/BiS review.........................82
We present the 9th Annual PVF hall of Fame!
ColumnsRiCh SChMitt: Strategize for the future....................8
MORRiS BESChlOSS: PVF sector to converge
on houston .........................................................65
JOhn MARtin: Finding solid value in
trade associations...............................................68
PEtER SChOR: Getting more bang for your buck
from trade shows; a K/BiS preview....................71
DAn hOlOhAn: Circulator pumps –
a brief history .....................................................73
Editor’s Q&AEemaxMary Jo Martin interviews Eemax
CEO Kevin Ruppelt, vice president-
sales Aaron Siegel and marketing manager
Kevin Dokla to gain insight as to how the
company is finding its stride in the electric
tankless water heating market .......................14
Next Month
8 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010SMART MANAGEMENT
Think strategically to improve your oddsY
ears ago, as people thought about
our industry, it wasn’t considered
flashy, but it was filled with good
people and the odds of success were pretty
good. There were opportunities for all
styles and sizes of companies. If you, as
they used to say, kept your nose clean and
to the grindstone, you could make a darn
good living. When the economy was “rock-
ing and rolling,” some wholesalers thrived,
some wholesalers got by and some limped
along but very few folded. One could at-
tribute this to the brilliant people we have
in our industry or that the industry itself
was a better-than-average bet — that the
odds of success in our industry were better
than average. (Personally, I think we have
the same mix of brilliant and not-so-
brilliant people as other industries.)
While the mix of people has not
changed, I think the industry’s odds have
changed and unfortunately the change has
not been for the better. This is largely due
to the economy and, in some part, that we
have lost our focus. So our challenge is to
get a laser-beam focus on the activities
that improve your odds and continue to
make wholesaling the great bet that it has
been for many, many decades.
In this article, I will share my punch-
list of things that will improve your odds:
Good peopleThis has been our mantra for more
than 25 years and, as they say, “we’re
stickin’ to it.” Good people are the reason
that small independents can prevail when
faced with bigger, better funded regional
and national wholesalers. Often these
small guys cannot match the bigger guys
on any front except people. And, in my
opinion, good people are the trump card
in wholesaling. I don’t mean to imply that
the larger wholesalers don’t have good
people because they absolutely do, but
often big companies don’t seem to value,
encourage and appreciate people who
excel — there is often a push toward con-
formity which can push out the superstars
and stifle the good people. Further,
smaller companies seem more willing to
take the time to find really, really good
people. While the formula is pretty simple
— hire great people — this is only possi-
ble over the long term if you have a
process for identifying, attracting, hiring,
developing, retaining and rewarding great
people. Some tips:
• The “Vacancy Light” is always
“ON” for a great person — If you man-
age a baseball team with a full roster and
Albert Pujols knocks on your door look-
ing for a job, your response had better be,
“Let me show you to your locker.” This
can be a tough-minded process since cost
control may demand that you move out
one or two other employees to create the
necessary budget.
• You need a strict process for eval-
uating every person before you hire
them — This process should include test-
ing (minimally intellect and drug, a phys-
ical if appropriate and possibly
psychological too), extensive reference
checks, in-depth interviews and, ideally,
a probationary period at the start of their
employment. Since most wholesalers pro-
mote from within, it is critical that you
apply a rigorous process to every hire to
ensure they are promotable. (As always,
these activities are subject to a myriad of
legal guidelines and thus must be re-
viewed by your labor attorney.) For a
reprint on hiring, e-mail me at Rich@go-
spi.com
• Leading and coaching good people
is critical in order to ensure that they
perform to their full potential — One of
the stupid tricks that a surprising number
of wholesalers commit is to take bright,
sharp, energetic new-hires and put them
under a terrible supervisor who will take
very little time to beat all the enthusiasm
out of them. In this tough business cli-
mate, good people are even more impor-
tant than they were in the past. And there
are good people available out there.
Solid proceduresGood standard procedures and
processes that drive the everyday activi-
ties in the business can really improve
your odds.
• Have it your way — First, you don’t
want everyone on the team improvising
and “making their job up” to suit their
personal inclinations or opinion of how it
should be done. For all important and
many unimportant tasks there should be
a “company way” for doing it.
• Delegate to the worthy — Delega-
tion is important as you grow. It allows
good managers and leaders to multiply
their skills and extend their reach. The
mistake that many leaders make is extrap-
olating good performance in one area into
skills in another. In many cases, good per-
formance in one area only proves that the
individual can excel in that single area.
Moving that person into another area
must involve training and the develop-
ment of skills in the new area. Plus you
must be willing to pull the plug when it is
not working.
• Written procedures — Good poli-
cies and procedures are not like the stories
handed down from generation to genera-
tion by the tribal elders. That might have
worked in the past when you were willing
to take three years to train a warehouse
person. With the advent of written lan-
guage, we can operate better and more
consistently. A surprising number of com-
panies still have not discovered the magic
of deter mining/ developing a “company
best practice”, writing it down, training
people to use it and then insisting that
everyone use that best practice. If someone
finds a “better way,” the procedure is re-
vised and the whole team gets better.
• Procedures must make sense —
Sadly, when poorly crafted, the systems
and procedures that are intended to make
wholesalers more efficient can instead
suck the life and commitment out of many
of these great people along the way. As an
aside, in a past life, I remember dealing
with a corporate resource accounting per-
son (we affectionately called them the
“corporate pukes”) who was single-hand-
edly causing our division to have inaccu-
rate project accounting. She had directed
everyone to complete their timesheet with
40 hours regardless of the hours worked
because any nonstandard timesheets cre-
ated extra work for her. So all project ac-
counting and planning was thereafter
based upon flawed historical numbers. It
took hours of arguing to get this corporate
prima-donna to do it correctly and then
years to gather the data needed to evaluate
and improve our internal processes.
• Not optional — Always value ideas
to improve procedures but be clear that
until a new procedure is in place the ex-
isting procedure is to be followed.
Get really good at managing your biggest assets
For most wholesalers, these are peo-
ple, inventory and receivables. Since I
covered people above, I will focus on in-
ventory and A/R.
• The goal is to have the right amount
of the right products in your inventory.
1. Consider adding inventory —
Some companies may need to add inven-
tory if their inventory cuts have trashed
service levels and are causing a
“QOH=0” based erosion in sales even as
their market is slowly recovering. This
must be done carefully, but some compa-
nies have cut beyond the fat into muscle,
tendons and bone. (I have heard stories
where companies have entered what, in
aviation, they call the death spiral. Sales
are down so turns are down. To get turns
in line, inventories are cut even more.
These inventory cuts hurt product avail-
ability so sales go down more. (You can’t
sell what you don’t have.) Since sales are
down, turns are down. To get turns in line,
inventories are cut further. I think you get
the picture. When you become known as
the “out house,” it can take a long time to
earn back the customers’ trust.)
2. Spend time now to get your inven-
tory and purchasing people at the top of
their game — Most software vendors
focus their training on using their software
but don’t spend time on the broad basics of
inventory management. This basic inven-
tory training is fundamental to understand-
ing the theory of inventory management. In
some companies, people assume that the
computer is programmed correctly, is con-
figured properly for their company and that
the numbers are absolute. This is not a for-
mula for top-notch inventory management.
(Turn to Get focused... page 73.)
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
BY RICH SCHMITT
Management specialist
Adopt an NBOO [Never be out of] philosophy for thecritical 200-300 products and make it a corporate sin
to ever be out of those products in any location.
Good people are the reason thatsmall independents can prevailwhen faced with bigger, betterfunded regional and national
wholesalers. Often these smallguys cannot match the bigger guyson any front except people. And, inmy opinion, good people are the
trump card in wholesaling.
Building a legacy
New Lighting Divisionsignals even brighterfuture for SouthlandBY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
When Hurricane Katrina deliv-
ered its devastating blow to
New Orleans in 2005, there
were those who thought the city would
never be the same. In some ways, it is not.
But like the mythical Phoenix, a vibrant
New Orleans has re-emerged — a city
with a new energy and enthusiasm, so ev-
ident as the city’s beloved Saints captured
the hearts of the nation on their way to a
Super Bowl victory.
Like so many New Orleanians, Alan
and Mona Vinturella of Southland Plumb-
ing Supply were over the moon with the
Saints’ performance and believe that it is
a great sign of the city’s recovery. Al-
though the population is still significantly
lower than it was prior to Katrina — and
with some areas of the city that have yet
to be rebuilt — those who call New Or-
leans home are devoted to their city and
its future direction.
From the ashes of the storm…Like so many in New Orleans and the
Gulf Coast, Southland Plumbing Supply
was hit hard by Katrina. Just three months
prior to “The Storm” — as locals refer to
it — Southland had opened a new Kohler
Premier Showroom in Metairie, across
the street from their headquarters opera-
tion. The hurricane left a foot and a half
of standing water in the showroom, ruin-
ing virtually everything.
Despite that, the Vinturellas and their
loyal employees who remained behind
barely missed a beat. Although about half
of the company’s 50 employees had fled
the city, those who stayed worked long
hours in difficult conditions to ensure that
Southland was able to serve customers
(Turn to Plumbing... page 12.)
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10 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010A New Niche Market
Southland Plumbing Supply has built a stellar reputation in the New Orleans area for its
reliable service. But the slowdown in construction over the last few years led owner Alan
Vinturella to consider new opportunities. They opened a Lighting Division in December
2009, and its showroom features this stunning Swarovski crystal display.
Plumbing distributor finds gold in lightingduring this very trying time. With no computers, very
little product on hand and only a concrete floor and a
few folding chairs in the showroom, Southland re-
opened for business just days after the hurricane. Each
morning customers lined up for blocks down the street
— many having been there all night — just trying to
get product. Each had their own heart-wrenching story
to tell.
“People would park and sleep overnight with ice
chests because we were operating on a first-come,
first-served basis,” said Alan. “Every one’s nerves were
on edge and we had to try to keep people calm. Their
worlds had just crashed and they were desperate.
“The situation taught us a lot. The relationships we
had built with our vendors and through Omni helped us
tremendously. After The Storm, they all really came
through. Our vendors stepped up and broke tradition on
dating, displays, etc., to get our showroom back up and
running with products and displays in 30 days, rather
than the usual 120. And I am proud to say that we hon-
ored all of our commitments to them down to the letter.”
Business was exceptionally strong during the re-
building push following Katrina, but began to flounder
in 2007 as the recession set in. Once again, Southland
Plumbing Supply emerged from a challenging situation
with an exciting new venture and hope for the future.
“I was starting to consider what possible direction
we should take Southland in, because it was going to
be very important for us to recoup some of the volume
that was lost during the recession,” Alan explained.
“Around the same time, some of our competitors were
going through layoffs and I was fortunate to hire three
very well-respected showroom professionals, all of
whom mentioned an interest in lighting. I had never
thought about getting into lighting, but as we looked
at the numbers and potential margins we knew it was
worth a try. And me being a guy who isn’t going to
just dabble in a venture, I went into this full force —
and with a determination to do it very, very well.”
One step at a timeAlan’s wife, Mona, who has an extensive design
background and is a key asset to the company’s show-
rooms, began looking into other lighting stores around
the city. The more she saw, the more confident she was
that Southland could be extremely successful in this
new product category.
“We felt there was a great opportunity to put in a true
lighting showroom in New Orleans,” she said. “Many
of stores had a gift shop atmosphere and lighting seemed
like more of an afterthought to other aspects of their
business. Then we went to market in Dallas, and seeing
the displays made us realize that lighting was big busi-
ness. It’s a very progressive industry.”
They literally transformed the former warehouse for
the Metairie showroom into a sophisticated lighting
showplace in a matter of months. The Southland
Plumbing Supply Lighting Division officially opened
on December 3.
Mona described the philosophy that Southland has
when it comes to getting their new Lighting Division
off the ground.
“We found that starting out with a simple lightbulb
was a way to get in the door with many commercial
and hospitality customers,” she said. “Our outside
salespeople already have connections built with all the
hotels and casinos in the area, so it’s an easy progres-
sion for them to also market Southland as a lighbulb
supplier. The amount of bulbs used by these customers
is incredible. So if we can get in the door with hotels
like that as their lightbulb supplier, we believe they
will think of us when they need fixture replacements.
We’ve been very pleased at how quickly these cus-
tomers were willing to discuss lighting with us.”
Alan went on to explain what he felt the new Light-
ing Division could bring to Southland’s business. “The
two things that enticed me most were: First, there
seemed to be a natural synergy between plumbing and
lighting, and a great opportunity to sell additional prod-
uct to the customers who come into our plumbing show-
room. And second, there are a finite number of
bathrooms in a house, but the entire interior and exterior
of a home or business needs lighting. And at this stage
of the game, the margins are very compelling, compared
to the eroding margins on the plumbing side.”
Alan also said he is hopeful that Omni’s Luxury
Products Group will look into adding lighting to its
product selection.
Blending established practices with a new endeavor
Southland Plumbing Supply’s flagship location is in
Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans, where they have
a 35,000-square-foot headquarters, 6,000-square-foot
Kohler Premier showroom across the street and an ad-
ditional 15,000-square-foot warehouse a short distance
12 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010A New Niche Market
(Continued from page 10.)
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In front of the Swarovski crystal display are (front)
Mona Vinturella, Lacey Christina, Loni Vinturella and
(back) Chad Vinturella and Alan Vinturella.
Southland’s plumbing showroom is light and bright in
contrast to its Lighting Division with black walls and
ceilings and dark carpeting that provide a perfect back-
drop for the 500+ light fixtures on display and a
Swarovski display at the entrance.
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 13A New Niche Marketaway. In addition, in 2003, Southland
opened a showroom on the North Shore (of
Lake Pontchartrain).
“I turned 52 in 2003 — the same age
as my dad was when he founded South-
land —and I looked at my dad’s picture
one day and thought to myself that since
he started this business at 52, I should
also do something profound,” Alan said.
“So I decided that it was time to open a
second showroom.
“Our son Chad had been working in
management with PF Chang’s in Memphis
and we really wanted him to come back
and join us at Southland. I called him and
told him the only way I would open this
new showroom was if he would come back
to run it. Fortunately, Chad agreed, and we
opened our 4,000-square-foot Kohler Pre-
mier Show room on the North Shore that is
supported by 8,000 square feet of ware-
house space. Chad has really taken the
reins with that operation. He’s a natural in
the business and his 10 years in the service
industry has proven very helpful when it
comes to customer service.”
A stark contrastThe Lighting Division is located adja-
cent to the company’s Kohler Premier
Showroom in Metairie, but its appearance
is as different as day and night. The
plumbing showroom is light and bright,
with white walls, light flooring and lot of
white products natural lighting. An arch-
way in the back wall of the plumbing
showroom leads directly into the Lighting
Division. Black walls and ceilings and
dark carpeting provide the perfect back-
drop for the 500+ stunning light fixtures
on display. Spectacular is the first word
that comes to mind — especially when
you cast your eyes upon the Swarovski
display at the entrance. It truly is jewelry
for the home.
Loni Vinturella (Alan and Mona’s
daughter), who joined the business in
2008, has found her niche in the Light-
ing Division. She said that in many
ways, lighting and plumbing are similar
to manage, but there are some distinct
differences.
“We are a Kichler Diamond show-
room,” Loni said. “As part of that agree-
ment, they give us a dollar amount we
need to spend on showroom displays, and
then we select what we want to show,
based on what we think will sell in our
market. Freight is an issue because of the
large scale of special order items.”
In addition to Kichler and Swarovski,
among the other major lines that South-
land’s Lighting Division stocks are WAC,
Epiphany, Mariana, Flambeau, Currey &
Co. and Emerson fans. And they go far
beyond just traditional lighting to include
all types of indoor and outdoor fans,
smoke alarms, exit signs, doorbells, car-
bon monoxide, landscape lighting and
mailboxes.
On the plumbing side, Southland’s
primary vendors are Kohler, Grohe,
Aquatic, Rheem, Moen, Delta, Elkay,
Danze, Gerber, Basco, Dornbracht, Kin-
dred and Julien; they also carry door and
cabinet hardware. The showrooms are
open from 8 to 4 weekdays and half days
on Saturdays.
Southland puts a great emphasis on
marketing and building relationships
among the trade, design community and
consumers. Throughout the years, Alan
has worked very hard to develop strong
relationships with customers through en-
tertaining and special events like BBQs,
crawfish boils, golf tournaments, NBA
Hornets games and hosting local home-
builders association meetings. A favorite
marketing program of Alan’s is the com-
mercials he records for a local radio sta-
tion that are all about LSU Athletics. A
graduate of LSU with a degree in chemi-
cal engineering, Alan is a die-hard Tigers
fan and really enjoys giving his commen-
tary on each week’s game.
“I am totally involved in every aspect
of this business; I like writing every
check and seeing every single invoice and
purchase order that comes through,” Alan
said. “I want Southland to be a snapshot
of Alan Vinturella. I’m very active with
my customers and my door is always
open. I like to write handwritten notes on
statements to our customers. In fact, if
you ask my customers, they’ll usually say
they buy from ‘Alan,’ not ‘Southland.’
There’s not a minute that goes by that I
don’t think about Southland.”
And knowing Alan, Mona and their
children, there is no doubt that Southland
will be well prepared to capitalize on fu-
ture growth opportunities in New Or-
leans. As they shared with me, there are
still parts of the city that need to be re-
built. In addition, the Super Bowl is slated
for New Orleans in 2013, and the down-
town area is expected to boom. In fact,
the Hyatt across from Superdome has
been shuttered since Katrina, but is ex-
pected to be entirely redone in the next
few years.
“I believe that by branching into addi-
tional areas, we are charting a new course
of growth for Southland,” Alan said. “We
(Turn to Southland, page 75.)
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Filling a niche
Eemax electric tankless unitssave energy, water and spaceBY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
Whether it’s a minor design change or com-
plete overhaul, homeowners remodel their
kitchens and baths frequently and busi-
nesses renovate restrooms and cafeterias to make them
more efficient. Yet during these renovations, they
sometimes forget to replace one of the single most im-
portant energy and water consuming item – the water
heater. Eemax believes that they have an affordable
solution that is easy to install and provides a better way
to heat water.
Traditional tank style heaters store and heat hot water
constantly – even when there is no demand for it. The
Eemax inventors and engineers believe it’s no longer
acceptable to waste precious valuable resources that the
earth provided us with. Eemax is in the market to save
the earth, one drop of water at a time, and has developed
a full line of “green” water heating products that save
energy, water, money and space. You can achieve ulti-
mate “greenness” by using newer technology like elec-
tric tankless water heaters available from Eemax.
Since 1988, the Eemax product line has been engi-
neered and assembled out of their headquarters in Ox-
ford, Conn. Over the years, Eemax has developed
“green” electric tankless water heaters that are 99%
efficient, even more efficient than other technologies
on the market such as gas tankless water heaters. Due
to product awareness, some of these gas units on the
market today have received Energy Star certification,
yet they do not carry a 99% efficient rating like the
Eemax electric tankless water heaters (ETWH). Their
patented line of “green” ETWH were designed with
highly flexible technology that allows them to work
optimally with varying climates or temperatures of the
groundwater or municipal water supplies.
In addition to residential homes, Eemax ETWH can
be utilized in a wide range of commercial applications
such as offices, stadiums, manufacturing facilities, lab-
oratories, restaurants, hotels, schools, and shopping
malls. To best meet the needs of this wide variety of
applications, Eemax developed the products de-
manded by these segments. Among those products was
a 9.5-kilowatt Flow Control heater for hand-washing
applications. This simple on/off device paved the way
for units with thermostats, adjustable flow and up to
480-volt capacities.
Eemax has seen tremendous growth since its found-
ing, but it all can be traced back to a simple idea. “We
started with a single engineer and a single idea about
how to save energy, water and space,” said president
and CEO Kevin Ruppelt. “By remaining a U.S.-based
company, being customer centric and exceeding ex-
pectations, we’ve been growing ever since.”
Ruppelt, along with vice president-sales and 20-
year Eemax veteran Aaron Siegel and marketing man-
ager Kevin Dokla, recently spoke with editorial
director Mary Jo Martin about the direction Eemax is
taking in product development, marketing and busi-
ness strategies.
MJM: The demand for tankless water heaters has
steadily been climbing in the U.S. Why do you think
tankless technology is finally catching on?
Ruppelt: When people think about tankless water
heaters, they are often referring to gas-fired models. It’s
interesting to note that according to numbers we have
gathered, electric tankless water heaters have actually
outpaced the growth of gas tankless units over the last
few years. People are realizing the benefits of ETWH
— they require no venting, no T&P valve, no drain, no
mixing valves, and can be installed virtually anywhere
due to their small stature. Our heaters are only about a
cubic foot in size, weigh less than 20 pounds and only
require cold water lines and electricity.
MJM: I know you put tremendous effort into R&D
to develop and launch new products. Could you give
us a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into your
product development?
Siegel: Eemax is involved with all types of appli-
cations. If we discover an application we cannot meet,
we immediately deploy our technical team to develop
the needed products. That is how our HomeAdvantage
line was developed. After completing extensive mar-
14 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010Tankless Tech
(Turn to Electric tankless... page 76.)See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Kevin Ruppelt Kevin Dokla Aaron Siegel
Eemax water heaters are manufactured in Connecticut
to meticulous standards using top-quality components.
Eemax offers water heaters for most applications, and
designs new products to meet customers’ needs.
“Eemax focuses on the wholesalechannel and does not sell direct
to consumers or to Big Box retailers.Rather, we prefer to partner with the
local experts — wholesalers. We supportour wholesalers by shipping orders within
two to three days of order receipt.”
16 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Spanning a CenturyAt 114 years old...
Wayne Pipe & Supplycontinues to evolveBY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
On the heels of the Industrial Rev-
olution, the U.S. was teaming
with factories, mills and other in-
dustry. It provided the perfect backdrop
for new businesses to spring up that
would supply these facilities. One such
business, Fort Wayne Oil & Supply Com-
pany, founded in 1896 by Mr. Hayne of
the Atlantic Refining Co., is still in busi-
ness today and now known as Wayne
Pipe & Supply.
The company originally sold oils, lubri-
cation and belting for steam engines that
were used in saw mills, feed mills, knitting
mills, electric power plants and pumping
stations. Deliveries by horse and wagon
from Fort Wayne Oil Supply, located in
downtown Fort Wayne, Ind., ensured that
the equipment and machinery in these mills
and plants continued to run smoothly.
The company later moved to a larger
multi-story building to make room for
PVF, plumbing fixtures and equipment
that would help build the booming econ-
omy and industries. But as times changed,
oil and grease were not as widely used in
these facilities, so in 1925 the company
dropped the word “Oil” from its name.
In 1956 they moved to a modern dis-
tribution facility all on one floor — mean-
ing no more lugging product up and down
stairs and freight elevator. The location
was also closer to their growing customer
base of industrial manufacturers like In-
ternational Harvester, General Electric
and the first gasoline pump manufactur-
ers. Wayne Pipe became the largest steel
pipe supplier in Northern Indiana and one
of the first to use overhead cranes to un-
load out of rail cars from the center of
their pipe shop.
One unique piece of trivia regarding
Wayne Pipe is that from the 1970s to early
1990s, they sold more 11/2" unions than
any other U.S. company — thanks to a
supply agreement with the world’s largest
gas pump manufacturer who, unfortu-
nately has since gone out of business.
Modern new facilityRecently, Wayne Pipe moved into a
50,000-square-foot facility in Fort
Wayne. With 46 employees, they cover
approximately a 100-mile radius territory.
The new facility allowed Wayne Pipe to
more than double the size of its Wayne
Kitchen & Bath Works showroom —
2,500 square feet — to include vignettes,
stand-up displays and several working
displays and a shower head/body spray
display. The warehouse, which holds
about $3 million in inventory, uses the
most modern warehouse equipment along
with 16-feet-high bins and 28-foot rack-
ing to make the most of its space. All
product is stored inside to protect it from
the sometimes-inclement Midwest
weather. One thing has remained constant
in the warehouse however — they still
pick pipe with the overhead crane from
the center of the pipe shop.
Among the major lines that Wayne
Pipe carries now are American Standard,
TOTO and Gerber china and faucets,
along with Delta, Danze and other faucet
lines. They are a full-line distributor of
PVF, plumbing and engineered equip-
ment (pumping systems, regulating air,
steam and various fluids).
Approximately half of their business is
with mechanical contractors, plumbers
and builders, while the other
50% is with industrial manufac-
turers, steel mills and OEMs.
And about 85% of sales are to
the commercial market, with
residential comprising the re-
maining 15%.
Setting themselves apartThe company is shareholder
owned and directed by a board
of industry leaders. Jim Wilson
serves as president, and other
members of the executive man-
agement team include vice
presidents Rick Bada and
Arden Boocher, and treasurer
Janice Foltz.
Over the past few years, con-
struction in the Midwest has
been considerably down, but
(Turn to page 18.)See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Mules helped deliver the load in the early 20th century
when Fort Wayne Oil & Supply Company sold oils, lu-
bricants and belting for the steam engines that powered
most of American industry.
18 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010Spanning a CenturyCommunication, training key to114-year-old distributor’s successWayne Pipe’s diversified offering has
helped the business weather the storm.
“Unfortunately, we had to have our first
layoff in our company’s history,” said
Bada. “This downturn in the economy has
affected all phases of business — not just
residential or commercial. Factories are
off also. But thanks to our diversification
over the years, some of the parts of our
business have remained strong. That has
kept us from being as affected by the lack
of construction as we might have been
otherwise.”
It is especially important for compa-
nies like Wayne Pipe to strengthen their
customer relationships strong and em-
power their customers as best they can.
“Training is still one of the most im-
portant assets we can give our customers
and our people,” Bada explained. “In our
new facility we have both small and large
training areas that we can use, depending
on the size of the group. Our customers
have high expectations and can be de-
manding. They are the ones who drive us
to change. Communication is still key in
making sure their needs are taken care of.
We pride ourselves on listening to the
customers, communicating with them and
working to be more efficient in all areas
of their businesses.”
Part of that communication comes
from the personal relationships developed
during the monthly customer appreciation
cookouts Wayne Pipe puts on from spring
through fall. They also host an open
house during the summer, during which
vendors put on a tabletop display of their
wares.
The Wayne Pipe team is exceptionally
proud of the fact that they have remained
an independent wholesaler after 114 years
in business, especially when many of
their counterparts around the country
have been acquired or closed.
“The future for companies like ours is
going to be tough, but there are some very
good groups out there to help independent
distributors,” Bada explained. “We are
very proud to be associated with the best
through our membership in Affiliated
Dis tributors, which gives us a more level
playing field against the large national
firms. The vendors involved are a great
asset to all members and the members
themselves are very informative and
helpful.
“We really have built strong customer
loyalty over the years. I believe our peo-
ple are still the biggest asset we have and
it is our management team’s responsibil-
ity to make sure all of our employees are
on the same page when it comes to our
customers. Our 46 employees have a
combined 750 years of service with this
company, so not only are they highly ex-
perienced, but they are very loyal to
Wayne Pipe. It all boils down to treating
customers right, fairly and with honesty
— and that is from the top on down in our
organization.” n
To learn more, visit www .waynepipe.com.
(Continued from page 16)
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In 1956 Wayne opened a single-level facil-
ity, which relieved the burden of hauling
product up and down stairs. Recently they
dedicated a modern warehouse featuring
16-foot-high bins and 28-foot racking.
20 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
April 2010
Greetings to our Readers, Advertisers and Loyal Friends,
As The Wholesaler celebrates our 65th anniversary this year, we felt it only appropriate to put the focus back whereit belongs — on the wholesalers who are the backbone of our PHCP/PVF industry. It has been the privilege of The
Wholesaler to cover these stalwart companies over the past 65 years, and so in the Special Section that follows, weprofile 42 wholesaling firms from around the country that have reached that 65-year milestone and beyond.
The Wholesaler has its roots with Scott Periodicals and was a respected name under the direction of longtime publisherEd Scott. As is the case sometimes, after being acquired by Reed-Elsevier, attention to the magazine was neglectedand The Wholesaler lost significant market share. I had been working as an advertising salesman in the industry formany years and had built strong relationships. Many out there encouraged me to form my own venture and they firmlybelieved that The Wholesaler could be a viable publication again.
So, 20 years ago I established TMB Publishing with the purchase of Plumbing Engineer and this November will mark18 years since I acquired The Wholesaler. My story is much the same as many of yours. What started as a leap of faithhas turned into a labor of love. Over the years, I have assembled what I believe to be the best team in the business.Editorially, The Wholesaler is led by editorial director Mary Jo Martin and managing editor Jim Schaible. We are for-tunate to have the expertise of such well-respected monthly columnists as Rich Schmitt, Morris Beschloss, Dan Holo-han, Peter Schor, John Martin, Jason Bader and Terry Brock, along with other industry analysts that providecommentary throughout the year.
In addition, our sales team — comprised of David Schulte, Brad Burnside and Diane Spangler — has built solid rela-tionships with their clients and work diligently each and every day to provide top-level service. You know, it is easyto be successful when times are good, but this team has really proven themselves during the difficult market conditionswe’ve all experienced the last few years.
Through perseverance, the loyalty of our readers and advertisers, and the hard work of everyone on our team, duringthe past 18 years The Wholesaler has grown from holding less than 30% market share to now 65%. Our goals todayremain the same as they always have been: To ensure that The Wholesaler is the most valuable, relevant publicationand information source for all members of the PHCP/PVF distribution channel.
As with so many of our readers, TMB Publishing continues to be a family business, with my daughter Cate Brownserving as vice president-operations and my son-in-law David Schulte the sales manager for The Wholesaler and pub-lisher of PHC News. We continue to believe it is important to remain committed solely on this niche market becausethat is where our strength is, and that is how we can best serve all of you.
And we’re not resting on our laurels. While nothing will ever replace the printed page and the value of a trade publi-cation, we have chosen to enhance The Wholesaler through new methods of communication. We hope that you arefinding increased value through these new offerings, which include Wholesaler Radio, Mary Jo’s “On The Road”video interview segments and her weekly video blog, daily news updates on our website and regular e-newsletters.
On behalf of everyone at The Wholesaler, I congratulate the companies profiled in this Special Section, as well as allof the long-standing wholesalers, manufacturers and rep firms spread from coast to coast. With a nod to our past andour eyes set firmly on the future, we are committed to continue serving all of you for years to come.
Sincerely,
For 113 years, First Supply® has served the Midwest
as a leading distributor of plumbing, HVAC,
builder, waterworks, pump/well & septic and indus-
trial supplies. We focus on maintaining strong inventories
of the very best product lines and provide the services
needed to support our contractor and industrial partners.
First Supply, originally La Crosse Plumbing Supply
Company, started in 1897 in La Crosse, Wis. Three local
tradesmen pooled their resources and began with the dis-
tribution of wrought iron pipe, plumbing supplies, wind-
mills, pumps and gasoline engines. This aggressive young
company covered the upper Midwest and now has 25 lo-
cations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
First Supply was the first company to debut the show-
room concept in the 1940s and named it after Gerhard
Poehling, President from 1940–1980. Gerhards® Show-
rooms provide contractors, builders, remodelers and
homeowners with the opportunity to visualize and create
their own unique home environment.
Our fifth-generation family owned tradition extends
to our customers. Long-term relationships with our cus-
tomers allow us to provide service specifically tailored
to their businesses. Whether a professional contractor,
builder or industrial account, a courteous and knowl-
edgeable team is available to answer questions, offer ex-
pertise and provide unique business solutions.
Although the company has grown and changed over the
years, our driving philosophy at First Supply remains the
same — the customer relationship comes first. As we look
forward to another
century of growth,
we ensure our cus-
tomers will receive
creative first-rate
service. We are es-
pecially proud of
the many multi-
generational families that have served First Supply cus-
tomers, creating a very special environment that allows
our customers to thrive and grow their businesses.
First Supply continues to grow and change to meet
the demands of our customers and the industry. We pride
ourselves on being in tune and ahead of industry trends
to fully meet our customers’ new and growing needs. A
significant reason for this is our strong relationships
with our manufacturer partners and their local represen-
tatives, and we owe much of our success to them.
The market for “green” products has exploded in the
past few years and First Supply has taken steps to be sure
it remains in the forefront of this movement. Throughout
the commercial and residential market, engineers, archi-
tects, designers, builders and contractors are asking for
these products, and First Supply is proud to be a leader
in their education, marketing and distribution.
Another innovative initiative is our proprietary e-
commerce website, eSupply™, which is an important
distribution channel for the company. eSupply has been
designed with our customers in mind. It provides more
convenient access to resources, such as inventory avail-
ability, ordering and account status, including increased
flexibility and efficiency.
It’s not all work. Our World of Opportunity™ incen-
tives is an award-winning program that develops and
strengthens our relationships among First Supply, our
manufacturers’ representatives and our customer partners.
First Supply has a long tradition of excellence, but we are
just getting started and congratulate The Wholesaler on 65
years of amazing service to the industry. l
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 21
division to a new facility in Pottstown, Pa. That relocation
was completed in August 2007. The move allows all di-
visions of Cooney Brothers room to grow and prosper.
Cooney Brothers, Inc. celebrated its 73rd birthday in Jan-
uary 2010.
Cooney Brothers has been managed for the past 18
First Supply – Since 1897
Cooney Brothers, Inc.
Cooney Brothers, Inc., founded by brothers Fran-
cis and James Cooney, began operations in 1937
as a piping and plumbing wholesaler, geared to-
ward the many textile, food manufacturing and other
mills scattered throughout North Philadelphia. As the
business quickly grew, the customer base also expanded
to include railroads, paper mills, mechanical contractors,
colleges and hospitals, and customers from the marine
industry. The geographical coverage territory also grew
rapidly, as Cooney Brothers began servicing customers
in New Jersey, Delaware and points throughout Eastern
Pennsylvania. In the 1970s, Cooney Brothers began de-
veloping an important new base of business within the
fast-growing pharmaceutical industry throughout the
Delaware Valley.
In the mid 1980s, with its distribution business going
strong, Cooney Brothers began blazing a new trail that
would broaden
the company’s
horizons signifi-
cantly. Inspired
by the success of
its in-house metal
hose fabrication
shop, Cooney en-
deavored to develop a manufacturing arm that would
further distinguish the company from its distribution
peers. The Cooney Hose Station product line was intro-
duced in 1983, with the manufacturing operation housed
in the North Philadelphia distribution warehouse.
Around this time, Cooney Brothers further expanded
its manufacturing operations with the introduction of a
fitting, valve and pipe nipple “accessory packaging de-
partment” which custom packages accessory kits for
large Original Equipment Manufacturers. Capabilities
in the packaging department have since been expanded
to include the production of piping sub-assemblies for
the OEM market. As a result of the growth brought
about by these varied endeavors, it became necessary
for the company to move to a larger modern facility in
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. The move was completed in
September 1996.
The Cooney Brothers, Inc. of the 21st Century is a
unique combination of innovative distribution, custom
manufacturing and “jump through hoops service,” all de-
signed to make us an indispensable resource to our ever-
growing customer base. Our range of distributed products
includes: pipe, valves and fittings in all materials of con-
struction; steam specialty products; fluid sealing devices;
institutional plumbing supplies; power and hand tools for
piping and plumbing; a complete selection of piping and
plumbing accessory items; and safety products. Featured
product brands include Spirax Sarco, Apollo Valve, Crane
Valve, Viega ProPress, Trerice, Watts Regulator, Gruvlok,
Dixon Sanitary and Palmetto Packings.
Our manufactured product range includes: hose &
mixing stations and accessories for washdown; flexible
metal hose assemblies, spool pieces, manifolds, headers
and other welded/brazed piping assemblies; pre-pack-
aged accessory kits and sub-assemblies for Original
Equipment Manufacturers.
The latest exciting development in the company’s evo-
lution involved the relocation of our Cooney Manufac-
turing (accessory kit and sub-assembly manufacturing)
In August 2009, the Charles D. Jones
Company celebrated 70 years as an
HVACR industry leader in HVAC
distribution. Founder Charlie Jones began in the service
business in Kansas City in 1939. He was one of a handful
of men around the country at that time who sensed the
need for wholesale distribution of heating supplies, so he
set up shop as a distributor with three employees and a
modest inventory. His hunch was right. Contractors pre-
ferred to buy wholesale from one knowledgeable source.
The system presented important efficiencies, and the busi-
The Charles D. Jones Company
years by third-generation sibling partners Marion, Bill
and Gerry Cooney. The three were taught the business
by their late father, William E. Cooney III, who success-
fully ran the company from 1973 until 1992.
We look to the future with excitement, charged with
energy and optimism gained during our proud past! l
ness grew. In 1972 the company expanded its operations
westward, opening a branch in Denver and soon after ex-
panding throughout Colorado.
The Charles D. Jones Company now
has 16 branch locations — eight are lo-
cated throughout the entire state of Colorado, and eight
throughout the Kansas and Missouri markets. The com-
pany is employee owned with a total of 107 full-time em-
ployees.
Today, The Charles D. Jones Company is a premier,
full-line distributor of HVACR controls, control systems,
equipment and supplies, representing over 300 manufac-
turers with over 10,000 line items. l
Dakota Supply Group
For more than a century, DSG
(Dakota Supply Group) has
grown to become one of the Midwest's leading dis-
tributors, providing innovative solutions, products and
systems to a multitude of industries. Throughout its his-
tory, DSG has pioneered its way with sound business
practices, forward thinking and a commitment to helping
its customers succeed. Today, DSG has more than 350
employees working in 17 locations across North Dakota,
South Dakota and Minnesota.
More Than 100 Years Of The Right ConnectionsDSG got its start as Fargo Plumbing in 1898 and now
serves the plumbing, HVAC, electrical, util-
ity, waterworks, automation, communica-
tion, filtration and metering industries. Over
time, DSG has built its initial plumbing inven-
tory into one of the most comprehensive selections in the
Midwest, with 250 product lines and 25,000 products.
Much of DSG’s success has been due to its ability to
provide customers with the most innovative products
and systems available. To accomplish this, DSG has
made many important acquisitions throughout the years
that have greatly contributed to its product depth and ex-
perienced staff, most of which took place over the last
decade. Its acquisitions include PLAINSCO (1999), J.I.(Celebration continues on page 22.)
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Marc’s vision to transition Famous from the manual
company of 10 years ago to a fully integrated ERP sys-
tem, has positioned Famous as the largest regional
wholesaler in our market.
Still family owned and wholesale only, Famous
employs over 650 Associates, has grown to 24
branches, 12 kitchen and bath showrooms, in-
cluding our 350,000-square-foot Central Distri-
bution Center (CDC) and Customer Support
Center, serving customers in OH, PA, and WV.
We have integrated our product groups (35,000
SKUs) into our CDC and run a seamless, warehouse
management operation, 24/7. By restructuring our or-
ganization, we centralized our functional areas, while
empowering Associates to serve customer with a decen-
tralized focus.
Experience how our strategy evolved. Learn about
where Famous was, where we are, and where we are
going by viewing our 12-minute film on www.famous-
supply.com.
Innovative Approaches and Future PlansDespite the economic challenges facing our industry,
Marc persistently seeks the right people to place in the
right seats on the “Famous bus.” Over the past 24
months, Famous has invested in acquiring leaders from
(John Iverson) Company (2001), Barber Electric (2003),
R & N Supply (2005), Wedum Supply (2006), Hydro
Metering Technology (2007) and, most recently, Shelter
Supply in June 2009.
While DSG prides itself on providing complete
plumbing and HVAC solutions, one of the company's
most important milestones had nothing to do with prod-
ucts at all. In 1976, DSG first established its Employee
Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). This important char-
acteristic is a testament to DSG’s desire to develop part-
nerships with each and every one of its customers. After
all, every relationship and transaction at DSG now in-
volves an owner – and that can be a big help in getting
jobs done on time and on budget.
DSG’s steadfast commitment to evolving with the in-
dustries it serves has also played a big role in the com-
pany's growth and stability, and it’s no different in today's
environmentally conscious society. As the push for earth-
friendly solutions continues, DSG has placed itself in the
forefront, giving its customers the edge as the world of
business and construction becomes more and more green.
In fact, DSG has made significant strides in becoming a
source of information for customers interested in LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certi-
fication and its growing complexities.
Finally, training and learning have always been an
integral part of the DSG way. A strong belief in con-
tinued education has benefitted thousands of cus-
tomers, as well as many of DSG’s own staff. Events
like Basic Business Boot Camp and Success Connec-
tion seminars have become important ways that DSG
helps its customers learn and discuss successful busi-
ness practices and innovative products.
Whether it’s educating DSG employees, seeking out
new products and solutions or making innovative busi-
ness moves, DSG has retained a singular focus — to
help its customers succeed. It does so by providing the
service, the knowledge and all the right connections its
customers need, and it has been doing it that way for
more than 100 years. l
(Continued from Dakota Supply Group, page 21.)
Eastern PA. Supply Co.• Established in 1889 by William H.
and John N. Conyngham (brothers)
and Woodward Leavenworth (business partner), to sup-
ply the booming anthracite mining industry in North-
eastern Pennsylvania.
• Expanded into plumbing & heating products to sup-
ply improvements in housing quality demand; this be-
came the primary focus as the mining industry wound
down and eventually collapsed with the January 1959
Knox Mine Disaster, when miners accidentally breached
the bed of the Susquehanna River and over 10 billion gal-
lons of water flooded the mine network.
Over 120 years in business• Second-generation brothers G.
Guthrie and John N. (III), sons of
William H. Conyngham, became
active in the business in the late
1940s and each remained so for
over 60 years.
• Acquired the Charles B. Scott
Co. of Scranton in 1974; C.B. Scott
was founded in 1878 by a Confed-
erate Civil War Army Private of the
same name, who was a prisoner of
war in the Elmira, N.Y., Union
prison camp. With the addition of C.
B. Scott, electrical goods were
added to the product mix. C.B. Scott
was operated as a separate entity
until 2000 when it was fully merged
into Eastern PA Supply
Co.
• Opened numer-
ous locations from the
1950s onwards; locations now include Wilkes-Barre main
headquarters with showroom (90,000 sq. ft.), Allentown
(10,000 sq. ft.), Stroudsburg with showroom (35,000 sq.
ft.), Athens (10,000 sq. ft.), Berwick (8,000 sq. ft.),
Tunkhannock (8,000 sq. ft.), Montandon (8,000 sq. ft.),
Scranton with showroom (50,000 sq. ft.), White Mills with
showroom (10,000 sq. ft.), and Wilkes-Barre Electrical
branch with showroom (15,000 sq. ft.).
• Current headquarters at 700 Scott Street were occu-
pied in 1974 after the original location on Pennsylvania
Avenue was inundated in the 1972
Hurricane Agnes flood.
• Third-generation brothers Don-
ald (VP-sales and marketing), Mal-
colm (Building Materials Manager),
and George Jr. (President), (all sons
of G. Guthrie Conyngham), became
active in the company in the 1970s
and presently run the business.
• The management team is
rounded out with Reynold Schuler
(VP-operations), Joseph Kerestes
(VP-finance), Gary Jones (Market-
ing Manager), and David Haines
(Inventory Control Manager).
• Eastern PA. Supply Co., also
known as EPSCO, currently serves
contractors, builders, homeowners,
commercial facilities and industrial plants in an 18-
county area of Northeastern Pennsylvania. EPSCO sup-
plies pipe, valves, & fittings/plumbing goods/water
systems/heating equipment/building materials/electrical
goods and industrial mill supplies from 10 locations
containing over 250,000 sq. ft. of sales and warehousing
space and a fleet of over 20 delivery trucks.
• EPSCO is a member of the Affiliated Distributors
(A-D) buying group and has been since C.L. Watt
merged into A-D in 2000.
• EPSCO runs Activant/Eclipse distribution soft-
ware on a state-of-the-art IBM computer. RF barcode
systems are in place at the three larger warehouses, and
all locations are interconnected through a broadband
wide-area-network. Other technologies include sales
order and delivery manifest signature capture, Eclipse
product data warehouse, and robust website with full
online storefront. l
Famous EnterprisesFamous Supply, J.F. Good,
Pittsburgh Plumbing, Heating & Industrial
Our founder, Hyman Blaushild, a Cleveland heat-
ing contractor, was not satisfied with his whole-
salers’ service. In 1933, he founded Famous
Furnace and became a wholesale distributor. His vision
— to expand markets and provide the “Famous for Serv-
ice” customer focus that permeates throughout Famous
today.
In the 1950s, when Jay Blaushild joined Famous, he
established growth initiatives and began an acquisition
strategy to include Branch openings. In the 1950s we
expanded into Plumbing Products; Building Products in
the 1960s, and Industrial / PVF and Manufacturing in
the 1980s.
Marc Blaushild joined the company in 1985. He
began his career in the warehouse and worked in virtu-
ally every other role in the company. Since 1995, he has
led Famous Associates to understand and adapt to
change with a balance of leadership in our five core
competencies (HVAC, Plumbing, Industrial/PVF, Build-
ing Products and Training).
inside and outside our industry. These Associates add a
fresh perspective complimenting an already talented Fa-
mous Family. An enhanced executive team along with
key leaders focusing on unmatched service excel-
lence differentiates Famous from its competition.
Always placing great emphasis on education,
Marc is leading efforts to provide customers
with the latest technology to enhance their
business performance. Highly trained instruc-
tors compliment an innovative curriculum providing
industry professionals a continued educational oppor-
tunity through FAMOUS UNIVERSITY®.
Another investment setting Famous apart is our web-
based order-entry system. This system allows customers
to integrate their specs and order management
parameters with ours to enhance their purchasing expe-
rience. These advancements are critical to our cus-
tomers’ success. Visit www.famous-supply.com for
more information.
As Marc and his leadership team position Famous for
growth, consistency and commitment to our Core Values
are crucial. Family, Trust, Communication, Teamwork
and Continuous Improvement will always be the foun-
dation for Famous’ success. l
22 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
(Celebration continues on page 24.)
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Long Dakota winters never posed a problem.
Doing
business
since
1889.
Current facility.
24 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
The oldest
wholesaler
in New England, F.W. Webb chases its roots back
to 1866 when J. VanNess Stultz formed a small brass
shop in Boston, the year after the Civil War ended. In
1873 he took a partner by the name of Mansur and the
Company became known as Stultz
and Mansur. In 1888 they sold to
Henry McShane of Baltimore. The McShane Company
was famous for its church bells, many of which still
exist today. They operated a large brass foundry and had
branch distribution operations in Washington, Philadel-
phia, New York and Boston. Frank Wooten Webb,
Henry’s brother-in-law, purchased the Boston Branch in
1900 and promptly named it for himself.
The F.W. Webb Mfg. manufactured brass fittings,
faucets and accessories. It also offered china and enam-
eled iron plumbing fixtures under the F.W. Webb label.
Frank died in 1912, and the company ran successfully
under his successors up until the Depression. It was then
sold in 1933 to its current ownership, the Pope family.
There is little resemblance between the F.W. Webb
Company of today and the company of old. The com-
pany today is in some 12 different disciplines with a
highly sophisticated I/T department monitoring it all.
There are several new buildings and additions including
a central pipe facility in Sturbridge, Mass., and a
new 55,000-sq.-ft. headquarters in Bedford,
Mass., featuring the Roger W. Pope Educa-
tional Center. In 2004 F.W. Webb completed
a new Central Distribution Center in
Amherst, N.H., with 408,000 sq. ft. of space. The com-
pany operates in seven states with 73 locations. The
F. W. Webb Company’s commitment to people, facilities
and technology will lead it far into the future.
The F.W. Webb Company is the Northeast?s largest
regional distributor of Plumbing, Heating, Air Condi-
tioning, Refrigeration, LP Gas, Water Systems, Instru-
mentation, Pump, Industrial and Bio-Pharmaceutical
Piping products. Since 1866, the Webb mission has been
to give the customer the finest service with a constant
eye on improvement and innovation. With over 70 lo-
cations, 200+ delivery trucks, a 10-acre Pipe Depot, a
Central Distribution Center, $90+ million in inventory,
Roger W. Pope Training Center and 1200+ employees,
the Webb Company provides a single source dedicated
to enhancing its customers profitability.
The core function of the F.W. Webb Company is dis-
tribution. Webb works on the ÒpushÓ system of replen-
ishment from the 408,000 sq. ft. CDC in Amherst, N.H.
This means that when an item is sold from stock, it is au-
tomatically replaced within two days. It also translates
into 97% fill rates and on-time deliveries.
Innovation and improvement come from many places
at the F.W. Webb Company. Its Information Technology
(IT) department has developed hundreds of programs to
help manufacturers, customers and Webb work together
more productively. In addition, IT has designed a user
friendly website called ÒWebbConnectÓ for on-line or-
dering as well as direct links to key vendors.
Continuous improvement is a focus throughout the
company. After becoming one of the nation?s first
ISO9002 certified distributors in 1991, Webb launched an
in-house quality program called CIP9000. This Continu-
ous Improvement Process effort has generated measure-
ment tools to chart the progress of counter fill rates, accu-
racy and timeliness of deliveries, and provides a structure
to address mistakes and improve processes for better pro-
ductivity and customer satisfaction.
Webb?s diverse sales department has designed several
value added services that save customers time and money.
Whether it?s Vendor Managed Inventory, Integrated
Supply or Dealer?s Choice, reducing cost is the ultimate
goal. F.W. Webb Company has several divisions that re-
pair and service pumps, test and repair relief valves,
construct instrumentation panels, and actuate valves.
Webb is also proud of its 50,000-sq.-ft. state-of-the-art
Pipe Fabrication plant in Canton, Mass., that addresses
the mechanical and fire protection markets?needs.
F.W. Webb also has over 30 Frank Webb?s Bath Cen-
ter locations throughout New England and New York.
From tubs to towel bars, working displays and experi-
enced staff, we have the knowledge to help build your
dream bath or kitchen.
This family owned company has been built on three
basic ideals — the best service, the best products, the best
people. It is our belief that these concepts are still val-
ued. We ÒdelightÓ the customer and believe that Every
Customer Counts. l
F.W. Webb
J.O. Galloup Co.
In the Battle Creek Jour-
nal, November 6, 1886
an article read: “Ollie Gal-
loup has opened a plumbing, steam and gas fitting busi-
ness at 8 E. Main Street. Mr. Galloup is a practical and
experienced workman and favorably known.”
One hundred twenty-three years later, the J.O. Gal-
loup Company lives by that reputation. The company
was family owned for four generations up until 2006
when an existing group of senior managers purchased
it. Today we serve Michigan, Northeastern Indiana and
Northwestern Ohio. The company has evolved from its
plumbing roots to an
industrial pipe,
valve and fitting dis-
tributor; and a repre-
sentative of several
key process instru-
mentation, energy
conservation and
food and beverage
product lines.
Over the years Galloup has
experienced significant growth or-
ganically and through several
acquisitions. Acquisitions in-
clude Smith Instrument, Merlo Steam Equipment and
Steam Economies Company. We were also fortunate to
bring in a significant part of the Bertsch Company a few
years ago.
Our ability to succeed is due to both openness to
change and innovation; and to diversity of products and
services. Today Galloup serves the market with 12 lo-
cations and a staff in excess of 200. We have been ag-
gressively implementing technology in an effort to
optimize customer service and improve efficiency.
Our absolute primary asset is our people. Their intel-
ligence, passion and dedication to a strong work ethic
and the service to customers has allowed us to survive
the most challenging economic times of this generation.
Galloup people have taken us into new markets and in-
dustries, attracted the best products in the industry and
developed service innovations. This diversity has sus-
tained our success.
We not only believe in the value of customer service and
a positive environment for our people, we are committed
to the development and maintenance of strong vendor re-
lationships. We accomplish this by both visiting and enter-
taining our key vendor partners on a regular basis. Our
formal planning sessions are designed to collaborate on is-
sues that are mutually beneficial to our combined success.
We also believe our participation with Delta Group is
strategically important to managing the supply chain and
furthering the success for key manufacturing partners.
In the late 1960s, we were one of the few industrial
distributors to experiment with technology. That early
investment in card sorting technology provided Galloup
with a foundation for innovation that today has resulted
in the implementation of electronic commerce with cus-
tomers and vendors, and the automation of warehouses.
Galloup believes that we must share what we have.
To that point, we take an active role, when called upon
by NCWA, ASA and the Delta Group. We also encour-
age our people to get involved with their communities,
whether it is a favorite charity or a service club.
Throughout our 123 years, Galloup has overcome
many challenges and experienced much success. We
look to the future with optimism and hope. l
The Granite Group is both an old company and a
new one. We have a proud tradition in the plumb-
ing and heating wholesale business dating back
to the turn of the last century.
Our roots can be traced to Central Supply Company,
which originated in 1901 in Worcester, Mass., as a dis-
tributor of gas and steam engines and water supplies. P.
Kevin Condron, our current Chairman, purchased Cen-
tral Supply in October of 1971.
Central Supply acquired Rawley Plumbing Supply in
1972 and Goulet Supply in 1980 beginning the com-
pany’s presence in Connecticut and New Hampshire.
During the 80s and 90s Central/Goulet Supply added
new locations in Portsmouth, Laconia and Nashua N.H.,
Portland, Maine, as well as Goulet Pipe, a new business
specializing in pipe, valves and fit-
tings.
In 1998, Central/Goulet merged
with Capitol Plumbing and Heating
Supply of Concord, N.H., to create(Celebration continues on page 26.)
TheGraniteGroup
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
1886 beginnings; an
early catalog.
26 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
The Granite Group. Capitol began as Concord Hardware
and Plumbing Supply in 1935 and had eight locations
throughout New Hampshire and Vermont including a fa-
cility in Concord that now serves as our corporate head-
quarters.
The Granite Group has continued to grow over the
past few years. In October 2001, the company acquired
Jamie Plumbing and Heating Supply, with two locations
in Exeter and South Hampton, N.H. This acquisition co-
incided with our entry into the warm air heating, cooling
and refrigeration markets, which blended well with our
strong history in plumbing and hydronic heating.
In January 2004, County Supply in Lowell, Mass.,
with its outstanding 5,000-square-foot showroom joined
the team. Today there are 13 showrooms operating
under the Ultimate Bath banner. Start-up locations have
also added to our growth, including one in Hooksett
N.H., in May 2002, Leominster Mass., in February
2007, North Haven Conn., in February 2009 and most
recently Lebanon N.H., last month.
In March 2007 the company acquired Shetucket Sup-
ply of eastern Connecticut and Westerly, R.I. This nine-
branch company extends our market to all of the New
England states.
To ensure the best delivery of product to all our loca-
tions, we opened a 165,000-square-foot Central Distri-
bution center in Londonderry, N.H., in 2005. Our CD
delivers daily to all 26 branch locations, allowing us to
offer the largest daily delivery of any supply house in
New England. Today, The Granite Group is ranked as
one of the top 30 plumbing, heating and PVF wholesale
distributors in the U.S.. The company has over 300 em-
ployees throughout its 26 locations serving all of the
New England states and Eastern New York. l
(Continued from Granite Group, page 24.)
Grant Supply Company
Founded in 1933 by Edward C. Lefebvre and
Joseph E. Nastus, this family owned business dis-
tributes their products to plumbing contractors,
municipalities and institutions operating in New Jersey,
New York and the Philadelphia area.
Many of Grant Supply Company’s original customers
from the 1930s are current active accounts being oper-
ated by second- and sometimes third-generation family
members.
After 77 years they are still a family owned and oper-
ated business adhering to the business philosophy of
having an owner always on-hand to oversee our daily
business operations.
William R. Stanbach, who replaced Robert Lefebvre
as President after his retirement in 2008, has been in-
strumental in developing the company’s commercial and
institutional business. Joseph C. Nastus is Vice President
and is responsible for the development of the retail and
redistribution side of the business. The two men have
been partners for more than 30 years.
Although the scope of their business has broadened
over the years to include current large commercial proj-
ects such as the Jets Training Camp and the new Mead-
owlands Stadium, supplying them with commercial
fixtures and piping, Grant Supply Company still serves
many local contractors as it did
when it began in 1933.
Grant Supply has expanded
its operations to include stores
in Madison, and Pleasantville
N.J.
They offer their customers an
exceptional trade counter operation and a beautifully de-
signed Bath and Kitchen showroom that is staffed by
professionally trained Bath and Kitchen Showroom
Sales Consultants in all locations.
Supplying many of the state’s municipalities, boards
of education, and institutions with commercial and in-
dustrial products, Grant Supply Company is an ap-
proved New Jersey State Contract Vendor.
Grant Supply Company’s experienced and well-
trained sales staff, together with its dedication to cus-
tomer service, has enabled us to establish and maintain
long-lasting relationships with our customers. l
Harry Cooper Supply Company
Since 1908, Harry Cooper Supply Company
has provided quality products and services
to customers throughout its trade area. The
company’s founder, Harry Cooper, was born in
England in 1861 and came to the United States
with his parents in 1872. In 1886 Harry and his
brother George bought a plumbing shop in Spring-
field, Mo., where they practiced the plumbing trade for
over 20 years and eventually expanded their plumbing
business into plumbing distribution. In 1907 Harry pur-
chased his brother’s interest and in 1908 the Harry
Cooper Supply Company was established.
In the years that followed, the company expanded to
include branches in Tulsa, Okla.; Salina, Kan.; Pittsburg,
Kan., and, Joplin, Mo. In the mid-1930s, when the Rural
Electric Administration (REA) came into being, Cooper
began carrying electrical materials. In 1978, C. B. Man-
agement Co., Inc. was established to act as a holding
company for the family’s wholesale distribution com-
panies as well as their other business interests. In the
early to mid 1980s the company sold its Tulsa, Salina
and Pittsburg operations providing the capital to buy mi-
nority interests owned by family members
and others who were not involved in the
business. In addition, this allowed the
company to concentrate on providing
the best possible service to a customer
base located generally within a 150-
mile radius of Springfield.
Today, the company’s three facilities in-
clude over 335,000 sq ft of warehouse and of-
fice space on approximately 34 acres. They
operate three showrooms with 10,000 sq ft in Springfield,
5,000 sq ft in Joplin and 3,000 sq ft in Branson. The com-
pany stocks a complete line of plumbing, heating, cooling,
waterworks, refrigeration, municipal and electrical prod-
ucts as well as lighting, appliances and tools. Their prin-
cipal customers are plumbing, heating, electrical and
mechanical contractors; commercial and industrial com-
panies; electrical co-ops; public utility companies and mu-
nicipalities.
Ownership of the company passed from the founder
to his son, J.H.G. Cooper, and then to his sons, Harry
and Jack Cooper, who joined the business in the mid-
1950s and took over the company’s operations in 1977.
After his brother’s death in 1993, Harry continued as
President of the company and Jack’s ownership interest
passed to his son, John T Cooper. John joined the com-
pany in 1990 after graduating from the University of
Colorado and presently serves as Vice President. While
most privately held businesses do not survive to the
fourth generation, Harry Cooper Supply Company has
continued to prosper and grow with each new generation
of family leadership and expects to continue that trend.
The company is a family owned and family oriented
business and has been fortunate to have had knowledge-
able, dedicated employees throughout its history. These
employees, both past and present, have made the com-
pany the leading provider of plumbing, electrical,
HVAC and waterworks products in its trade area. In ad-
dition to Harry and John Cooper, the company’s man-
agement team includes Stephen Reagan, CEO; Butch
Cruzan, General Manager; Ron Hall, Branch Manager
– Joplin; and Jan Stahle, Branch Manager – Branson.
You can visit the company’s website at www.har-
rycooper.com. l
The Gustave A. Larson Company
The Gustave A. Larson Company was founded in
Madison, Wis., in 1936 as a supplier to the refrig-
eration trade. Gus Larson emigrated alone at the
age of 16 from his home in Gothenburg, Sweden, in the
early 1900s. While working as a re-
frigeration mechanic in Chicago, he
saw the need for local refrigeration
parts depots. He founded the Gus-
tave A. Larson Company as a refrig-
eration parts jobber in 1936 at a
small store front in Madison, Wis. As
the company flourished, he quickly
opened up branches throughout the
State of Wisconsin. By the early
1960s, he was operating 20 locations in Illinois, Iowa,
Wisconsin and Florida.
Still family owned and operated today, the Gustave
A. Larson Company has grown to be the Midwest’s
leading wholesale distributor of Heating, Ventilation,
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) equip-
ment, parts and supplies. The company now has 48 lo-
cations serving customers in Illinois, Minnesota,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan,
Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Wyoming and Kentucky.
Each of our conveniently located branches carries an(Celebration continues on page 28.)
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Harry and
John Cooper.
28 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
extensive inventory of equipment and replacement parts
to serve our local customer’s needs. We provide industry
leading customer
service levels sup-
ported with our
$50-million in-
ventory through-
out our network of
distribution cen-
ters and branches. Our state-of-the-art computer system
links all branches on a real-time basis. Combined with
our in-house truck fleet, we replenish inventory to each
branch on an overnight basis. With over 50,000 SKUs
in stock, we can access most HVACR needs, and even
those hard-to-find items.
We are proud to say our 300 team members are our
greatest asset – from our field sales team to our corpo-
rate support team. Our people are the most professional
and service-oriented in the industry, and provide solu-
tions to our customer’s needs with genuine, enthusiastic
service. Our sales teams are focused on helping our cus-
tomers to trouble shoot system issues and answer their
technical questions. Each person on our sales team is re-
quired to have a HVACR technical college degree or the
equivalent industry experience. Our combination of a
friendly, professional, and technically competent team
positions us best to help our customers meet their indi-
vidual job requirements. And our commitment doesn’t
stop there. We are at the forefront when it comes to help-
ing our customers learn about the changing require-
ments of technology in our industry. Each of our
locations offers educational programs throughout the
year, ranging from troubleshooting service issues to
teaching our customers how to improve their selling
skills and profitability.
In 2011 the Gustave A. Larson Company will cele-
brate its 75th year in business. The Larson family attrib-
utes its longevity to staying true to one basic philosophy
which is; “We don’t sell anything – Our customers do.”
As a result, our focus is on helping them maximize their
success. We congratulate The Wholesaler on 65 years
of service to the industry and are proud to celebrate 75
years of wholesale HVACR excellence. l
(Continued from The Gustave A. Larson Co., page 26.)
Washburn-Garfield
Washburn-Garfield, central Massachu-
setts’ most innovative PVF whole-
saler is celebrating its 138th year in
business. The company, located in Worcester, was
founded in 1872 by John E. Washburn and Silas
Garfield. In 1889 the business became a Massachusetts
corporation under the name of the Washburn & Garfield
Manufacturing Company. Beginning as steam fitters,
Washburn & Garfield later became jobbers and whole-
salers of pipe, steam fittings, and tools.
The business remained family-owned and operated
for over a century, with Washburn’s great grandson
Bruce A. King serving as President from 1961 to 1986.
The company was expanded in 1979 with the purchase
of Waites Hardware Company, a central
Massachusetts industrial hardware business
that was founded in 1880. In 1987 Mr. King
sold the businesses internally to then Exec-
utive Vice President Richard F. O’Hearn Jr. In
October of 2008 O’Hearn proudly sold Washburn-
Garfield Corporation and its subsidiary Waites Com-
pany, Inc. to his employees via an employee stock
ownership plan (ESOP). The corner stone of the com-
panies’ success has always been a strong commitment
to its customers, suppliers and employees.
Currently Washburn-Garfield is managed by Daniel
R. Warms, President, and Mark Strzelewicz, Inside
Sales Manager. Waites Company is managed by Larry
A. Bruso, President. David H. Smith serves as CEO &
Treasurer of both companies. The management team
has incredible bench strength,
intimate knowledge of the indus-
trial supply market and over 100
years of collective experience in
distribution.
Together Washburn-Garfield
and Waites have the most expe-
rienced and knowledgeable staff
in the local market; providing
timely and cost effective solutions for our customers’
technical and commercial needs. We have one location
that services New England and beyond. From cus-
tomized assemblies and fabrications to vendor man-
aged inventory to supply contracts utilizing automated
point-of-use dispensing technology, Washburn and
Waites have the experience, knowledge and ability to
provide unique and customized solutions. As we turn
our attention toward the future we will continue to seek
growth through innovative value added services and
the pursuit of new markets. Please visit our websites
for additional information at washburngarfield.com
and waitescompany.com. l
The Past
Longley Supply Company will be cel-
ebrating its 104th birthday this summer. This
multi-branch distributor of Plumbing, HVAC,
and Electrical Products traces its roots back to July 1906
when Henry E. Longley, grandfather of the company’s
current President Emily Longley, packed up his family
in Savannah, Ga., and moved them to Wilmington, N.C.,
where he opened H.E. Longley and Company, a heating
contracting business.
Longley Supply Company Henry Longley’s heating contracting business grew
rapidly, and in
April 1910 he
relocated to a
larger facility in
Wilmington, and broadened his offering to include
plumbing fixtures and supplies. Over the next 36 years
the business continued to grow and evolve, and in 1946
significant changes became the norm. The name of the
company was changed to Longley Supply Company.
The Wilmington operation was moved again, into yet
another and larger facility, and this time included the
company’s first Showroom. The product offering again
was expanded, now to include Electrical Products. And
in November, 1946, the company opened its second lo-
cation, this one in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Five years later, in 1951, the founder of Longley Sup-
ply Company, H. E. Longley, passed away. The leader-
ship of the company was turned over to a trusted
employee of many years, N.A. McKenzie. McKenzie
was named President of Longley Supply and served in
that capacity from 1951 to 1962. There have been four
Presidents of Longley Supply in its 104-year history,
and only one whose last name was not Longley.
In 1962, after receiving his B.S. Degree in Mechanical
Engineering from North Carolina State University and
serving time as a pilot in the United States Air Force,
Henry E. Longley, Jr., the son of the founder, was named
as the third President of Longley Supply Company. The
same year, in April, the company moved its Wilmington
operation into a new and yet again larger facility. It is
this same building that today houses both the company
Corporate Headquarters and Wilmington Plumbing and
Electrical Branch.
Substantial expansion and growth occurred during the
tenure of Henry E. Longley, Jr. between 1962 and July
2006. Nine additional branch locations were established
along the Southeastern Coast and Eastern parts of North
Carolina; branches in New Bern, Morehead City, Jack-
sonville, Ocean Isle, Lumberton, Raleigh, two in Fayet-
teville, and a second branch in Wilmington.
In July, 2006 Henry Longley Jr. turned over the Pres-
idency and future of Longley Supply to his daughter
Emily Longley. Emily had worked for the company dur-
ing summers while in high school, and after graduating
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,(Celebration continues on page 30.)
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Three generations of Longleys: Emily, Henry Jr.,
and founder Henry Sr.
30 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
she came back to work for the company in a full-time
capacity. It was, and is, in her blood! Nineteen months
later, in February 2008, Emily continued with branch
expansion, opening a second facility in Myrtle Beach;
this one a stand-alone HVAC Branch.
Vision for the FutureWhen asked about her vision for Longley Supply
Company going forward, Emily Longley makes no
bones about the fact that she doesn’t have a firmly es-
tablished vision for the future, but rather is in the process
of developing that vision. As she puts it:
“We’re currently in the process of laying the founda-
tion for success for the next 104 years. We’ve been a
good-performing company, now we’re taking the steps
toward becoming a great performing company. I truly
believe that Jim Collins, in his best-selling book Good
to Great, has it right. The successful leaders, those that
made the good to great leap with their companies, didn’t
have preconceived visions. As Collins puts it, and I’m
paraphrasing, the good to great success stories came
from a focused effort to get the right people on the bus,
and then figuring out together where they were going to
drive the bus. At Longley Supply, we’re aggressively
seeking the right people to bring on to our bus.” l
(Continued from Longley Supply Company, page 28.)
Lyon, Conklin & Co.
While many other com-
panies are struggling to
stay afloat in today’s
turbulent economy, Lyon, Conklin & Co., a premier
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC)
wholesale distributor, is celebrating a milestone. First
opened in 1860, Maryland-based Lyon, Conklin turns
150 this year. In the face of a Civil War, two world wars,
the Great Depression and the current recession, the com-
pany has flourished growing from a sheet-metal manu-
facturing company to a distributor of the 21st century.
Currently, they provide everything contractors need to
properly air condition homes and buildings.
Celebrating 150 years of excellence
“It’s truly a remark-
able achievement for
any company to reach a
milestone like this,” says
David Brown, Lyon,
Conklin’s general manager. “The fact that we’re still
doing so well after 150 years is a testament to our asso-
ciates, our loyal customers and the strength our com-
pany’s values.” Those values include an unwavering
commitment to providing the best products and cus-
tomer service the market has to offer.
In 150 years, several major events have contributed
to define Lyon, Conklin’s resilience. Time and again,
the company has shown their ability to weather even the
toughest challenges and come out on top.
In 1904, 44 years after the first location opened its
doors in Baltimore, the factory was destroyed in the
Great Baltimore Fire. Within a year, a new factory was
built and operations resumed. From 1917 to 1918, the
company worked almost exclusively on government or-
ders to support the war effort, taxing production capacity
to the limit. However, by 1922 they were back in busi-
ness with output so high they needed to relocate to a
new, larger facility.
The good news continued when, in the late 1970s,
foresight and planning left them well-positioned for the
building boom of the early 80s. With only four branches
in the mid-Atlantic area, sales grew from $18 million to
$45 million in just 10 years.
Lyon, Conklin’s first headquarters, located on Water
Street in downtown Baltimore in 1860, was destroyed in
the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904.
“The Lyon Con-
klin Team is very
proud of their com-
pany and its long
history,” explains
Jerry Allen, former
president of Lyon,
Conklin and re-
cently retired Senior
Vice President of
the HVAC group for
Ferguson. “They are
focused on continuing to be the distributor of choice for
customers and vendors. Their loyalty and dedication to
the Company enabled us to build the best HVAC distri-
bution business in the U.S. It was indeed a privilege for
me to be a part of this great organization."
Earlier this year, Lyon, Conklin was selected as the
new American Standard HVAC distributor throughout
Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. The ter-
ritory expansion is further evidence of Lyon, Conklin’s
successful partnership with the American Standard
Heating & Air Conditioning brand.
Acquired by Ferguson Enterprises in 1995, Lyon,
Conklin currently operates 23 locations throughout
Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia,
Maryland and Virginia. To celebrate the anniversary, the
company will host special events at locations in each of
their markets. l
The original Lyon, Conklin ware-
house c. 1900.
APR Supply Co, a
third-generation wholesaler, can trace its roots
back to 1922. In 1934, Mark Tice began work-
ing for Lebanon Plumbing Supply Co. which was
founded in 1922. Mark Tice purchased a controlling in-
terest in 1947. In 1971, Mark’s son Randy Tice joined
the industry, launching his own controls business in
1975, Environmental Equipment Engineering Co. The
two companies merged in 1982 to form APR Supply Co.
As an industry pioneer in Lebanon, APR Supply Co.
did not have the advantage of learning from other busi-
nesses preceding us. However, we learned quickly from
our business partners the value of a strong work ethic,
and that doing the right thing often comes with a price,
as Darwin wrote, “It is not the strongest of the species
that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is
the one that is the most adaptable to change”.
Faced with “grow or die” circumstances in the early
90s, management made a bold decision to purchase new
enterprise software that was believed to offer a true
competitive advantage. The software turned out to be
“as good as promised” and over the next decade APR
leveraged that advantage to gain market share and im-
prove business fundamentals.
In 1996, APR Supply Co. became one of the first
wholesale distributors in the industry to offer online web
order entry. Customers could access APR’s website to
search real time inventory availability, view purchase
history, and place orders 24/7! That same year, Randy’s
son-in-law Scott Weaver became the President of APR
Supply Co.
APR is proud of its five core values: Customer, Ex-
cellence, Integrity, Respect and Results. Customer pur-
posely comes first! By placing the customer first, APR
APR Supply Co. has been able to achieve the
level of success we enjoy today.
Customers are serviced through
22 branch locations and a central distribution center.
APR’s distribution center allows us to offer next day de-
livery, stock significantly more SKUs and enjoy an
order accuracy rate approaching 99.7%.
APR recognizes that in order to be successful change
is necessary. Management works hard to foster a corpo-
rate culture that embraces change as a competitive ad-
vantage by pioneering technological advancements.
Technologies such as RF guns, EDI, integrated enter-
prise software, GPS tracking, voice over IP phone sys-
tem, document imaging and remote network access are
all examples of why APR is a market leader. Remote
network access through APR’s network server enables
APR employees to access the enterprise software as well
as all files stored on their work PCs anywhere there is
internet access. This allows for servicing a customer
with information, taking a customer’s order, working
from home and communicating with peers from just
about anywhere in the world.
APR’s success comes from not just relationships with
customers, but relationships with vendors as well. APR
was invited to join the Affiliated Distributors buying
group in 2008 , which with $28 billion of collective pur-
chasing power and 450 members is significantly larger
than APR’s previous buying group. The change equates
to better pricing, larger rebates, increased supplier sup-
port and additional value added programs.
APR Supply Co. was recently recognized as the
2009 Business of the Year by the Central Penn Busi-
ness Journal.
The award recognized APR Supply Co. for its re-
silience and ability to grow and prosper during both
strong and weak economic cycles. Scott Weaver, Presi-
dent, identified the nurturing of a corporate culture that
is customer-focused and yet comfortable with continual
change as instrumental to the company’s success.
Always aggressive, Weaver looks to have APR double
in size every five years. He expects that to be accom-
plished through a combination of organic growth as well
as by acquisition and new markets. l
(Celebration continues on page 34.)
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Scott Weaver
and John Tice.
R&R Plumbing
Supply Corpora-
tion was founded
in 1905 in Worcester,
Massachusetts. We are a
privately held, family
corporation run by Jesse
M. Ritz, third generation
president. R&R Plumbing Supply has grown over the
years to offer plumbing supply services and plumbing
supply products far beyond what our name implies. We
stock over 30,000 unique parts representing plumbing
fixtures and sundries, faucets, tools, fittings of all kinds.
34 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
George Merrill Cooper of Orland
Park, Illinois founded M. Cooper
Supply Company in 1938. For 60
years, the supply house thrived as a small-
market plumbing distributor in the far southwest
suburbs of Chicago. On September 1, 1998, Dennis
Goode, a 33-year veteran of the industry, purchased M.
Cooper Supply. Along with his sons Greg and Dan, they
took control of this $1-million business and over the
next 11 years grew it into a
multiple-branch
company with
over 80 employ-
ees and just under
$50 million in
revenue.
In 2004 M. Cooper
Supply opened a subsidiary called M. Cooper Cabinet
Company. Initially a fledgling cabinet supplier to new
home and downtown high-rise projects, M. Cooper Cab-
inet experienced substantial growth over the next 5 years.
Despite the economic recession, it was still a busy year for
the company; M. Cooper Cabinet continued to grow and
exceeded over $6 million in revenue in 2009.
In late 2009, M. Cooper Supply acquired a custom
cabinet and office furniture manufacturer called Out of
the Woods, which is based in St. Charles, Illinois. Newly
diversified, M. Cooper Supply can provide additional
services for many other general contracting needs in the
new construction and remodel industry such as banks,
doctors’ offices and hospitals.
Currently, the company operates out of a brand new
state-of-the-art distribution center in Mokena, Illinois.
Having an excellent history of controlling operating ex-
pense and maximizing inventory turns has created a busi-
ness portfolio that will take them to higher levels of sales
and service in the future. With all of these accomplish-
ments and others on the horizon, they have positioned
themselves to be ready and are poised for the future. l
(Continued from page 30.)
M. Cooper Supply Company
McJunkin Red Man Corporation
tions and expanded over time to cover most of the
United States with a particular focus on downstream op-
erations. Red Man Pipe & Supply Co. was started in
Tulsa, Okla., in 1977 by Delaware Indian Lew Ketchum
to serve Oklahoma basin drilling operations and quickly
expanded to cover much of the Southwest and Rockies.
Midfield Supply ULC, formed in 1986 in Calgary, Al-
berta by the Endersby family, established itself as a pre-
mier provider to the burgeoning Canadian Rockies oil
and gas business. LaBarge Pipe & Steel Company en-
tered the steel pipe distribution industry in 1952 serving
the needs of gas transmission/distribution, petrochemi-
cal, water/wastewater treatment, and energy and con-
struction markets primarily in the U.S. Transmark FCX,
headquartered in Bradford, U.K., started in New
Zealand as a manufacturer of boilers and fans.
With common values of service excellence, safety,
professional management and profitable growth, these
five companies came together rapidly over the past few
years. In 2007, McJunkin Corporation combined with
Red Man Pipe and Supply, which had acquired a major-
ity of Midfield Supply in 2005. The combination formed
MRC, which purchased the remaining share of Midfield
in 2008. In addition, MRC acquired LaBarge Pipe &
Steel in October of 2008 and Transmark FCX Group in
October of 2009.
Today MRC remains privately held and continues to
adhere to the common values of its predecessor com-
panies. MRC employs more than 3,600 people in over
250 locations across 15 countries, supplying PVF prod-
ucts and services to the world’s leading energy and in-
dustrial companies. By efficiently buying, selling and
delivering PVF products to its customers, MRC fulfills
its mission of being the global supplier of choice and
pursues its vision of being the world’s premier distri-
bution company of PVF products and services to the
energy and industrial markets. l
McJunkin Red Man Corporation (MRC) is a
privately-held global distributor headquar-
tered in Houston, Texas, with corporate of-
fices in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Charleston, West Virginia,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Bradford, U.K. MRC is
the largest global distributor of pipe, valves and fittings
and related products and services to the energy indus-
try, based on sales, and serves this industry across each
of the upstream, midstream and downstream and in-
dustrial sectors.
Our proud history spans 89 years and includes several
companies that have come together to form MRC.
McJunkin Corporation, founded in Charleston, W.Va.,
in 1921, originally served Appalachian oilfield opera-
Metropolitan Pipe & Supply Co.
In 1934 Metropolitan Pipe & Supply Co. was
founded at 145 Broadway St. in Cambridge,
Mass. Wes Brown Sr. was a Jenk-
ins salesman who had a great relation-
ship with the contractors he worked with.
So great that the contractors asked Wes
Brown Sr. to start his own supply house and
even funded the effort. For years Met-Pipe
was run from 145 Broadway until the early
60s when the newly funded NASA was looking
for a location in Massachusetts.
The United States government informed Wes Brown
Jr. that they were taking the location for the new location
for NASA. Wes Brown and his cousin Ralph Sprague
explored all over Cambridge and found a great location
down by old train tracks on Binney Street. Shortly after
they found this location John F. Kennedy was assassi-
nated and Lyndon B. Johnson took over as President and
moved NASA to Houston. However, Wes Brown Jr. had
already fallen in love with the Binney Street location
and in 1966 Metropolitan Pipe & Supply Company
moved to 303 Binney Street.
Met-Pipe ran successfully for two decades before Al-
bert Brown Sr. took over Met-Pipe and started to ex-
pand. In 1985 a new warehouse was built
adjacent to the Main Warehouse. It was
aptly named the Kohler warehouse.
Seven years later Central Pipe on Erie
St. in Cambridge was
purchased. For a year
Met-Pipe ran Central Pipe
from Erie St.
In 1993 Central Pipe was
moved to Binney Street and
they built a state-of-the-art
Pipe Shop to cut, thread, groove
and store pipe. In the recent past Metropolitan Pipe
began to lease a building on the end of Fulkerson Street
and has purchased a showroom in Reading, Mass. they
call Metropolitan Bath. For 75 years Metropolitan Pipe
has been heralded for its customer service and its ideal
location. Nearly a third of their business is currently
from over the counter sales. Metropolitan Pipe is located
on five acres of land with six warehouses and an exten-
sive counter area.
During the past year Kevin Brown has taken over as
the president to begin the fourth generation operating
Metropolitan Pipe. The fifth generation is also involved
in the business. Over the years Metropolitan Pipe has
specialized in the commercial industry working with
colleges, hospitals and hotels. They have a special divi-
sion that works solely on these types of institutions.
Metropolitan Pipe has many employees who have been
working for decades and three employees have been
there for over 30 years. Metropolitan Pipe has a long 75-
year history and more stories than 500 words allow, but
the biggest story of all is that through five generations
of family, Metropolitan Pipe has still set itself up for 75
more affluent years. l
R&R Plumbing Supply Corp.
(Celebration continues on page 36.)
Dennis Goode (center)
with sons Greg and Dan.
An early M. Cooper Supply facility (above)
and the company’s current building.
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MRC is privately held and employsmore than 3,600 around the globe.
36 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
We also offer hydronic heating equipment by Burn-
ham, Hydrotherm, Sterling, Modine
and Beacon-Morris in both gas &
oil, residential and commercial. Our
product offerings are used in every-
thing from small residential remod-
eling jobs to large schools, hospitals
and university construction projects.
Our people, however, are our best
resource. R&R Plumbing Supply
hires only the best industry profes-
sionals with an average industry experience of over
18 years. Our people can help and partner with cus-
tomers through most any project.
Click on our tabs and try our serv-
ices.
R&R Plumbing Supply Technology and Amenities
R&R Plumbing Supply Corp. be-
lieves that keeping up with technol-
ogy will help us serve you better
and will take our company into our
next century of supplying the needs
of our customers.
Our new state-of-the-art building is equipped with
the latest in inventory control and distribution logis-
tics equipment. You will find our warehouse and
showroom meticulously clean, warm and dry, offering
respite from the extreme hot or cold conditions many
of our customers must work in.
Our Plumbing Supply Sourcing andPlumbing Supply Inventory Capabilities
We do many commercial quotations and now main-
tain a current and accurate Bid List.
With our massive plumbing supply inventory, top-notch
customer service and outstanding delivery and value, no
order is too difficult for us! Our people are the best! Try
us today and we look forward to serving you! l
(Continued from R&R Plumbing Supply Co., page 34.)
Munch’s Supply
Munch’s Supply is
a fourth-generation family business operating
seven branches in the Northern Illinois,
Southern Wisconsin and NW Indiana markets. We dis-
tribute from over 40,000 square feet of warehouse space
and have more than 45 trucks supplying area contrac-
tors.
Our business began back in 1956 in Mokena, Ill.
Willard Munch was having difficulty finding electri-
cal supplies in the area. He grew tired of traveling to
Chicago for supplies, and figured it would help him and
his electrical contractor friends if there was a local
source for supplies. He wanted a place that provided
good service and kept a good stock of merchandise. Be-
cause of this, Munch’s Supply Co. Inc. was born.
As the business grew, so did the need for room. In
1968 the business was relocated to Joliet, Ill. In the early
1970s, a decision was made to add HVAC products to
the offering, which today is our primary business focus.
Our first branch was opened in Morris, Ill., in 1972.
The expansion continued in the 80s, with branch open-
ings in Alsip, Ill., and Hillside, Ill. In 1987, Munch’s
Supply became the first Ameri-
can Standard Heating and Air
Conditioning distributor in the
country. In the early 90s, branches were added in Aurora
and Wheeling, Ill., and in 1996, the headquarters moved
from Joliet to New Lenox, Ill., into a custom-built, state-
of- the-art facility.
Most recently Munch’s has been growing faster than
many industry companies. “Munch’s Supply is doing
something unheard of in these current economic condi-
tions; we are expanding and hiring,” said Robert Munch,
Jr., president of Munch’s.
At the beginning of 2010 Munch’s acquired the Rock-
ford and Southern Wisconsin American Standard Heat-
ing and Air Conditioning territory. The acquisition of
this new territory is further evidence of Munch’s suc-
cessful and historic partnership with the American Stan-
dard Heating & Air Conditioning brand.
In addition to this new territory, Munch’s opened their
7th branch on March 1, 2010. Munch Chicago is located
at the corner of Addison and Talman, approximately 1.5
miles west of Wrigley field.
“At Munch’s Supply, we are committed to the suc-
cess of the independent HVAC contractor. We demon-
strate that commitment every day by giving them the
convenient locations needed to operate efficiently and
the tools they need to make their business a success.
This new Chicago facility is just another concrete ex-
ample of this commitment,” said Robert Munch Jr.
“Munch’s Supply strives to earn business through our
service, by having quality merchandise in stock at com-
petitive prices, and by remaining easy to do business
with. Our customers have always been and will always
be the most valuable aspect of our company.” l
The Munch family (l-r): Bob Munch Jr., Bob Munch Sr.,
Bill Munch, Judy Munch, and Vicki Munch-Strunk.
National Sales Company
NSC (also known as National Sales
Company) is the type of company
that is the backbone of small busi-
ness America. Our headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., is
housed in a large non-descript brick building that a ma-
jority of people living in St Louis would drive by with-
out a passing glance. But, ask any pipe fitter, plumber,
HVAC technician or maintenance professional and they
will tell you a different story. A
story of commitment to service
and passion for the industry of
pipe, valves, and fittings.
During the wave of post WWII
patriotism, John and Joe Nabbe-
feld founded NSC in 1945 and
used red, white and blue in their
logo and the name “National” not because they had lo-
cations nationwide, but in tribute to their country. Their
initial commitment to the construction and service trades
still rings true as we transition from second-generation
ownership of John’s daughter Nancy and husband and
current chairman Michael Jersa, to their daughter Su-
sanne and her husband and current president Lenny
Knese. The commitment is simple; partner with key
manufacturers, keep deep inventories of hard-to-find
(and not-so-hard-to-find) materials, hire great people,
treat them like family and
focus on helping our cus-
tomers be more profitable.
This simple formula has
been the key to our recent
expansion from basic commercial PVF to full line com-
mercial plumbing, industrial PVF and HVAC.
Currently, NSC utilizes over 100,000 square feet of
warehouse in two locations to distribute to St. Louis,
Illinois Metro East and the surrounding area. Our head-
quarters and main warehouse is
located close to downtown St.
Louis and our HVAC center is in
O’Fallon, Mo. These locations
embrace Lean manufacturing
methods, and the latest technol-
ogy in RF scanner picking and in-
ventory management. Our
operations rival anyone in our industry and helps drive
our goal of keeping customers working in the field and
not waiting for material. While some companies in our
industry boast about supplying material in days, we
measure success in terms of hours delivering material
just in time. However, supplying material is not enough
— we care about the quality of our material and are
committed to storing product indoors and buying from
the best vendors in our industry. Our membership in the
Affiliated Distributors marketing group has aided in this
and has allowed us to be very ag-
gressive in supplying some of the
largest projects in our area.
At NSC, we are poised for fu-
ture growth by living out our Mis-
sion everyday:
The Mission of NSC is to be the
leading provider of PVF, Com-
mercial Plumbing, and HVAC
products to the construction,
maintenance and service professionals in the regions we
serve. We will accomplish this by:
• Remaining true to our commitment to service
• Promoting quality in everything we do
• Respecting our employees, vendors and customers
• Being focused, aggressive and determined to com-
pete.
Stop by and see us at 4201 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis,
Missouri. l
John and Joe Nabbefeld founded NSC in 1945;
here is one of their early locations, circa 1970.
Founded in 1945, Northeastern Supply, Inc. began
in a group of converted “row houses” in down-
town Baltimore, Maryland and subsequently, a
satellite branch was opened in Elkton, Maryland. As the
company grew, it hired John H. Cook III in 1964 to run
their Elkton location. He was branch manager until
1971, when he then purchased Northeastern Supply, Inc.
and has since now retired. His son, Steve Cook, has been
serving as president of the company since 1987. Upon
graduating from college, Steve started the technology
focus of Northeastern with the implementation of its
Northeastern Supply, Inc.
Northeastern Supply’s Elkton, Md., branch when John H.
Cook III purchased it in 1971.
(Celebration continues on page 38.)
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and heating business and expanded its industrial base,
serving the basic metals, chemical, and automotive in-
dustries.
Following the death of William Irwin in 1974, James
Irwin bought out his family and became the sole owner
of Ohio Pipe.
In 1982, a division called North Coast Instruments
was formed with three major product lines:Jamesbury,
Bailey Controls and Limitorque electric actuators. The
38 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
first computer system for inventory control and billing.
Currently, Northeastern Supply has 300 employees
serving throughout 32 locations in Maryland, Pennsyl-
vania, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia. It is con-
sidered to be one of the Mid-Atlantic’s fastest-growing
Plumbing, HVAC and Water Systems businesses.
To help fuel the growth of Northeastern, the company
opened a state-of-the-art central distribution center in
2001, which distributes thousands of products by bar-
code, to all of its branch locations. The distribution cen-
ter is key to supporting the high fill rates and access to
specialty products that Northeastern has become known
for. With over 140 vehicles making deliveries on a daily
basis, Northeastern is able to offer same day delivery to
their customers from its 32 locations. It also offers free
onsite storage trailers for customers looking for a secure
storage room on site that protects their supplies from
damage, theft and weather. And when it comes to after
hours emergencies, Northeastern employs a professional
service to take customer calls and route them to the clos-
est Northeastern associate. No matter the hour or the
day, Northeastern can support its customers with unpar-
alleled service.
To date, Northeastern Supply has 28 specialists on
staff for technical support and solutions. These special-
ists are called upon daily to assist customers and fellow
sales associates in areas that include Bath and Kitchen
Studio Design, Basco Shower Doors, Builder Sales De-
velopment, Commercial Plumbing, HVAC, Hydronic,
Radiant, Steam and Solar, Faucet Parts, Lighting, Pump
& Sewer, Water Conditioning, Water Heaters, Commer-
cial Electric Water Heaters and Water Systems.
As a customer-driven company, Northeastern contin-
ually strives to be the best in understanding its cus-
tomers’ needs. As a result of trying to stay in lock-step
with its customers, Northeastern has developed a “Cus-
tomer Touch Program” which provides customers with
various entertainment venues. The commitment to
building customer relationships and understanding the
future needs of its customer base is a cornerstone of the
growth of the company. Commemorating its 17th
straight season of NASCAR sponsorship, Northeastern
invites their customers to NASCAR Nationwide Races,
in which hundreds of customers are privileged to a hos-
pitality party that includes autograph sessions by
NASCAR drivers, an opportunity to meet their current
driver (Jason Leffler) and his team, a cookout and tickets
into the race. All of the Northeastern “Touch” events are
sponsored by the many vendors that they have chosen
to grow with Northeastern over the past 65 years.
As Steve Cook, the president of Northeastern ex-
plains, “We are a young-thinking, aggressive company,
constantly striving to do it better. We live and breathe
our mission statement.”
For more information on Northeastern Supply, you
may visit www.northeastern.com. l
Neuco
Experience counts at Neuco! From our original
roots selling hay, coal and grain in 1907 to the
distribution of HVACR controls since 1963, our
consistent presence in the heating industry for over a
century has enabled us to remain a dependable source
for customers. We have attentively evolved our business
focus as the industry progressed and continually under-
stood the importance of meeting customer demands.
Located just outside of Chicago, Neuco distributes to
wholesalers nationwide replacement parts from all of
the major HVACR controls manufacturers and many
popular OEM lines. Our research has shown that cus-
tomers rave about our tremendous inventory, reliable
technical support, unmatched cross-reference database
and innovative website.
Inventory at Neuco ranges from the ordinary to the
(Continued from Northeastern Supply, page 34.)
Northeastern Supply’s State-of-the-Art Central Distribu-
tion Center after it opened in 2001.
Ohio Pipe and Supply
Ohio Pipe and Supply was formed in the fall of
1914 by James William Irwin in Cleveland,
Ohio. The company began primarily as a well
supply house servicing the growing oil, gas and water
well drillers. During the Great Depression, Irwin ex-
changed supplies for interests in gas wells in the greater
Cleveland area. In the 40s he had accumulated owner-
ship of over 50 gas wells and operated a fleet of service
vehicles.
In 1929, J. William Irwin graduated from Dartmouth
College and entered the business. Ohio Pipe prospered
during the 40s and under William Irwin entered into the
plumbing and heating business. In the mid-50s, Irwin
formed Aluminum Greenhouse Inc. and began manufac-
turing residential and commercial greenhouses.
In the late 50s and 60s, Ohio Pipe expanded into the
industrial pipe, valve and fitting business. A major line,
Jamesbury, was acquired just as the ball valve became
accepted and Ohio Pipe was one of the first distributor-
ships in the U.S.
In 1965, James W. Irwin graduated from Wharton and
entered the business. The company exited the plumbing
Limitorque actuator business took off and soon became
the primary product line with the addition of field serv-
ice, repair and manufacturing of parts no longer supplied
by Limitorque.
North Coast Instruments eventually became a separate
company and was sold in the fall of 2008.
Today, Ohio Pipe and Supply continues to service the
industrial pipe, valve and fitting business in Northern
Ohio. Products include carbon, stainless and plastic
products as well as featuring a pipe fabrication shop and
valve actuation facilities. The company will be celebrat-
ing its 100th anniversary in 2015. l
hard-to-find. You name it, we either have the product on
their shelves, can obtain it faster than many manufac-
turers, or can offer an alternative product in the event a
request is obsolete.
The Neuco Sales Team exceeds customer expecta-
tions on a regular basis with their experience and empa-
thy towards common scenarios often encountered by
customers. Add to that Neuco’s remarkable database of
cross-referencing built over the course of several
decades, and Neuco succeeds as a respected, powerful
resource.
Neuco’s website at www.neucoinc.com functions as
an equally impressive counterpart to our Sales Team. It’s
the complete package with real-time inventory and ac-
cess to a vast amount of resources that wholesalers are
welcome to rely on if desired.
From all of us at Neuco, Happy 65th Anniversary to
The Wholesaler! l
Refrigeration Sales Corp.Celebrating 65 Years as Ohio’s WholeServer
Refrigeration Sales Corporation
(RSC) is a WholeService supplier
of heating, air conditioning and re-
frigeration equipment, products and services to
contractors and residential and commercial dealers in
Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and portions of West Vir-
ginia and Michigan. Refrigeration Sales Corporation has
taken pride in delivering the highest-quality products
and best value to their customers.
Warren Wightman Farr Sr.
established Refrigeration
Sales Corporation in
1945, although the com-
pany has been in the in-
dustry since 1921, first as
an appliance retailer then mov-
ing into service and repair before evolving to the whole-
sale distribution business in 1945, the capacity in which
they have WholeServed the industry for 65 years.
Today, with their corporate headquarters and distri-
bution service center in Valley View, Ohio, RSC also
has branches conveniently located in Akron, Canton,
Cleveland, Columbus, Elyria, Mansfield, Mentor, San-
dusky, Toledo, Valley View and Youngstown, Ohio,
and Pittsburgh, Pa.
Refrigeration Sales Corporation’s mission every day
is to create world-class comfort, dependability and effi-(Celebration continues on page 40.)
Early truck fleet.
Christmas 1947.
Counter
men, 1936..
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Neuco’s large inventory, tech support and greatcross references are popular with customers.
40 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
ciency by WholeServing the very highest-quality envi-
ronmental control systems and services.
Refrigeration Sales Corporation is so much more than
just a wholesaler. They are a WholeServer, a concept
they created to showcase what they will do for their cus-
tomers that sets them apart from all the rest. As a Whole-
Server, RSC is committed to:
• Service Speed – They respect the customer’s time
and will attend to their needs immediately.
• Expertise – They will provide customers with the
very best technical assistance and training.
• Relationships – They will always be there for cus-
tomers and will always strive to exceed their expecta-
tions with personalized service excellence. RSC truly
cares about their customers’ business and it shows!
Refrigeration Sales Corporation stocks an ex-
tensive inventory of HVAC/R products including
air conditioners, furnaces, digital control systems,
ice machines, coolers, and chillers; plus replace-
ment parts, tools, and chemicals. RSC is an au-
thorized distributor of exceptional brands,
including Bryant, Carrier, Heil, LG, Manitowoc,
Payne, and Reznor. RSC is also the only distrib-
utor in the U.S. that represents both Copeland
Prime Source and Carlyle compressors. Whatever
the customers’ need, they can count on RSC to
have it in stock or get it to them immediately.
Refrigeration Sales Corporation recognizes the
value of providing top-notch training to the customers
with whom they do business. RSC offers skills and tech-
nology training courses including application, installa-
tion and service at their central training center in Valley
View, and their Columbus, Akron, Canton, Toledo, and
Pittsburgh branches. They have installed multiple train-
ing stations in their training labs to provide unique,
hands-on, practical experience. RSC is proud of their
solid reputation for service and training excellence,
which is second-to-none.
The employees at RSC are the driving force that
makes the company standout. Their knowledgeable staff
has a thorough understanding of the HVAC/R business,
based on decades of practical experience. Customer sat-
isfaction is their goal. Emergency service and support
is available anytime by calling
800-882-7800 in Northern Ohio or
800-225-7389 in Central Ohio.
After hours, on-call staff will re-
spond to a call within 20 minutes.
RSC values and respects the cus-
tomers’ time as they seek to earn their loyalty.
All RSC branches have delivery vehicles, and same-
day delivery for emergencies is available. Their goal
every day is to make sure their customers have exactly
what they need, when they need it.
In addition to receiving excellent customer service
from their sales representatives, RSC customers may
order by phone, fax, walk-in, or via their website at
www.rsc2go.com or www.bno2go.com. l
Robertson HeatingSupply Co.
Robertson Heating Sup-
ply Co. (Alliance,
Ohio), a member of The
Wholesaler’s Top 100 wholesalers
in North America, appreciates this opportunity to par-
ticipate in The Wholesaler magazine’s 65th anniversary
edition. We congratulate your company and say thank
you for the valuable services that you have provided our
fine industry over the years!
Robertson Heating Supply Co. is a family owned com-
pany that was founded by John Robertson in the small city
of Alliance, Ohio (24,000) from a single small location
with three people. Alliance remains the
corporate headquarters location, and
today includes an expansive office
and distribution center covering over
287,000 sq. ft. Today the company of
over 235 employees is led by President
Scott Robertson, third-generation grand-
son of the late John Robertson. Robertson’s has grown into
one of the premier independent plumbing, heating and
kitchen cabinet distributors in the Midwest.
Current markets being served are Ohio, Western
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan with 28
branch locations and five Kitchen and Bath Gallery
showrooms. The company’s mission statement: To be
an innovative team of professionals, built on integrity
with customers and employees while providing “Value
Added Services That Satisfy” at a fair profit.
Our mission statement provides one an insight into
what drives this vibrant company. The company prides
itself on their valued employees; one out of four em-
ployees are members of the “20-Year Club” which re-
flects on the quality and strength of the business. Long
valued relationships and partnerships with both cus-
tomers and suppliers are treasured and worked on by all.
If you would like to learn more about what Robertson
Heating Supply Co. has to offer, please feel free to visit
our website, www.rhs1.com, or contact David Roberts
at 330-821-9180, ext. 195. l
(Continued from Refrigeration Sales Corp, page 38.)
Warren Wightman Farr Sr. in the
1940s; and below, Warren Farr III.
J. E. Sawyer & Co.
JE. Sawyer & Co., Inc. was
founded in 1883 in Glens Falls, N.Y., by Joseph
Edward Sawyer. In those days Glens Falls was a
village of about 5,000 people. Some of the chief indus-
tries of the times were saw mills, paper mills, shirt fac-
tories and marble quarries. Horses played a very
important role for logging, farmers, transportation,
pleasure and sport so selling carriage hardware, horse
shoes, saddles and industrial supplies were the mainstay
of products carried.
As the years passed, the Village of Glens Falls became
the City of Glens Falls. Several businesses came to town
from around the world to support the paper mill indus-
try. Sawyers started moving into other product lines as
the horse was replaced by the automobile. Power tools,
large motorized equipment along with plumbing, heat-
ing and hot water tanks, we also had a large steel and
pipe business.
Sales grew at a steady pace and employees were
added to service the expanding growth of the North
Country; as the area grew so did Sawyers. Outside sales-
men were added to call on plumbers, home builders,
well drillers and industrial/government accounts. Our
salesmen and delivery trucks covered from Albany north
into Vermont and New Hampshire. In those years
Sawyers was one of a few wholesalers to supply the
small hardware store owners throughout Vermont and
New Hampshire with truck delivery.
In 1992 the company made a giant step forward. The
company owned by the Sawyer Family for 109 years
was sold to the employees of Sawyers. We were now an
ESOP, Employee Stock Ownership Plan Company. Now
the future of Sawyers was in the hands of its loyal, long-
time employees.
The core values of
Sawyers have not changed,
but we are a bit more ag-
gressive when it comes to selling state-of-the-art, cut-
ting-edge products for an ever-changing world.
Education and training of both customers and employ-
ees has played a large role in our success over the years.
We have learned the secret of longevity is sell good
products and stand behind every sale, have great em-
ployee/owner team, and keep your pencil sharpened at
all times and you will make it. Our valued staff of 32 all
work under one roof at our 100,000 + sq. ft. location in
heart of downtown Glens Falls, New York, just down
the road from The Queen of Lakes, Lake George. l
Our first building
in Glens Falls, 1883.
Our building today in Glens Falls.
Salesmen and truck fleet, 1953.
(Celebration continues on page 42.)
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
within a few months, Smardan-
Hatcher Co. was born. After
Charlie’s unfortunate death in
1951, the Smardan Brothers took over
sole ownership of the company.
In 1949 Sam Benton, Billy Smardan’s son-in-law, en-
tered the business. In 1960, he became a shareholder by
buying the Santa Barbara branch and in 10 years would
own the entire company. Under his direction, Smardan
Supply’s original branch was moved from the old garage
into a 2-acre facility in Gardena, Calif. As branches in
Fountain Valley, Burbank, San Luis Obispo and South
El Monte were added over the years, more family mem-
bers were drawn to the family business. Randy Benton,
Sam’s son, and Rick Leoff, his son in
law, joined Smardan in the 1970s, and
presently serve as CEO and President,
respectively. Twenty-five years later,
in the late 1990s, Rick’s two sons,
Brandon and Justin, followed in their
grandfather’s and father’s footsteps
and began their careers at Smardan
Gardena. 2008 saw AJ Benton,
Randy’s only son, doing the same. Even at their young
age, the fourth-generation family members have already
begun to play an integral element in the company’s cur-
rent and future success. And, at 83 years young, Sam
Benton maintains a very active role as Chairman, still
working six days a week at the Gardena location.
Though recent economic downturn has taken a signif-
icant toll on the industry nationwide, Smardan Supply
42 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Smardan Supply, opened
March 1, 1930 in the midst of the
Great Depression, is proudly entering its 80th year
in business in Southern California. Founded by brothers
Bill and Sam Smardan, the company currently operates as
a 4th-generation family business, and is one of the oldest
independent plumbing wholesalers in the region.
Beginning in what was a defunct automobile garage
in Los Angeles, the brothers’ first employee was a driver
named Bill Weelo, who, as a sign of the times, took part
of his wages by sleeping at Bill Smardan’s home. The
company continued to grow, and, in 1948, the manager
of the Grabler Malleable Co., Charlie Hatcher, solicited
Bill and Sam to open a branch in Santa Barbara. And,
has been able to expand their business within its many
communities. Smardan’s longevity in the extremely
competitive Southern California market can be attrib-
uted to two principals that Sam Benton has refined from
his 60 years in the business: exceptional customer serv-
ice and a large, diverse inventory.
As Smardan Supply has evolved over the years, so has
its customer base. Their clientele in-
cludes plumbing, mechanical and
HVAC contractors, as well as munic-
ipalities, school districts and other in-
stuitional customers. Key vendors
include Nibco, AB&I, Rheem, Amer-
ican Standard, Toto, Sloan, American
Water Heater and Chicago Faucet.
Smardan is also a member of Affili-
ated Distributors, a prestigious buying and marketing
group for independent distributors.
The company’s management team, consisting of Dan
Contreras in Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo, Ron Glick-
man in Gardena, Dave Omatsu in Burbank and Ruben
Trinidad in South El Monte, along with their knowl-
edgeable and dedicated employees, has helped make
Smardan Supply the success it is today. l
Smardan Supply
Smarden’s first home, an old automobile garage.
Lower left, an early group picture;
below, the current facility.
Southern Pipe & Supply Co. Inc.
In 1901, a 20-year-old Russ-
ian named Louis Davidson
boarded a ship bound for America, guided by his
dream of a bright future in a foreign land. Davidson set-
tled in Meridian, Mississippi, where
he founded the company that would
become Southern Pipe & Supply.
Today, 72 years and four generations
later, Southern Pipe is led by Davdi-
son’s great-grandson, CEO and Pres-
ident Jay Davidson. Jay’s father,
Marty Davidson, the third generation of the family,
serves as Chairman of the Board.
One of the nation's largest privately held, independent
wholesalers of plumbing, HVAC, industrial, mechani-
cal, and water and sewer materials, Southern Pipe &
Supply distributes top-quality, brand-name products
throughout the Southeastern United States.
Still headquartered in Meridian, Mississippi, Southern
Pipe operates 95 branches in Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Plumbers, HVAC contractors, builders, general contrac-
tors, and water and sewer utility contractors all rely on
Southern Pipe to meet their plumbing, HVAC, piping
and underground needs. The company handles jobs of
every size and description, from projects as small as in-
dividual kitchens and baths to jobs as large as the Nissan
North America plant, LSU’s Tiger Stadium, the Hard
Rock Hotel and Casino, and the U.S. Embassies in India
and Africa.
In 2003, Southern Pipe introduced its first Southern
Bath & Kitchen designer
showroom, a concept in up-
scale bath and kitchen design
matched by no other com-
pany in the South. The
Southern Bath & Kitchen showrooms feature the latest in
premium cabinetry, countertops, faucets, sinks, tubs, and
appliances from the world’s leading
manufacturers, all showcased in an el-
egant atmosphere that’s the antithesis
of the “big box,” do-it-yourself ap-
proach. In the competitive bath and
kitchen design market, Southern Bath
& Kitchen has earned a reputation as
the company that makes dream homes real.
Southern Pipe’s corporate culture–and ultimately, the
company’s success–is rooted in relationships. The com-
pany makes decisions based not
only on what’s best for the bottom
line, but also on what’s genuinely
best for its vendors, its customers,
and its employees. In 2007, South-
ern Pipe was named the Best Large
Company to Work for in Mississippi
by the Mississippi Business Journal.
Southern Pipe’s history is one of
innovation in business, high performance in the industry
and phenomenal growth. But the company’s strongest
traits are integrity, commitment and trust – solid values
that make Southern Pipe a superior distributor, partner
and employer. Add a 70-plus-year track record of un-
matched product knowledge and outstanding customer
service, and it’s easy to understand why Southern Pipe
& Supply Company is one of the South’s most dominant
wholesale distributors. l
Chairman of the Board Marty Davidson at age 8. Lower
left: Southern Pipe’s central warehouse and home office.
Trumbull IndustriesCelebrating 88 years
Trumbull Industries started as an area plumbing
supplier in Warren, Ohio, and has grown into a
nationally recognized and respected wholesale
distributor employing hundreds of people, through 6
convenient branch distribution centers. A centrally lo-
cated 400,000-sq.-ft. master distribution center ware-
house supports the branches and our customers needs
with millions in inventory.
Constant innovations in
warehousing, delivery and
technology keeps Trumbull at the forefront in today’s
fast-paced, competitive business environment.
The family owned independent company was founded
in 1922 by Sam Miller as Trumbull Plumbing Supply, a
wholesaler distributor to area plumbing and heating con-
tractors and well drillers. The company soon became
known for its prompt service, technical advice and the
personal interest it took in dealing with customers — an
attitude that continues to permeate all aspects of the
business today.
The second generation of Millers, Milt and Dave, joined
the business in 1946. They added kitchen cabinets, com-(Celebration continues on page 47.)
Trumbull’s Youngstown branch.
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 47
plete kitchen packages and HVAC product lines to the
mix and spearheaded the first phase of a long-range ex-
pansion plan that continues today and began the devel-
opment of a marketing concept that would liberate
Trumbull from the seasonal “boom and bust” market in-
herent to the PHC industry. Their sons, Ken, Murray,
Sam H. and Sam M., now head the company, which logs
over $100 million in annual sales. Trumbull attributes
54% of its sales to plumbing products and 10% to PVF,
while municipal materials is 26%, industrial 4% and cab-
inetry accounts for 6%.
To take advantage of the quick growth of the DIY
market, Trumbull formed the Master Distribution Center
(MDC) Division in 1981. Today, it sells and delivers
products nationwide through its Just In Time program,
meeting the service and delivery requirements of the
DIY and wholesale distribution markets.
Trumbull has a redistribution program that services
other wholesalers and building material dealers with
products from American Standard, Jacuzzi, Sterling
Plumbing, Elkay and Delta, among others. 1985
marked the beginning of Trumbull’s private label
products with steady growth over the latest quarter
century playing an important role in the company’s
success. Its first private-label products were sold
through the Municipal Materials Division, followed
closely by Trumbull’s private label of Samson brand
bath and kitchen products; Royal Sheffield, high-end
bath and kitchen products.
When speaking of what makes Trumbull work, the
Millers are quick to point to Trumbull’s team of knowl-
edgeable, customer-oriented people at the heart of the
business. We strive to maintain high inventory levels,
on time deliveries, continually
investing in new technology
and to uphold our reputation
for quality and dependable
service to customers, whole-
salers and vendors. l
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Trumbull’s master distribution
warehouse and a showroom.
(Continued from Trumbull Industries, page 42.)
Utica Plumbing
In 1933, Elix Kravitz
opened Utica Plumbing
as a means to provide
gainful employment to his
children Lillian and Oscar.
A licensed plumber,
Kravitz believed in the
business and math prowess
of his kids and lent them
just enough help to get them started. In addition to the
retail side, Utica also grew its business with nipple
manufacturing.
Throughout the next 75-plus years, Utica Avenue
Plumbing Supply remained a family business. Today,
the fourth-generation descendants of Elix Kravitz con-
tinue to operate the establishment. Located in the heart
of Brooklyn, New York, Utica stands on the same
block it did upon its founding. Though the neighbor-
hood has changed many times over, the exceptional
customer service that has kept Utica going for decades
continues today.
Utica’s business has greatly transformed over the
years, naturally adapting to new trends in plumbing and
heating, while supplying a growing bath and kitchen
designer market. Today, Utica’s business model is split
between counter traffic from local plumbers and con-
tractors seeking piping, fittings, valves and tools and
remodeling designers hoping to create dream kitchens
and bathrooms for their clients.
Local heating and plumbing pros turn to Utica for
Slant/Fin baseboard heating, Crown Boilers, State
water heaters, Taco pumps, Honeywell controls and
Ridgid tools. The story of Utica’s fixture wholesale
business is not as organic.
In March of 2004, Utica Avenue Plumbing Supply,
looking to expand the growing designer market, took
a chance on a new high-end fixture line. Six years
later, Utica is proud to be the largest stocking distrib-
utor of Danze on the East Coast. Every item in Danze’s
catalog can be found in Utica’s warehouse. Thanks to
the success of the Danze line, Utica has grown its de-
signer offering to include many more in demand
brands, most recently
Hansgrohe and Axor.
Despite the current
economic downturn,
Utica continues to expand
in both product offerings
and staff. In addition to
the above-mentioned
lines, Utica proudly dis-
tributes Gerber, Moen,
ShowHouse, Delta, Hou -
zer, MAAX, Advanta by MAAX, Kindred, Aco,
InSinkErator, Franke, Church, Motiv, Ginger and Fusion.
Utica’s lean and efficient staff continues to deliver
the exceptional customer service upon which its repu-
tation is built. Our knowledgeable staff helps balance
the frenetic flow of incoming and outgoing material
while answering customer questions and pricing job
quotes. Local deliveries are available to the greater
New York metropolitan market. Drop shipping is
available to pretty much anywhere shippers can reach.
Ours Today, Yours Tomorrow, Same Day Shipping.
That’s the new guarantee helping perpetuate the busi-
ness for over 75 years and counting. Josh and Eric
Brandner, the current executives, know this is possible
thanks to exemplary service and an evolving product
line. In keeping with the times, Utica is proud to turn
new customers and prospects to their revamped web-
site, www.uticaps.com. Utica keeps current on the lat-
est technology available to operate a robust and
efficient operation and remains dedicated to customer
service. So give us a call or a click, we look forward
to working with you! l
Utica expanded into high-end fixtures in 2004.
VAMAC, Inc.
The Virginia Machinery & Well Company, Inc.
(VAMAC, Inc.) was founded in 1915 by
Charles F. Cole. Cole owned the company and
served as Chairman of the Board until his death in
1973, at the age of 94. Julian G. Perry joined the com-
pany in 1923, was named President in 1954, and later
acquired the company. He served as Chairman of the(Celebration continues on page 48.)
Over 100 full-time and part-time associates make up
the VAMAC Team. We plan for a bright and prosperous
future, focusing on continuous expansion to new loca-
tions in Virginia and beyond, the betterment of opera-
tional efficiencies, and a continuous increase in qualified,
service-oriented personnel to better serve our valued cus-
tomers. VAMAC is a proud supplier of Myers, Charlotte
Pipe, State, TOTO, Moen and many more. l
48 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Board until his death in 1987. His son, Kenneth M.
Perry, joined the company in 1955, was named Presi-
dent/CEO in 1973, and now serves as Chairman of the
Board. Kenneth Perry’s son, Christopher M. Perry,
joined the company in 1977, was named
President/COO in 1991, and serves as the
President/CEO since 1998.
The company headquarters originally was
located at 1319 East Main Street in Richmond,
Virginia. The company originally was estab-
lished as a commercial and industrial water-
well drilling and water supply contractor, and
a distributor for pumps, piping and well
supplies. By the early 1930s the company expanded into
wholesale plumbing and heating distribution. Eljer
Plumbingware, Chase Brass & Copper Company, F. E.
Myers Pump Co. and Pierce-Boiler Company were
some of the company’s first vendors. In the 1960s, the
Virginia Machinery & Well Company, Inc. began to ab-
breviate its name to VAMAC, Inc., and it officially
changed its name in 1970.
In 1965, the company expanded with the opening of its
first satellite branch office in South Hill, Virginia. In
1967, a disastrous fire broke out at 1319 East Main Street
and completely destroyed the building, which housed the
showroom, company offices, city counter and its inven-
tory. However, thanks to the support of its loyal customers
and even some of its competitors, operations never
ceased, and business continued. Within the year, a site
was chosen, new facilities were built, and the new com-
pany headquarters of VAMAC, Inc. was opened for busi-
ness at 4201 Jacque Street in Richmond, Virginia.
As business increased, VAMAC, Inc. expanded across
the Mid-Atlantic region. These include South Hill (1965),
Henrico and Richmond Showroom (1967), Fredericks-
burg (1972), Petersburg (1983), Chesterfield (1984), Nor-
folk (1986), Woodbridge (1991), Manassas (1991),
Warrenton (1991), Hanover (1997), Suffolk (1999), Lees-
burg (2001), Charlottesville (2004). Lynchburg (2005),
Hertford (2006), Culpeper (2007) and Winchester (2008).
VAMAC, Inc joined the WIT Plumbing Wholesale
Buying Group in 1988. The WIT Buying Group consists
of over 90 independent plumbing wholesalers and works
to optimize our competitive opportunities in the national
plumbing, water well, septic and heating product markets.
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
(Celebration continues on page 50.)
(Continued from VAMAC, page 47.)
Above, the VAMAC Penguin; upper right: Ken, Corbin
and Chris Perry; right: a 1960s city counter;
and below: a curent facility, one of 18.
50 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Wholesale Supply Group, Inc., in business for
over 68 years, is one of the largest wholesale
and retail suppliers of quality plumbing,
electrical and HVAC products in the southeastern United
States. They have 33 branches located in Tennessee,
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky and Vir-
ginia. Their corporate office is located in Cleveland,
Tenn., as well as their central distribution facility.
Whether your project is commercial, residential, indus-
trial or just a homeowner, their staff is ready to provide
you with the top notch service that you deserve.
Some of the quality plumbing products they carry in-
clude: Kohler, Mansfield, Delta, Grohe, Aqua Glass,
American Water Heaters, Takagi tankless heaters, GE
appliances and Milwaukee. Some of their major electri-
cal lines include Square D, General Electric, Nutone,
Bussman, Philips, Lithonia, Progress, Quorum, Kichler
and FMI fireplaces. Some of the major HVAC products
include: Luxaire, Source 1, G.E. Zoneline, Samsung,
Honeywell, Atco, Certainteed, U.S. Aire, Precisionaire
and Greenville Metal.
Wholesale Supply’s President and CEO is Lloyd D.
Rogers. Mr. Rogers has been with the company for over
50 years. Other officers include: Jeff Rogers, Executive
VP; Reggie Bishop, VP of Finance and Administration;
Gary Millaway, VP of Inventory Control; Larry Brack-
ett, VP of Operations; Troy Weathers, VP of Distribu-
tion, and Allen Nix, VP of HVAC. The key to the growth
of the company has been the 250+ dedicated employ-
ees.
Mr. Rogers comments, “We’ve got a lot of good peo-
ple who have been around for a lot of years. We’re like
a big family. Wholesale Supply Group is extremely
committed to making a difference in the local commu-
nities that we do business. We feel very fortunate to be
in each local community and want to impact the com-
munity in a positive way. Service, extensive inventory,
and competitive prices are key things our customers ex-
pect from us. We are very proud of our customer base.”
Several of the charities that the company has sup-
ported include: Make a Wish, Ronald McDonald House,
Habitat for Humanity, and local schools and colleges.
They have also donated many smoke detectors to their
local fire departments. l
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Wholesale Supply Group, Inc.
Celebrating 75 Years of Success
There is simply no substi-
tute for experience, and
for 75 years Allied Supply has been a leader in
the wholesale distribution of heating, ventilat-
ing, air conditioning, refrigeration, indoor air
quality and industrial supplies and equipment.
While the world has changed over the years, the
secret to the company’s success remains the
same today, as it was when John L. Homan began in 1935,
— be the best in the business of serving the customer.
John, with two partners, founded the company in Day-
ton, Ohio. An employee at Frigidaire, he had the foresight
to recognize the opportunities in the field of refrigeration
and cooling. The original company was comprised of two
divisions: service and parts.
John sold his stake in the serv-
ice division and named his
emerging company Allied Parts
Company. In 1948 the name
was changed to Allied Supply Company.
In 1945, the Lima branch was opened. Over
the years additional branches were established
in Mansfield, Toledo and Cincinnati. The ter-
ritory served by Allied Supply also expanded
to include Ohio, Southern Michigan, Northern
Kentucky and Eastern Indiana.
As the branches increased and the territory expanded,
so did the diversity of the product lines. In refrigeration
the major lines included Emerson Climate Technologies,
Bohn and Mueller. The Johnson, Honeywell and Belimo
Allied Supply
(Celebration continues on page 52.)
52 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
brands comprised the Control group. The Service Parts
division featured Sporlan, Honeywell, Emerson Climate
and Nu-Calgon. Camfil Farr is the major line for Air Fil-
tration while Mitsubishi is the major brand serving Mini
Splits and VRFZ technology.
Since its founding, the company has been led by
members of the Homan family. Today, Tom Homan,
grandson of the founder, leads Allied Supply. “We have
always been and continue today to be a family business.
That feeling of family extends to the entire staff, not just
management,” said Homan.
Homan attributes the company’s continued growth, now
at $19 million annually, to a highly trained and knowl-
edgeable staff, engineering expertise, after-hours service,
timely delivery and, most importantly, personal attention.
“We listen to the needs of our customers,” continued
Homan, “and translate that need to our manufacturers.
That way we have the products when they’re needed.”
With 12,000 items from 150 manufacturers, the com-
pany continues to receive industry recognition for sales
and service. Most importantly to Homan, however, is the
continued dedication to the founding principles established
75 years ago. “To serve the communities in which we live
and to exceed our customer’s expectations while enjoying
the benefits of a family business – that truly is the foun-
dation of Allied Supply Company,” he said. l
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Cayce Mill SupplyCayce Mill celebrates its 91st year in 2010
Cayce Mill Supply was founded in
1919 by Clinton Cayce, a Christian
County farmer. The
product mix included pipe and
fittings, roofing material, sawmill and grain milling sup-
plies, farm machinery and supplies. Thus the name
Cayce Mill Supply.
Over the years Cayce Mill’s product line card has
changed to plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling,
lighting and kitchen cabinets. Changing with the times
is something Cayce Mill has done well. With three lo-
cations and approximately 65 employees, Cayce Mill
serves Western Kentucky, Southern Indiana and North-
west Tennessee.
Cayce Mill moved into its new location in 2006. The
new facility provided some much-needed growing pain
relief with a 170,000-square-foot warehouse, 8,000-
square-foot showroom and 10,000 square feet of corpo-
rate offices. Keeping most of its inventory in the main
location, it runs daily transfers to their stores in Owens-
boro and Russellville, Kentucky. The Design Center at
Cayce Mill is a beautiful showroom displaying the latest
in plumbing, lighting and cabinetry. With a sales force
of designers and lighting experts it is enjoyable experi-
ence for anyone who enters.
As Cayce Mill Supply enters its
91st year, the Cayce family is as active as
ever in the day-to-day operations. Breck
Cayce currently serves as President, while
his sons B.J. and Bart actively
serve roles in sales and purchas-
ing. Breck’s sons represent the fifth generation of the
Cayce family involved in the business. It’s the family
atmosphere that has help Cayce Mill Supply strive for
so many years, and Breck himself is the first to recog-
nize that it’s not just the Cayce’s who deserve the credit
for Cayce Mill’s success — but all those who worked
behind Cayce Mill’s doors in the past and present. l
(Continued from Allied Supply, page 50.)
(Celebration continues on page 54.)
Cayce Mill Supply began in 1919 and has based itsstrength upon its ability to change with the times. Itmoved into this 170,000-sq-ft facility in 2006.
54 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Chicago Tube and Iron Company, founded in
1914 by Herbert Haigh, has just completed its
95th year of consecutive profitability. Currently
headed by third generation Robert Haigh, CEO and
Chairman of the Board, and
Donald McNeeley, President
and COO, the closely held
company consists of
1,000,000 square feet of ware-
house and fabricating capac-
ity. A part of Chicago’s
southwest side for 90 years,
CTI relocated its corporate headquarters, Chicago Divi-
sion, and Engineered Products Division to Romeoville,
Illinois, in 2005.
In total, Chicago Tube consists of 10 facilities strate-
gically located across the Midwest and North Carolina.
The seven distribution centers are located in Illinois
(Romeoville and Quad Cities), Iowa (Des Moines), Wis-
consin (Fond du Lac), Minnesota (St. Paul and Duluth),
and Indiana (Indianapolis). The Romeoville facility
boasts the company’s tube laser cutting capabilities, and
a production cutting facility in Owatonna, Minnesota,
further augments the cutting capabilities in each of the
distribution locations. Chicago Tube distributes a wide
variety of products: tubing, bar, pipe, valves and fittings
in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The com-
pany also provides such value-added services as cutting,
threading, beveling, welding, kitting, VMI—in short,
numerous other services its customers require. The com-
pany’s Engineered Products Division (Romeoville) and
CTI Power Division (Locust, North Carolina) offer code
welding, field inspection and measurements, bending,
and re-engineering services
for design improvements.
CTI attributes its success to
an ongoing conservative fiscal
policy and diversification of
product lines, value added
services and sophisticated fab-
rication. This diversification
has enabled the company to participate in a wide variety
of markets: commercial construction, defense, agricul-
ture, petrochemical, athletic equipment, boilers, power
generation, and more.
Over the past five years alone, CTI has invested $50
million in plant, property and equipment, including five
tube lasers and new facilities in Wisconsin and North
Carolina. All of these investments have been made with
an eye to increasing market share in those “sweet spots”
that permit CTI to flourish amidst some much larger
competitors. Every move the company makes is done in
an effort to further CTI’s mantra: consistent reliable cus-
tomer service. In addition, the aforementioned was fi-
nanced with internal operating cash flow and absent
debt.
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Congrats on the 65th Anniversaryof The Wholesaler Magazine!
Founded in 1898 and celebrating one
hundred ten years in business, D.H.
Adams Company, Inc. is a leading whole-
sale distributor of plumbing, heating, air
conditioning and sheet metal supplies.
Led by President John McManus, D.H.
Adams Company, Inc. operates branch lo-
cations in Worcester and Leominster,
Massachusetts and is a diverse and capa-
ble full service supply house catering to
our customers in the central Massachu-
setts area.
For more information on D.H. Adams
Company, Inc. please visit our web site at
www.dhadams.net. l
Chicago Tube and Iron Company
Chicago Tube and Iron also credits its success to its
high-caliber 500 employees. CTI’s nine-plus years of
average tenure speak to a culture of being in it for the
long haul. Chicago Tube is a company in which an em-
ployee can turn initiative into career advancement. Ed-
ucation is important—sales and warehouse employees
alike attend monthly training sessions. All employees
are encouraged to participate in the company’s tuition
reimbursement program. Great effort is expended to
make sure that the right person fills each seat on the bus.
It is the actions of these disciplined, dedicated individ-
uals that have propelled the company into new markets
and expanded its presence in those traditionally pene-
trated throughout its history. l
Chicago Tube and Iron’s 500 employees pay close atten-
tion to quality in all phases of its operations.
D.H. AdamsCompany, Inc.
D.H. Adams supplies ENERGY STAR
products that customers can apply toward
obtaining Federal energy tax credits.
(Celebration continues on page 56.)
Today, the company runs two By Ash-
ley Petry For Custom Publications Home-
Style showrooms, one in downtown
Indianapolis and one near Fishers. Re-
designed in 2006, the showrooms feature
the latest in kitchen and bath design and
technology from manufacturers such as
Villeroy & Boch and Toto. “Kitchens and
baths have really become the focal point
of a home — both from a
lifestyle perspective and from
a design perspective,” said
John Strong, owner and presi-
dent. “Our showrooms have
tried to address those
changes.” In addition, Econ-
omy Plumbing Supply offers
sessions with trained design
consultants who can help
homeowners choose the best
options for kitchen and bath
projects. And, the company still carries a
full range of professional-grade plumbing
supplies, from water heaters to pipe fit-
tings. With two showrooms and more than
25 employees, Economy Plumbing Sup-
ply is a thriving business. But at its heart,
the company remains a family affair.
Strong is the third-generation owner of the
business, which was founded by Herbert
E. Strong Sr. in 1932 and later owned by
John’s father, Herbert Strong Jr. In addi-
tion, John’s wife and
sister both work for the
company. “We’re a
small, family-oriented
business, and that’s
how we try to treat our
customers,” Strong
said. An evolving busi-
ness Economy Plumb-
ing Supply always has
been in the Strong fam-
ily, but other things
have changed. The company was founded
at 311 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis,
where it opened one of the nation’s first
consumer showrooms in 1939. The com-
pany continued to grow and expand, and
eventually the office was bursting at the
seams. By 1975, Economy Plumbing Sup-
ply occupied 305-311 N. Alabama St. and
had added parking and warehousing
space. Finally, in 1984, the company relo-
cated to its current downtown location,
625 N. Capitol Ave. The remodeled
60,000-square-foot facility brought all of
the company’s operations under one roof,
including warehousing, offices, the
plumbing and repair parts counter, and the
consumer showroom. The new facility
also featured self-serve aisles of plumbing
supplies, a retailing innovation that gained
the company attention from the trade
press, and again in 1995 when it opened a
10,000-square-foot suburban showroom
near Fishers. Originally called Economy
Kitchen & Bath, the Fishers showroom
later was renamed HomeStyle. Both
showrooms were heavily renovated in
2006, and they continue to feature the best
56 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Now celebrating its 85th
anniversary, Davis & Warshow has played an in-
tegral, if behind-the-scenes, role in the gradual
evolution of New York City into what is arguably the most
spectacular metropolis in the world. The area’s largest
dealer of upscale bath and kitchen fixtures and fittings was
founded in 1925 in a modest rented storefront on Broome
St. by Bernard Davis and Louis Warshow, who hoped to
bring something new to the market by way of exceptional
service. Now headquartered in Maspeth, Queens, where
D&W’s 250,000-square-foot flagship warehouse is lo-
cated, the company has since grown to a total of seven
showroom locations and nearly 300 employees.
D&W has supplied an array of city landmarks, includ-
ing the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Yan-
kee Stadium, the Mo MA, Peter Cooper Village and the
Time Warner Center.
With its reputation as a leading supplier well estab-
lished, the company began to turn its attention to the real
estate boom that transformed downtown Manhattan over
the last decade. As neighborhoods like the East Village
and the Lower East Side began to dramatically change
shape, becoming home to an entirely new class of luxury
hotels and apartment buildings, Davis & Warshow rec-
ognized a perfect point-in-time opportunity to capture
the atten-
tion of the
builders,
architects and designers responsible for
this remarkable real estate renaissance.
Creating a SoHo outpost at 96
Spring Street (at Mercer) in 2007 sig-
naled Davis & Warshow’s own evolution, while expand-
ing its customer base further south. In 2009, renovations
at the company’s 58th Street A&D Building location re-
sulted in a spectacular, state-of-the-art showroom com-
plete with the country’s first Kohler Premier concept
showroom.
Davis & Warshow’s reputation for exceptional service
is well deserved. Salespeople pay close attention to client
orders, and aren’t afraid to jump in to make corrections.
If the company receives an order specifying product that
Davis & Warshow believes is inappropriate, the salesper-
son will recommend an alternative that he or she feels is
better suited given the parameters of the project. The
Davis & Warshow team goes as far as to help clients write
the actual specs for a job if need be, to make sure that the
project complies with all aspects of New York’s complex
building codes. In fact, a number of its on-staff design
consultants are LEED-certified.
That trademark level of personal attention is de
rigueur at all Davis & Warshow locations. As evidenced
by Davis & Warshow’s growth over the decades, this
commitment—coupled with its ability to find creative
ways to raise the bar for the entire building industry—
is a sure recipe for success. l
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Davis & Warshow
This striking entrance welcomes customers into Davis & Warshow’s 58th Street
showroom, one of seven showroom locations.
Economy Plumbing Supply
(Celebration continues on page 58.)
Three generations of Strongs: Herbert Sr., Herbert Jr. and John.
Economy Plumbing Supply opened in the depths
of the Great Depression.
When Economy Plumbing Supply
opened its doors in 1932, it faced nu-
merous challenges — including the staggering
financial pressures of the Great Depression. But the com-
pany weathered that storm, and many others, to become
Indianapolis’
premier kitchen
and bath sup-
plier. It was one
of the first plumbing supply companies in the nation to
open a consumer showroom, serving the needs of both
plumbing professionals and do-it-yourself homeowners.
accessories from Kohler, Sterling, Moen, Grohe, Cal-
ifornia Faucet, Elkay, Bertch and Woodpro along
with many other manufacturers.
Owned by T.J. Hunt since 1994, Danbury
Plumbing & HVAC Supply has a staff of 23 em-
ployees between the wholesale and showroom lo-
cations. Our service area encompasses all of
Fairfield County as well as parts of Litchfield and
New Haven Counties in Connecticut and Westchester
and Putnam Counties in New York.
Our company’s goal has remained constant through-
out the years – to be recognized as the industry leader
for plumbing, heating and air conditioning products and
services in the Danbury area. To achieve this goal re-
quires a mutual relationship of trust and respect with our
customers as well as with our local community and en-
vironment. At Danbury Plumbing & HVAC Supply Co.,
we work hard every day to earn that trust and respect.
While we continually evolve to meet the ever-changing
needs of our industry, we remain committed to our rich
history of providing quality products, superior service and
innovative technical support and training. We are as com-
mitted to our community as we are to our loyal customers.
We have been an active supporter and leader of the
Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce for many years
as well as sponsoring many worthwhile causes and char-
itable organizations. Our expansion into “green” products
and services continues to grow every year.
As we celebrate our 100th anniversary, we offer con-
gratulations to The Wholesaler for their 65 years of ded-
icated service to our industry. l
58 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
and most innovative kitchen and bath manufacturers and
designers. The secret to success After more than 75
years, the Strong family members are small-business ex-
perts. But running a business, they say, ultimately is
about the old-fashioned values of customer service and
employee satisfaction.
“It’s all about taking care of your customers and tak-
ing care of your staff,” Strong said. As Economy Plumb-
ing Supply approaches its centennial, it will continue to
change its product mix and showroom designs to meet
the changing needs of consumers and plumbing profes-
sionals. But some things — like the value of customer
relationships — are destined to stay the same. l
Danbury Plumbing & HVAC Supply
is Western Connecticut’s oldest
wholesale/retail plumbing and heating
supply house. In 1910, Mortimer Schofield first opened
the doors of Danbury Plumbing Supply in a small ware-
house on Delay Street in Danbury, Conn.
Our wholesale division is now located at 28 Finance Dr.
in Danbury. The warehouse is open Monday through Fri-
day from 6:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:00
a.m. until 12:00 p.m., and is home to our trade counter,
sales and business offices, and our Degrees of Comfort
heating and cooling showroom. Our staff is trained in heat-
ing, cooling and radiant design, sales and service. We
stock boilers from Buderus and Peerless, HVAC equip-
ment from Nordyne and First Company, water heaters
from Bradford White and Triangle Tube, and PEX tubing
from Stadler/Viega. We also carry a full line of plumbing
and heating pipe, valves, fittings and tools.
In 1976 Danbury Plumbing Supply opened the Cre-
ative Bath — the area’s first kitchen and bathroom
showroom open to the public. Over the years, the Cre-
ative Bath has grown and expanded until finally in 2004
the showroom moved into a 6,000-square-foot storefront
located at 317 Federal Road in Brookfield, Conn. Open
seven days a week, The Creative Bath, a premier Kohler
showroom, displays sinks, tubs, faucets, vanities, and
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
(Continued from Economy Plumbing Supply, page 56.)
The current location with 66,000 sq. ft. of
warehouse, offices, counters and a
showroom.
(Celebration continues on page 60.)
Danbury Plumbing Supply
contractors sell product, Coburn
opened a small showroom in the
Beaumont office. The show-
room concept spread to all
branch locations.
By the end of the 50s, Arthur Maloney became Pres-
ident of Coburn Supply Co., Inc. and Albert Coburn be-
came the Chairman. During the 60s, Coburn developed
a plan for growth which resulted in six store openings.
Coburn’s was one of the first companies in the industry
to purchase a computer. In the 1970s, the company
opened seven new stores.
Founder and Chairman of Coburn Supply, Inc., Albert
J. Coburn passed away in 1976. Arthur Maloney, who
had been president of Coburn Supply Inc., was ap-
pointed president of the company.
Coburn’s experienced strong growth throughout the
70s and into the early part of the 80s and nine new loca-
tions were opened.
Coburn’s president Arthur Maloney passed away in
1984 – the same year the company celebrated its 50th
Anniversary. Arthur’s brother, James Maloney, accepted
the job as president, and later, chairman of the board.
Consolidated purchasing gave the company more
competitive terms. The larger branches were designated
as product centers and served as distribution hubs. This
set the stage for the Distribution Centers that are in op-
eration today – Eunice, La.; Eunice-Pipe, La.; Jackson,
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Coburn Supply Company was
founded in 1934 in Beaumont,
Texas, by Albert J. Coburn, a New
Orleans native who saw opportunity and went after it
with nerve, imagination and persuasiveness.
Nicknamed “Tiny” in spite of his 6'5" stature, Albert
began his career as a plumbing and heating contractor,
following the installation of municipal water systems
along Highway 90.
In 1936, Albert Coburn’s nephew, Arthur J. Maloney,
moved from New Orleans to Beaumont to work for
Coburn Supply.
In the 1930s, Coburn Supply Company opened a sec-
ond store in Lafayette, La. When World War II broke
out, the Lafayette store closed. Meanwhile, business in
Southeast Texas was booming and the home office in
Beaumont needed more space. Seizing the opportunity
to turn a negative into a positive, Coburn dismantled the
Lafayette store piece by piece, shipped the materials via
rail car, and built a new store in Beaumont.
A second Lafayette store was opened in 1946 and in
1947 a store was opened in Lake Charles, La. As a grow-
ing company, the importance of central purchasing be-
came apparent. In 1953, a Service Office was created in
Beaumont to provide purchasing, credit management, ad-
vertising and disbursements. In an effort to help plumbing
Miss.; and Jasper, Texas.
In 1990 Coburn’s became a founding member of Em-
bassy Group, Ltd., which quickly became one of the
largest and most respected wholesale buying groups in
the industry. By the end of the 1990s, Coburn Supply
Company had opened six more stores.
In 2003, James Maloney, chairman of Coburn Supply
Company, Inc., passed away. In this decade, the third gen-
eration of Albert’s “Boys” took leadership responsibilities.
Don Maloney, Albert Coburn’s great nephew and James
Maloney’s son, and AJ Maloney, also a great nephew to
Albert and Arthur J. Maloney’s son, took over leadership.
The 2000s saw the greatest expansion to date for Coburn
Supply Company with the opening of 22 new stores
throughout Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
As we look back on 75 years of history, we are thank-
ful for the talent, loyalty and commitment of the
Coburn’s family. We consider each employee to be a
member of the Coburn’s family. l
Coburn Supply Company
Our sincere thanksto all the distributors who
helped celebrate our 65thanniversary with us!
60 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
ON THE PVF PULSE
The convergence of the pipe-valve-
fittings sector will reach its apex
in Houston at the H.E.S.S. Club on
May 18.
For the first time ever, the quarter-an-
nual PVF Roundtable will host the gov-
erning council of the ASA’s Industrial
Piping Division, which will be holding its
own periodic meeting in Houston the fol-
lowing day. Another salient feature of this
event will be the annual induction cere-
mony of The Wholesaler’s PVF Hall of
Fame. This year’s inductee is Eastern In-
dustrial Supplies Inc. (EISI), which has liter-
ally exploded its business in a substantial
segment of the Southeast, where this
multi-branch group has become a fast-
growing factor in pipe-valve-fittings.
This grand gathering also presents me
the opportunity of generating my analysis
of current PVF trends forecast for the
U.S. economy in general. This summa-
tion was aptly named “The Beschloss
Moment” by PVF Roundtable president
Ron Merrick.
With the general U.S. economy still re-
gaining its footing, mid-May is a superb
time to focus on current happenings, as
well as the growing role of PVF in this
turbulent era. It would behoove everyone
in the PVF sector to notify Roundtable
executive director Danny Westbrook of
their intention to attend. Please visit
www.PVF.org to register.
If February record attendance is any
indication, look for “standing room only”
to be filled in short order.
Houston University professor debunks Obama energy initiatives
Before a record, rapt audience of over
225 in Houston at the February gathering
of the PVF Roundtable, economics pro-
fessor Michael J. Economides debunked
the Obama energy objectives as farcical.
He commented sarcastically on the
President’s call for a return to nuclear de-
velopment, which his Administration had
recently rejected along with coal, oil and
even natural gas in favor of solar, wind and
geo thermal power. This is despite the fact
that overwhelming evidence shows those
Admin istration-rejected re sources provide
87% of needs for transportation, power
generation, and an increasing amount of
derivatives, such as plastics and chemicals.
Economides noted this proportion won’t
change during the next 50 years.
He stressed that China, India, Brazil
and other developing nations are not pro-
fessing the “fallacious global warming
theories” propounded by Western Europe
and the current U.S. Administration. In
fact, he feared such predisposition will in-
denture the U.S. even further into depend-
ence on foreign oil, and castigated the
Environmental Protection Agency for its
arbitrary antagonism toward fossil fuels,(Turn to Job market... page 66.)
See contact information on page 82
BY MORRIS R. BESCHLOSS
PVF and economic analyst emeritus
America’s small businesssector...is still reducing its
inventory positions despite anupward thrust in sales throughoutmost sectors in December. Much
of the continued inventoryshrinkage has been driven by the
fear of illiquidity, as smallbusinesses continue to face
concerns with credit availabilityand slow demand growth.
Pipe-valve-fitting sector togather in Houston on May 18
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 65
66 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010ON THE PVF PULSEJob market must recover beforedemand spurs business growthand hydrocarbons generally.
With the breakthrough of shale frack-
ing for natural gas, due to the unlimited
availability of this resource in the U.S.
and Canada, Economides called for a
much greater exploitation of this resource
for power generation, as well as eventual
conversion for transportation usage, if an
infrastructure for that resource can even-
tually be built.
He also accused Russia of using oil
and natural gas to reignite its imperialism
over its former satellites and even West-
ern Europe, which is heavily dependent
on Russia for fossil fuels. Russia, in turn,
is totally dependent on these natural re-
sources for its financial liquidity.
Economides’ prediction is that the
price per barrel of oil for 2010, now near
$80, will be close to $100. He also cau-
tioned that any outbreak of hostilities
with Iran could double that price, if and
when such an altercation takes place.
Small business sector continues paringinventories as jobless claims stagnate
Most recent statistics validate the con-
clusion that the bulk of America’s small
business sector, which employs 65% of
the overall U.S. worker potential, is still
reducing its inventory positions despite
an upward thrust in sales throughout
most sectors in December. This is sup-
ported by an inventory to sales ratio of
1.12, well below December 2008’s 1.32,
and even last November’s 1.14. A ratio
of 1.12, for instance, means that it would
take 1.12 months to clear the shelves of
existing inventory.
This is the lowest point reached since
mid-year 2008, when the worldwide busi-
ness boom had reached the highest point
in recent history. Much of the continued
inventory shrinkage has been driven by
the fear of illiquidity, as small businesses
continue to face concerns with credit
availability and slow demand growth.
Despite the more propitious outlook in
stemming the Obama Admin istration’s
perceived anti-business initiatives, busi-
ness in general continues to concentrate
on maximum productivity. Generally
speaking, based on my continued com-
munications contacts, the industrial man-
ufacturing and distribution sectors are
becoming more incensed at the growth of
the national debt and the runaway deficit,
with little to show for it.
The historical evidences of expanded
demand, job creation and innovative op-
portunities are conspicuous by their ab-
sence. “The lack of understanding by the
Federal Government as to what makes
business tick has taken its expenditures
into areas of non-productivity,” according
to many influential business decision
makers.
At this stage, it looks as if demand
must first assert itself before the produc-
tive sectors will extend risk capital for fu-
ture growth.
To stay up to date with my twice-daily
blogging, be sure to log on to my hyper-
link at www.theworldreport.org and then
click on ‘Morrie’s page,” announced in
the middle of the World Report website.
Your recommendation for my blog, as
well as the individual columns will be
much appreciated. n
Morris R. Beschloss, a 54-year veteran
of the pipe, valve and fitting industry, is
PVF and economic analyst emeritus for
The WholesaleR.
(Continued from page 65.)
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Economides’ prediction is that the price per barrel of oil for 2010, now near $80, will be close to $100. He also cautioned that any outbreak of hostilities with Iran could
double that price, if and when such an altercation takes place.
Industry associations
What’s the value? Why go there?T
hanks for checking in again readers. It’s a good
feeling to have all you folks coming back to the
“Corner” to see what is on my mind each
month! I have really truly enjoyed getting to address
a few issues with you that I care about. Just like in my
house here in Colorado, I never have the final — and
I mean final — word on hardly anything, but I do get
to state my opinions on issues that have an effect on
our family stability in everyday life. Being able to state
my opinions here in the “Corner” on issues that have
an effect on our industry stability is a pure pleasure!
Having said the above, I want to go right into an
issue that has been burning in the depths of work life
and thoughts for many moons (that’s cowboy for “a
long time!”) — industry associations.
American Supply AssociationAnyone reading The Wholesaler should certainly
be familiar with the American Supply Association.
ASA was officially founded in December 1969 via the
merger of two existing groups at the time (Central
Supply Assoc iation, founded in 1894, and American
Institute of Supply Assoc iation, founded in 1940). The
historical membership of CSA stretched from Penn-
sylvania to the Rockies, and from the Canadian border
to Tennessee. They had quite a void on the map for
representation, and hooking up with a group like AI
sure seemed like a good idea.
The merger was not easy to orchestrate. During
early talks in the fall of 1964, the groups decided there
was just no way, but in 1967, two new leaders came
on the scene — Robert Taylor of Taylor Engineering
from Detroit was made president of CSA, and Glen
Turbeville of Morrison Supply Co. in Fort Worth,
Texas, became president of AI. Both had a high degree
of prestige, were members of their own group associ-
ations, had well served the industry, and had a high de-
gree of positive thoughts about a single organization
to serve the industry. Their vision for a national asso-
ciation and the need for unification never wavered.
ASA started with a base of approximately 1,100
member companies (along with all their branches). This
number made the new association the second-largest as-
sociation of wholesalers in the nation — second only to
the auto parts jobbers at that time. This truly was the first
national organization for plumbing, heating, cooling and
piping wholesalers in our country.
Now fast forward to recent history and current
times. WOW! What a difference. With the growth of
the economy, the great never-ending positive attitude
of the U.S. business folks, and the advent of roll ups,
mergers and buy outs causing huge changes in most
every aspect of our industry, everyone could see hav-
ing associations ran with a “business as usual” kind of
attitude going by the wayside. To that point, the whole-
sale distributor (all classes) membership within ASA
today has fallen to 253 member companies.
What did they see 40-plus years ago that we as an
industry can/ should
try to ignite again, or
is it a lost cause? I
don’t believe it is. I
would be the first to
agree (as a manufac-
turer), that when two
or more wholesalers
are assembled to-
gether, we should be
there to look for op-
portunities to service
or be part of an indus-
try function. Having
said that, in today’s
world, there are so
many one-on-one
meetings available to us today via the buying groups
and other association meetings, that it becomes a real
thought process as to “how many” we can support.
Today’s economic hassle we are in makes it even
tougher to justify expense dollars for meetings that
may be seen by some as “redundant” and with no
meaning. If any of you feel that way, I’d ask only that
you step back and think it over for a moment. Not for
me or about me, but about your company and yourself.
Do I have my ASA hat on right now? Yes, but I also
wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to breaking
tradition, giving back/paying back, industry support,
expectations and being involved at all levels possible.
These issues should concern you no matter if you are
a manufacturer or a wholesaler. I know there is dupli-
cation today in the work and agenda of the mar -
keting/buying groups v/s that of the ASA. I also am
comfortable in my belief that ASA as a national asso-
ciation does more good — daily good — at the polit-
ical level and the efforts at our industry education (just
to name a couple) than any independent manufacturer
or wholesaler could or can ever do. That’s not being
critical; it is just being truthful. Please look at the fol-
lowing facts as I have had explained to me. Did you
know the following:
• Political support — This past year, ASA alone
was responsible for having gotten the W.A.T.E.R. Act
sponsored in the House and Senate. Then the coalition
was formed with all the other partners! If I read the
current ASA annual dues chart correctly, it says a $1-
million single independent wholesaler pays annual
dues in the amount of $625.00. A $50-million whole-
saler pays an annual dues total of $3,100.00.
It is my opinion that any wholesaler fitting into any
range of related dues on this matrix based on size, etc.
would get their dues back in spades with new sales of
water efficient/water saving products as a result of
stimulus that comes by the way of rebates from this
legislation, know what I mean?
• Education commitment — If you are an individ-
ual or a company (wholesaler or manufacturer) that
gave from the start and/or ongoing to this Education
Foundation, I thank you, and I know you have seen
benefits from your investment. From learning mod-
ules, to essentials on Profitable Warehousing, to on
line training, to turn-key packages of education needs
to fit your needs, to really great 3-D visuals solutions,
to packaged product training, to an overview of
Wholesale Distribution, you can get it all from ASA.
So here is my summary on this association called
ASA: To me their effort has always been to support
the industry manufacturer and the wholesale distribu-
tion channel (even before it was called that). You see,
I subscribe to the fact that if belonging to an associa-
68 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010MARTIN’SCORNER
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
BY JOHN MARTIN
PVF industry veteran
ASA started with a base of approximately1,100 member companies [along withall their branches]. This number madethe new association the second-largest
association of wholesalers in the nation —second only to the auto parts jobbers at
that time. This truly was the first nationalorganization for plumbing, heating, cooling
and piping wholesalers in our country.
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 69MARTIN’S CORNERtion was good for you (your company)
and the industry in the “old days,” it
should still be good for your company
today. They have progressed, they have
had to address shrinking membership
(which means shrinking dues revenue,
etc.) due to large and strong independent
wholesalers (one by one) becoming part
of the larger national chain companies.
These firms don’t go away, they just stop
paying dues and are included at the cor-
porate national structure. No ax to grind
here, just stating fact. Having to deal with
that is a real bummer, winding down if
you will with structure instead of building
staff, yet having to produce an agenda to
suit all. Not easy!
If you are not a supporting member or
if you are only a member and wondering
if you should be or not, pick up the phone
and call the ASA office in Chicago (312-
464-0090) and ask for Mike Adelizzi. Tell
him “Martin’s Corner” sent ya! He will
blow you away with true confidence in
what the ASA Board has charged him to
do — and he is good at it. He believes in
the future of the association and is driving
changes in actions and thinking to carry
on what Mr. Turbeville and Mr. Taylor
started some 40+ years ago. The industry
needs you and ASA needs you.
Mechanical Contractors Association of AmericaFrom the union contractor point of
view — a substantial portion of all full-
range wholesaler’s customer base volume
— they look to the MCAA (Mech anical
Contractors Association of America) as
their sustaining “front office” if you will,
in all governing matters across the U.S.
reference union contract labor, education,
training and national representation. As
an association, they have been active for
this market segment some 115-plus years.
I have been deeply involved in MCAA a
long time for our company, and continue
to be impressed at how the mem bership sup-
ports this association.
While these are contractors, and their
needs may be different and deeper into
industry segments than the typical
wholesaler, their desire and need to be a
part of the group are the same as a
wholesaler’s are with ASA. Things like
being able to read the monthly alerts on
the latest in industry events, getting of-
fered the best in education and training,
being treated as equals in meeting round-
tables, etc., and having another chance
to see leading industry manufacturers
along with competitors in a product/ed-
ucation setting are really great. Drawing
from $10-million plus endowment edu-
cation funds is really something. Having
a voice that speaks for all size companies
in Washington is priceless!
I may be the last guy left out there that
thinks like this, but if I was setting up a
company today of any kind, I’d make a
super-human effort to budget into my cost
of doing business the dues structure
needed for all national associations that
can have a positive affect on my business.
Then, I’d get involved to be sure I get
what I am paying for. You can and will
get more out of them than you put into
them if you get involved. It is easy to
complain about cost or structure from the
sideline. Getting involved and lending a
helping hand is very gratifying and pro-
duces good results — no matter how
many buying groups you belong to.
Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association
The PHCC (The Plumbing, Heating,
Cooling Contractors Association) —
mostly non-union contractors — has been
around and active since 1883! Their story
is like that of the MCAA (in my honest
opinion) from a “reason for being” point
of view. Their membership base has
strong needs for structure, education and
meaningful get together meetings to learn
from industry and one another. That
means manufacturers and contractors as
well. Their membership is some 3,600
open shop with some union contractors as
well. Their goals and priorities for 2010
cover three key areas:
• They will work with state and local
chapters, their education foundation, their
service groups to expand and diversify
education and training programs to new
markets and emerging technologies.
• They will work with Wash ington to
promote job creation, push the impor-
tance of the field impact their members
can have on water and energy efficiency,
and support continued lic ensing protec-
tion and education laws.
• Continued work in the service and
(Turn to Trade associations... page 70.)
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
If I was setting up acompany today of any kind,
I’d...budget into my cost of doing business the dues
structure needed for allnational associations
that can have a positive affect on my business.
70 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010MARTIN’S CORNERTrade associations: Your priceless resourcerepair sector to ensure quality and quan-
tity in their membership.
I’ve keyed today on ASA, MCAA and
PHCC because they relate so closely to
each others’ success in the plumbing and
mechanical markets, and they are the
ones I have had the longest and most suc-
cessful working relationship with. Some-
times I say to myself, “I get it. Why don’t
they?” At any given moment, they can be
a wholesale distributor that does not sup-
port ASA or just sometimes supports
them, or a contractor that doesn’t support
or use MCAA or PHCC like I think they
should. Why is that? Hold on, here I go
again believing in my opinion as I stated
earlier. Please remember that everyone is
entitled to an opinion when stated hon-
estly after a review of the available facts.
So note the following:
• The member wholesalers and all as-
sociated members of ASA have many
things in common, but a key “common
ground issue” is that a major part of their
customer base is the membership of
MCAA & PHCC.
• Now, wouldn’t ya know most manu-
facturers (commodity pro ducers for sure)
channel to all the contractors in MCAA
& PHCC through the wholesale distribu-
tor — meaning we all need each other to
simply get along and keep the supply
chain healthy.
• All three have very large and dynamic
Education Foundations. I was personally
involved in the grass roots efforts of the
start up work and “sweat equity” that was
put into the Karl Neupert Endowment
Fund (ASA), and the Mechanical Con-
tracting Education & Research Foundation
(MCERF) — both founded with $10 mil-
lion as the base fund. The Education Foun-
dation of the PHCC is just as solid and
focused on industry needs and grew to a
$10-million base fund as well. The key
point here is that these are funds raised at
the time by industry associations with your
interests in mind.
• Times have changed, but the founda-
tions’ intent and focus have not changed
over the years. They belong to us — all
of us, and are to be used to advance our
business culture, our people, and our mar-
ket place savvy, know what I mean?
So in summary, I’d like to say that at the
end of the day my friends, I can not fault
anyone for business decisions that are
made from the heart and for whatever you
believe is the best for your companies.
In addition, I believe strongly that we
all have a duty and an obligation to the
folks we work for first of all to support
and grow market share! I also believe
strongly that being in our industry is spe-
cial, and being part of our industry’s lead-
ing and legendary association groups is
simply a must. Paying dues to “be a part
of” is normal. Paying dues in good times
and bad times is important as far as I’m
concerned. Full participation and atten-
dance to shows and conventions is a call
shot from year to year depending on con-
ditions.
Even for me, there is a point where I
have to pull back with my recommenda-
tions so as not to give our management
reason to think that I’m totally nuts —
and when I think it is a good idea to say
enough is enough for now! We did not cut
our booth space or our commitment to
support the show, but we did cut the num-
ber of registrations, extra sponsorships,
etc., and were there with three less peo-
ple. lots of work, in deed, but the key cus-
tomer visits and dinners we had were
worth the trip. We took the same action
for this year’s MCAA convention in San
Francisco. We’ve done the same at all
buying group meetings, and other associ-
ations — but we have not changed our
membership support.
So, if this all sounded like an open
commercial for the ASA, MCAA or the
PHCC, it was! If you think I was or am
promoting membership in all of them,
you’d be right! The market will turn, the
need for up-to-date, state-of-the-art edu-
cation and electronic industry efforts will
once again take center stage — along
with just plain good ol’ management
practices and people management sys-
tems being needed. The national whole-
sale companies are no more exempt from
the need for formal training/education to
stay up to speed on market needs and
product specifications than the independ-
ent. People really make the difference at
the end of the day, don’t ya think? The
people rule applies to all companies, man-
ufacturers and associations.
(Continued from page 69.)
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Please, as I close, give some fresh
thought to your current position with your
important industry associations today. I’d
be glad to discuss any of them with you
and talk one on one with you if you’d
like. I’m a phone call away.
Finally, I want to say Happy Birthday
to The Wholesaler! Turning 65 is a mile-
stone and something to be proud of for
sure! Tom, to you and all the folks work-
ing at and supporting this magazine, I say
great industry work. Keep it up as we all
turn the corner together!
That’s it for now...see ya next time. n
Born Johnney e Martin in Venus,
Texas in 1944, he is one of nine children
raised 100% on a cotton and grain farm
that his father share-cropped. after high
school, Martin went into the army and
then Reserves. From there he joined what
was then Grinnell Co. in 1968 and has
been with them every day of his life since
then through four different owners, now
anvil Inter national, a Unit of Mueller
Water Products. he currently serves as
vice president of national account sales
for the anvil Mechanical Unit. holding
various sales and management positions
for the company over the years, Martin
has received numerous industry and as-
sociation awards and has been involved
with industry education foundation
boards, and the Board of Directors of
both asa and MCaa. Martin currently
resides in Castle Rock, Colo., with his
wife Kathy of 27 years; they have a
daughter Kayla who is 25 years old. he
is committed to staying involved in the
plumbing and PVF industry (which he
loves) for many years to come.
COMMERCE, CAlIF. — Pioneer Industries
Inc., which provides quality products to
the plumbing industry, has completed re-
structuring its company. In a move to
offer more value-engineered products and
customer service coverage, Pioneer has
spun off its highly popular kitchen and
bath fixtures for the residential builder
market to its recently established
Olympia Faucets Inc. headquartered in
Antioch, Tenn.
Under the Pioneer and Estate by Pio-
neer brand names, Pioneer Industries will
offer more decorative kitchen and bath fix-
tures with new proprietary designs, all-
brass construction, PVD finishes, and
ceramic disc technology allowing the com-
pany to grow its showroom business.
In anticipation of the restructure and the
many new and improved products, all man-
ufacturing was changed to comply with the
new lead-free regulations in California and
Vermont. All products under all Pioneer
companies and brands have been shipping
lead-free since the end of 2009.
Pioneer Industries Inc. has been provid-
ing quality products to the plumbing in-
dustry for nearly 30 years. Pioneer
Industries designs and manufactures dec-
orative kitchen and bath fixtures under its
Pioneer and Estate by Pioneer brands. The
Olympia Faucets subsidiary offers value-
engineered kitchen and bath fixtures.
Commercial-grade plumbing fixtures and
fittings are sold through its Central Brass
division in Brecksville, Ohio.
Visit www.pioneerind.com or www
.olympiafaucets.com or call 800/338-
9468.
Pioneer Industries completesrestructuring of company
MISSISSAUGA, ONT. — American Stan-
dard Brands Canada has relocated its
head office and consolidated major prod-
uct lines into one state-of-the-art 400,000-
square-foot distribution center.
The new corporate headquarters are lo-
cated at 5900 Avebury Ave. in Missis-
sauga. The main phone number is
905/949-4800; all phone numbers for all
departments remain the same. All exten-
sions remain the same but now include
the prefix #152, e.g.: Ext.#234 is now
Ext.#152234. In addition, all fax numbers
remain the same.
Visit www.americanstandard.com.
Am Std Canada moves to new HQ/Distribution Center
In addition, I believe strongly that we all have a duty andan obligation to the folks we work for first of all to supportand grow market share! I also believe strongly that being in
our industry is special, and being part of our industry’sleading and legendary association groups is simply a must.
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• • 71SHOWROOM STYLENavigating K/BIS 2010
A deeper look at gettingbetter show resultsT
here is no doubt that 2010 is a
challenging year for all of us in the
showroom industry. It will con-
tinue to require more focus, creativity and
going back to the basics of what works in
our showrooms.
Slim pickin’s require smart choicesThe Kitchen and Bath Industry Show
(www.kbis.com) April 16-18 in Chicago
is expected to draw about 30,000 people.
Show hours are Friday and Saturday,
10:00 am to 5:00 pm; and Sunday 10:00
am to 3:00 pm. About 500 exhibitors will
be housed in 300,000 square feet of ex-
hibit space in two halls.
Educational Venue at K/BIS 2010The Opening Ceremony will be held
April 16 from 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. and
is called “Disregard All Previous Instruc-
tions.” Author/consultant Sergio Zyman
will discuss “How today requires a com-
pletely new set of rules, competitive fac-
tors and unique propositions. Previous
practices or instructions are obsolete in
today’s marketplace and economy.” I read
the first 30 pages on my Kindle and it will
be a good event!
The educational venue operated by the
NKBA at K/BIS has always been held for
the K & B dealers excluding the
bath/plumbing and decorative hardware
dealers and distributors. Due to losing DPH
manufacturers and decreased attendee mar-
ket share, the exceptional efforts of Ken
Rohl, Hall of Famer, from Rohl llC, has
sponsored two great programs for product-
selling showrooms this years. On April 15
from 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., a pre-show
seminar called “Decorative Plumb ing: A
Systems Approach” will be hosted by Paul
Greenspan, who comes from 25 years of
decorative plumbing showroom experi-
ence. On April 16 from 12:00 p.m.–1:45
p.m., there will be a “Trends and Insights”
program hosted by Robert Tietze from The
Portland Group, who owns SPlASH and
four SPRITZO showroom locations in
New England. Their showroom mantra is:
“Use our showrooms like they were your
own! let our partnership save you money
and make you money!”
David Kohler, president and COO of
Kohler Company, will give a “State of the
Industry” address on April 17 from
12:15p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Called “The Road
Ahead for the Industry”, it surely will
have some steak n’sizzle!
Other NKBA programs, paid by man-
ufacturer sponsors, will have subjects that
should hold your interest such as green,
lighting, air quality, design trends, and
others that you should check out.
The NKBA Book Store is a great place
to find visual books that are exceptional
for your showroom. These books help
visitors determine the look and products
that they desire. The “Best of K/BIS
2010” Product Showcases is always a fun
place to see new products. Who will re-
place the crown of “The Best of Baths”
award for 2009, which was Quick Drain
USA (www.quickdrainusa.com). The
New ZOW Pavilion will showcase Euro-
pean products and design trends.
LUXE Home at The Merchandise MartOn the first floor of The Mer chandise
Mart is 110,000 square feet of kitchen, bath
and building products.
Magazines and associations have
booths at K/BIS 2010 and are of great
value! This Mart is a visual extravaganza
of 40 showrooms including Kohler,
Urban Arch aeology, Hastings, TOTO
USA, and a myriad of decorative show-
rooms for both bath, plumbing, kitchen
and much more! On April 16th is one of
the best kept secrets, with a giant celebra-
tion of Open House showrooms. If you
want to get great showroom merchandis-
ing ideas and see many of your lines dis-
played elegantly, take a quick cab ride to
The Merchandise Mart.
Trade and consumer magazinesOne of the greatest perks of K/BIS are
that the magazines and free subscriptions
are included in the “business to business
category.” Most of the magazines are not
assigned a booth until the middle of April
or at show time. I would suggest going on
www.kbis.com and clicking on “Ex hibitor
list” and then “Publi cations–Business to
Business” and “Publications–Consumer.”
last year I counted more than 21 magazine
booths. If you come to their booth with a
typed list of your other showrooms, you can
subscribe as a group. The “business to busi-
ness” magazines are free to anyone attend-
ing K/BIS who has been pre-qualified.
Make sure that you stop by the TMB Pub-
lications Booth; where The Wholesaler,
PhC News and Plumbing engineer maga-
zines are located! Also, make sure that you
register your staff to get The Wholesaler
magazine with my monthly showroom col-
umn. Did you know there are kiosks of free
industry magazines outside the show floor?
International ReceptionAttention Manufacturers: There are
many industry people from all over the
world at K/BIS 2010 looking for new lines.
A few years ago when the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce was involved in K/BIS, there
were bulletin boards from every continent
with “looking For lines” and “lines
Available.” I told my manufacturer clients
to have pre-printed 3” x 5” index cards with
all of your information, if you are looking
for global representation. Then you can
post them on each continent that you have
interest in. If you are really serious about
this subject, I’ve been involved “globally”
for many years, quietly, and have detailed
information on exceptional bath/ plumbing
and kitchen representation (reps, buy/sell
stocking, and distribution channels),
around the world!
China Manufacturers – Update for 2010There are much larger number of man-
ufacturers coming from China this year
along with newer American companies im-
porting products from China under Ameri-
can names. The Chinese manufacturers are
now interspersed throughout the show.
look for manufacturers from China that
have the “ISO Quality Certi fication.” There
are exceptional finds at K/BIS 2010.
What’s new and hotDue to the date of the K/BIS 2010 Show
and a slower pace in new bath and plumb-
ing products, I will be writing about this
subject in the May, June and July monthly
columns of The Wholesaler. Don’t forget
to review the New Product Showcase in
this month’s magazine to see some very in-
teresting and innovative products. I am sure
you remember the “Fish N’ Flush” Fish
Tank Toilet Tank showcased some years
ago. This year, we got The “WOW Toilet”
(Booth S-4464), a clear universal reusable
poster design toilet tank that fits most two-
piece toilets. There are a wide variety of
posters that can be ordered and it is ideal
for commercial, restaurants and other ap-
plications. This product comes complete
with a certified dual flush system for water
savings as well. You will have to read the
June 2010 edition of The Wholesaler to
find out what was “really hot” at K/BIS
2010 and “what was not”! n
Peter schor, president of Dynamic Re-
sults Inc, is a bath/plumbing industry
speaker, educator, author, columnist and
consultant in the many segments of our in-
dustry. For the past 20 years, he conducted
seminars and speaks at numerous conven-
tions. schor has great expertise in the field
of showrooms and hotel bathrooms and
has won many industry awards. he also
consults manufacturers in taking their
products to market in the areas of sales,
marketing and public relations. schor can
be reached at 1302 longhorn lane, lin-
coln, Ca. 95648, phone 916/408-5346,
fax: 916/408-5899. e-mail pschor@dy-
namicresultsinc.com or visit his website:
www.dynamicresultsonline.com.
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
The “WoW Toilet” has a clear, universal, reusable poster design toilet tank that fits most
two-piece toilets and is just the thing for commercial, restaurant or institutional applica-
tions. a wide variety of posters are available for most whims.
Green Restaurant Assn endorses Bradford White water heatersAMBlER, PA. – Bradford White® has
earned the endorsement of the Green
Restaurant Association for both the Ultra-
Efficient eF Series® of commercial water
heaters and Energy-Saving line of Ever-
Hot® tankless water Heaters. The eF Se-
ries utilizes exclusive designs and
technologies for unsurpassed efficiency,
installation flexibility and quiet operation.
These products have thermal efficiencies
as high as 99.1%. The new EverHot® tan-
kless water heaters offer energy effi-
ciency in a compact but powerful
package. The water is heated on demand
at flow rates up to 9.4 gallons per minute.
The Green Restaurant Association en-
dorses products that exemplify environ-
mental leadership in their category and
meet the GRA Product Endorsement
Standards. GRA’s environmental consult-
ants work hand in hand with manufactur-
ers to assess their products and give them
GRA’s endorsement stamp of approval.
Since 1990, the GRA has been helping
restaurants cut energy, water and waste
costs. The GRA has been instrumental in
helping restaurants realize that environ-
mental responsibility can equal fiscal
gain. Some Certified Green Restaurants®
save thousands of dollars each year, and
through the help of GRA consultants, are
able to access rebates, incentives and
other money saving programs.
Bradford White is a full line manufac-
turer of residential, commercial and in-
dustrial products for water heating, space
heating, combination heating and storage
applications.
Visit www.bradfordwhite.com.
First Windy City facility for Munch’s Supply
72 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010INDUSTRY NEWS
(Continued from Munch, page 1.)
customer’s needs. “At Munch’s Supply,
we are committed to the success of the in-
dependent HVAC contractor. We demon-
strate that commitment every day by
giving them the convenient locations
needed to operate efficiently and the tools
they need to make their business a suc-
cess. This new Chicago facility is just an-
other concrete example of this commit-
ment,” said Munch. “Many contractors
are struggling to compete with big box
appliance retailers who are venturing into
the HVAC industry. These retailers repre-
sent the biggest threat to today’s inde-
pendent contractor. We stand on the side
of the contractor and are resolved to fight
this new threat.”
Munch Chicago will offer one of the
largest stocks of radiant equipment and
supplies in Chicago. “We carry several
different brands of boilers ranging from
extremely cost effective to super-efficient
and environmentally friendly systems. If
you need pumps, we have over 2,000
pumps in stock. Our stock is unbeatable,”
said Munch.
Munch Chicago also has a large on-
site education center. This will allow
the company to offer hands-on training
by the leaders of our industry on the
most cutting edge and energy efficient
products.
The Chicago branch can be reached di-
rectly by phone at 773/ 360-5959 or by
fax at 773/248-0131.
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Munch Chicago’s new 55,000-square-foot location has a large on-site education center
and one of the city’s largest stocks of radiant equipment and supplies.
Grundfos solidifies commitmentto U.S. market with Texas facility
(Continued from Grundfos, page 1.)
cial Building Services (formally PACO
Pumps), and will be home to the PES di-
vision of Peerless Pump Company.
“With the acquisition of PACO Pumps
in 2006, Peerless Pumps in 2007 and the
most recent acquisition of Yeomans
Chicago Corporation in 2008, we bought
these businesses as a sign of our commit-
ment to the North America market and
now, the Grundfos North American busi-
ness has grown both organically and
through these acquisitions, by a factor of
three,” Jes Munk Hansen, managing di-
rector of North America for Grundfos,
told team members and VIPs at the grand
opening. “We also made a commitment to
investing in the businesses we acquire; in-
vestments in people, machinery and the
buildings. I am proud to see the most re-
cent of these investments, this wonderful
new building. I am pleased to stand here
amongst you with the excellent examples
of the highly engineered systems that are
made here.”
The PES facility will continue its focus
upon the design and manufacture of pre-
packaged fire pump systems. “A near
50% gain in square footage will definitely
aid in our growth ambitions,” said Arron
Phillips, PES general manager. “Our
proximity to the Grundfos facility will not
only support with our integration activi-
ties, but allow us to take full advantage of
the synergy that exists within our prod-
ucts and our talented group of employees.
And Andrew Warrington, president of
Peerless, added, “It says a great deal about
Grundfos, Peerless and our people that we
can move a facility nearly 30 miles and re-
tain virtually every employee.”
The nearly $4-million facility will be
home to 32 highly skilled workers includ-
ing engineers, machinists, welders and
electrical professionals.
Visit www.grundfos.us and www
.peerlesspump.com.
Perrin(Continued from KITZ, page 1.)
construction include WCB, titanium,
hastelloy, and various stainless and other
special alloys.
KITZ intends to expand Perrin’s sales
and marketing globally not only in its tra-
ditional HPI markets but also in other
markets currently served by Perrin includ-
ing the iron, steel, aluminum and cement
industries, power plants, offshore plat-
forms, and LNG.
KITZ Corp. of America will be respon-
sible for sales and marketing of Perrin
products throughout North and South
America.
“It says a great dealabout Grundfos, Peerlessand our people, that wecan move a facility nearly
30 miles and retainvirtually every employee.”
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• •73
SMART MANAGEMENT
(Continued from page 8.)
3. Most wholesalers only use a small
percentage of the inventory manage-
ment tools in their computer system —
Admittedly, in some instances this is
proper but, in most situations wholesalers
can do a better job using some of the
analysis, inventory management and pur-
chasing tools that they already license.
As I consult with wholesalers, very
few of the inventory and purchasing sys-
tems’ settings have been changed signifi-
cantly since the system was first installed.
While it is statistically possible that the
system was configured perfectly upon in-
stallation, it is more likely that no one has
reviewed the settings since installation.
Possibly because they do not understand
how the system works and how to get it
tuned up to run well. Getting your inven-
tory management system “dialed-in” can
allow you to run with leaner inventory
and less manpower.
4. Adopt an NBOO (Never be out of)
philosophy for the critical 200-300
products and make it a corporate sin to
ever be out of those products in any lo-
cation — Never ever. This is one of the
key components in proving to your cus-
tomers that you really know how to run a
supply house. Many of the computer sys-
tems in our industry have the ability to
denote these special products and to add
safety stock to prevent the horrible disas-
ter of running out of the basics like PVC
cement or 40-gallon water heaters.
• Go after your money. That’s the
money that you lent to your customers so
they could complete their jobs but didn’t
pay you after they collected for those jobs.
1. Many wholesalers treat the good
honorable customers the same as the
scoundrels — Be respectful of the honor-
able guys because they are your future —
Be stern with the guys who need a wake-
up call because some of them are your fu-
ture. Play hardball with the bad guys to get
your money and convince them to be part
of another wholesaler’s future.
2. Face-to-face meetings are an im-
portant part of good credit management
— I am not the fan of the “call-the-
customer-to-the-principals-office” style
credit managers. They make the customer
come in and grovel over their past-due ac-
count. These are expedient but often leave
a bitter taste in the customer’s mouth.
(Note: I think you even treat the scoundrels
with respect when there is a choice.)
3. The best meetings involve visits to
your customers’ shops — Both to get
commitments and also take the opportu-
nity to see, first-hand, how the shops look.
These have the side benefit of treating the
customer with respect. And while you
may be upset with the customer, in the end
you may want them to remain a customer
for the long term. The idea is to, when
possible, have the customer wanting to
continue buying from you even though
you may ultimately decide to end the re-
lationship.
4. While this may sound old-fash-
ioned, I do not think the e-mail-only
credit managers that have become the
norm in wholesaling are the best — I
do think e-mail confirmations and com-
munications are great, but they are not the
substitute for customer phone calls, office
meetings and shop visits.
5. The very best credit managers de-
velop a relationship wherein they can
coach the customers — The goal it to
help them adopt better practices and to
become better business risks.
• Take the opportunity to get better
credit agreements in place. I know your
customers like the old one where you fi-
nance their business, have no say in how it
is run, sell them product at low margins and
end up holding the bag if there are prob-
lems. I used to say that no banker would
offer those terms, but as we have all come
to know, there were a whole bunch of stu-
pid bankers who did much dumber things.
One last thought — As I write this, I
am attending the P21 World Wide User
Group meeting in Washington. (Thanks to
Don Preston and the WWUG team for a
great meeting.) Their guest speaker was
Colonel Oliver North who provided the
following disappointing information:
While the unemployment rate for our
country is just under 10%, the unemploy-
ment rate for returning military personnel
is around 25%. These are volunteer men
and women who have spent more time in
combat situations than any other group in
the history of our military. That our coun-
try seems to reject them as they return
from service is appalling. So as your com-
pany recovers and begins to hire, please
consider these men and women for your
team. While you may not need the spe-
cific skill they used in the military, their
organizational skills, work ethic and lead-
ership experience do translate very di-
rectly into the needs of our industry.
As I said at the start, the odds have cer-
tainly changed in our industry and that
means success is no longer as assured.
There are things you can do to improve
your odds so pick a couple from the list
above or a couple from your own list and
get going. n
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Get focused, form a solidstrategy and stick with it
Rich Schmitt is president of SchmittConsulting Group Inc., a manage-ment consulting firm focused on im-proving the profitability ofdistribution and manufacturingclients.www.go-scg.com
Rich is also the co-owner of SchmittProfitTools Inc. (SPI), a business pro-ducing print, CD-ROM, web andpalm-based catalogs as well as pric-ing management and analysis soft-ware for wholesalers.www.go-spi.com
We have this grand tradition of
heating here in the U.S. of A.
that goes back to the days when
heating was new and people didn’t use
pumps to move hot water because, well,
they had not yet been invented. We used
gravity instead, and gravity is wonderful
because it is so dependable. Heavy things,
such as cold water, sink, so when the hot
water rose from the boiler, it would shove
the cold water that was inside the radiators
out of the way, and before long, we had a
lovely circulation set up — hot water ris-
ing, cold water sinking, and continuous cir-
culation to warm the people. Nice.
To make this happen, we needed to
have pipes of a large size because friction
is the enemy of flowing water, so those
old systems had hefty pipes into which
you could yodel, should the spirit so
move you. The big pipes on the supply
side matched the big pipes on the return
side, and all of this made for a lot of
work, a lot of money and a lot of water.
The pumps finally arrived, and at
about the same time as the Great Depres-
sion. People realized they could make the
water move faster (thereby saving money
on coal) if they used a pump, so onto the
systems the pumps went, and the place
they seemed to work best was on the re-
turn side of the system piping, down there
where the water was coolest. Don’t want
to be burning up that new pump with red-
hot boiler water. So down at the bottom
they went, and down there they stayed.
And these were big pumps, with packing
glands that dribbled water into drains, and
manly motors that sucked up oil and elec-
tricity like beer at a ballgame.
The 1970s showed up, and with the
new decade came small pumps that ran
on high speed and needed no oil because
the system water lubricated the bearings.
We loved these little pumps because they
got the job done well and they cost much
less than their big, beefy, old uncles. They
needed no drains and they were as quiet
as can be, and when we changed them
out, we placed them in the same spot as
the old beasts — down at the bottom of
the piping, even though water tempera-
ture was no longer a factor.
And that led to some interesting prob-
lems because of the greater pressure dif-
ferential of the new pumps. Radiators that
never had a problem before suddenly
began to bind with air, and pipes that
were once quiet were now gurgling. Air
was causing all of this, but where was it
coming from?
It took a while to figure out, but we fi-
nally got it through our thick skulls that it
was the location of the pump that was
giving us grief. We were all pumping to-
ward the compression tank, and not away
from it, and that was allowing the pump’s
now-greater differential pressure to play
with the dissolved air in the water. Here’s
what it’s all about.
Consider the closed-loop, hot-water
heating system. We fill the pipes, boiler
and radiators with cold water, leaving no
space at all, other than the space inside
the compression tank, on the other side of
the bladder. That bladder gives the water
a place to expand when we heat it. We
need the tank because we can’t compress
water; we can only compress air. Now
when we fill any system, we use a defi-
nite amount of water, so let’s take a case
where we fill a certain system using pre-
cisely 40 quarts of water.
Okay, here’s the question: When the
pump first starts, does it shove any water
into the compression-tank?
If you say yes, I’m going to have to ask
you where it got the water that it’s shov-
ing. And if you tell me the pump got the
water from inside the pipes, I’m going to
have to ask you what took the place of the
water that used to be in the pipe, but is
now supposedly inside the tank. If you
tell me that air has taken the place of the
now-missing water inside the pipe, we’re
both going to have to wonder from
whence the air came. Keep in mind that
this is a closed system.
Truth is, it’s impossible, within a closed
system, for the pump to add water to the
tank, and since it can’t do that, it can’t
change the pressure inside the tank (be-
cause of Boyle’s Law). Nor can the pump
remove any water from the tank because
there’s simply no place to put it. The pipes
and the radiators are already completely
full, and we can’t compress water.
A pump in a closed system can neither
add nor remove a drop of water from the
compression tank, and since it can’t do
this, it can’t affect the pressure inside the
tank. Old Boyle’s Law at work here.
That’s why we call the tank “the point of
no pressure change.” Whatever pressure
you use to maintain the system in a filled
and operating condition, that pressure will
be a constant at the point where the tank
is, and in the pipe that connects the take
to the distribution system.
Now a centrifugal pump in a closed
system is nothing more than a differen-
HEATING HELP
Whither thepumps?BY DAN
HOLOHAN
Wet head
(Turn to Holohan, page 74.)
We do have our share ofknuckleheads [who] persist inpiping the pumps on the returnside so that they pump right atthe compression tank, in spiteof the air problems this causes.
74 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
tial-pressure machine. It must produce a
difference in pressure across itself, but it
doesn’t particularly care how it does this.
It can raise the pressure on its discharge,
or lower the pressure at its suction, or
split the difference between the two; it re-
ally doesn’t care. However, since the
compression tank is the one point in the
system where the pressure can never
change, when we pump away from the
tank, we will add the pump’s differential
pressure to the system’s fill pressure. This
is splendid because Henry’s Law kicks in
to help us get rid of the air that comes
from the heated water (Henry’s Law
states that gases dissolve in liquids in di-
rect proportion to pressure). We use the
pump’s differential pressure to pulverize
the air bubbles and move them out of the
radiators and pipes and into the air vent
on start-up. Whoosh! They’re gone.
But pipe the pump on the return side,
pumping directly toward the compression
tank’s point of no pressure change, and
the opposite happens. The pump can’t
raise its discharge pressure because the
tank is the point of no pressure change, so
the pump creates its differential pressure
by lowering the pressure at its suction
side. Once again, Henry’s Law kicks in,
but not in a nice way this time. Henry
lowers the pressure on the water, releas-
ing all the dissolved gases, and turning
tiny bubbles into balloons, and all in an
instant. Suddenly the pipes are noisy and
the radiators are bound with air.
And this is what we lived with for
years in the U.S. of A. Nowadays, smart
installers know to pipe pumps on the sup-
ply side of the boiler, pumping away from
the compression tank. However, we do
have our share of knuckleheads, and these
proud people persist in piping the pumps
on the return side so that they pump right
at the compression tank, in spite of the air
problems this causes. And do you know
why they do this? It’s because this is the
way their grandfathers did it. And they
will try anything new — as long as he
tried it first. n
Dan Holohan began his love affair with
heating systems in 1970 by going to work
for a New York-based manufacturers rep-
resentative that was deeply involved in the
steam and hot-water heating business. He
studied hard, prowled many basements and
attics with seasoned old-timers, and paid
close attention to what they had to say.
Today, Holohan operates the popular web-
site, www.HeatingHelp.com. He has writ-
ten hundreds of columns for a number of
trade magazines, as well as 15 books on
subjects ranging from steam and hot water
heating, to teaching technicians. His de-
gree is in Sociology, which Holohan be-
lieves is the perfect preparation for a
career in heating. Holohan has taught over
200,000 people at his seminars. He is well
known for his entertaining, anecdotal style
of speaking. Holohan lives on Long Island
with his wife, The Lovely Marianne. They
have four incredible daughters, all out in
the world and doing wonderful things.
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
(Continued from page 73.)
Circulator pumps: More than meets the eye
Caroma products available for Autodesk RevitHILLSBORO, ORE. – Caroma has intro-
duced a new section of the website with
AutoDesk Revit files available (.RFA) for
all Caroma products.
Revit is a building information mod-
eling tool enabling architects to design
and document projects, visualize the ap-
pearance, and simulate real-world per-
formance. Architects can review the
specifications of Caroma products and
place them in a project to ensure the pa-
rameters meet the project requirement
and the design is appropriate. Revit also
makes it easy to try several products in
a project by simply removing one prod-
uct and replacing it with another prod-
uct. The entire project can be updated at
one time.
“As much of the architectural world
turns to using Revit as the modeling sys-
tem of choice, Caroma is aiding this tran-
sition,” explained John Karas, Caroma
product manager. “Caroma provides ar-
chitects with comprehensive Revit models
of their fixtures so they can easily be
added to entire building models. This
helps architects gain a more comprehen-
sive graphical and functional understand-
ing of all the elements of their project.”
Visit www.caromausa.com.
HEATING HELP
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• •75
Southland(Continued from page 13.)
continue to try our best to increase our
market penetration and deal with the
competitive pricing situation that has be-
come the norm these days. I’m confident
we can weather this downturn. I’ve seen
four or five cycles during my years in
business, and I know it’s going to cycle
back again. With my family backing me
up and taking an active part in the busi-
ness, and having the same dreams and
ideals that I have, I’m confident in the
future of the company.” n
To learn more, visit www.southland-
plumbingsupply.com.
John Vinturella founded Southland
Plumbing Supply in 1967 at the un-
likely age of 52. A plumber by trade, he
had a difficult time early on getting lines
to support him. Many of the factories
and some of his local competition were
skeptical if he was truly dedicated to
being a plumbing wholesaler, or still a
plumber just trying to buy at wholesale
prices. Initially, many of his purchases
were made from friendly competitors.
“At the time, my dad was one of the
more successful plumbers in town and
had two partners,” Alan Vinturella said.
“I think in the back of his head he felt
like the opportunity was much better for
his three sons in the wholesale business.
I think he believed if he could get a busi-
ness going it would be something that he
could hand down to his children.”
When Alan joined the business in
1972, the company had five employees
and operated out of a 2,000-square-foot
building. Kilgore was their first fixture
line and Price Pfister was Southland’s
first faucet vendor. Alan’s younger
brother, Gary, came into the business full
time in 1974, and his older brother John
joined them in 1975, although neither is
in the business anymore.
Alan graduated from LSU with a de-
gree in chemical engineering, and during
his senior year had already accepted a
job with Monsanto in Pensacola, Fla.
“Over the Easter holiday that year, my
father offered me a job,” Alan noted. “I
was all set to go to Monsanto. They had
offered me a great starting salary and I
knew there would be numerous oppor-
tunities for future growth. But my dad
was very persuasive, so I asked Mon-
santo to give me six months to decide if
I wanted to sell toilets for a living. I’m
still here, so needless to say, the six
months came and went, and I decided to
build this business with my dad.”
Shortly after Alan came on board,
Southland was named a Kohler distrib-
utor, and they moved into a 10,000-
square-foot facility that included a
Kohler showroom.
“We took an 800-square-foot storage
room on the second floor of a dilapi-
dated old roller skating rink and turned
that into our showroom,” Alan laughed.
“You had to take your life into your
hands by climbing an iron staircase on
the outside of the building to get to the
showroom. We had a couple of tubs and
toilets and maybe all of $10,000 in fix-
tures on display. That building served as
our headquarters and showroom until
1979 when we moved to our current fa-
cility in Metairie.”
Mona Vinturella — who grew up next
door to Alan and has been married to
him since 1973 — holds a design degree
from LSU and had her own interior de-
sign business. In recent years, she has
become indispensable at Southland, not
only with the showroom but throughout
the company. Her calm presence and in-
sightful ideas have earned her great re-
spect from all the employees, and high
praise from her husband.
They are now joined by two of their
three children in the business — the
third is a student at the College of
Charleston, and although Robb may be
interested in a career at Southland in the
future, Alan and Mona believe it is im-
portant for him to gain experience else-
where first.
Chad Vinturella had been in the restau-
rant industry for about 10 years and was
starting to consider some other options
when his father called in 2003 and sug-
gested he might want to come back and
join Southland. “It was perfect timing,”
Chad said. “I only had to think about it for
20 minutes. I never thought Southland
would be my future; I had spent summers
working in the warehouse during school
and hated it. But I’m so glad that I chose
to come back because it really does feel
like the right fit for me.”
Loni Vinturella joined Southland in
2008. She had previously worked for
Enterprise and came with a good re-
sume. But when her parents sensed that
she wasn’t enjoying her career, they felt
the time was right to find the right posi-
tion for her at Southland and have her
join them in the business as well.
“It’s been wonderful to have our chil-
dren join us here at the business,” Mona
noted. “I want them to be part of South-
land and its future — and to be happy
here. I want to protect them from the pit-
falls of the family business. We’re all here
for one reason and that is to keep this
company running, be profitable and work
together with all of our employees.”
Alan agreed: “It’s very rewarding to
have our children come back to the com-
pany. Prior to Chad coming to work
here, I had no exit strategy because I
would just do everything myself. There
was literally no doubt in my mind that if
something happened to me there would
be no more Southland. I was the only
point of contact with our factories and
the bank; I had never trained anybody to
do that part of the business.
“Now that Mona has gotten so in-
volved and with Chad and Loni here it’s
much more of a comfortable feeling.
However, our children realize they are
employees, they are not owners. We are
all a team; there is no entitlement here. I
can now sense that there is a legacy and
a future here without me. Now I am con-
fident that Southland will prosper long
into the future.” n
• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
It all started with a dream…
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF. — Noritz
Americax Corporation has partnered up
with Energy Star to offer a nationwide re-
bate of up to $400, according to Yoshi
Asano, Noritz America senior marketing
manager.
The Energy Star Appliance Rebate is a
program that offers homeowners the abil-
ity to earn additional savings of $150 to
$400 (dollar amount determined on the
state in which they live in), by simply re-
placing and recycling their old tank water
heater after purchasing a Noritz Energy
Star-rated model.
“With the existing Stimulus Tax Cred-
its that can amount to $1,500 on the pur-
chase of a new Noritz unit, the Energy
Star Rebate only adds to the savings when
you recycle your old water heater,” said
Asano. “In total, consumers can save up-
wards of $2,000 in addition to cutting
their energy bills by up to 40%. We are
proud to partner with Energy Star on this
important rebate.”
The federal tax credit for tankless
water heaters was modified as of Febru-
ary 17 by the Stimulus Package. The tax
credit is now 30% of the price of the
equipment by itself (it was formerly a flat
$300) and 30% of the total installation
costs, and is available to consumers
through the end of 2010.
Call 877/986-6748 or visit
www.noritz.com.
Noritz models qualifyfor Energy Star rebate
Steam goes greenwith Holohan’s new book
INDUSTRY NEWS
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Dan Holohan’s
new book, Greening Steam: How to
Bring 19th-Century Heating Systems into
the 21st Century (and save lots of green!),
is helping heating professionals and
homeowners save energy — and money.
According to Holohan, author and presi-
dent of HeatingHelp.com, “When it
comes to saving money on heating, old
steam systems are delicious low-hanging
fruit. There is so much you can do to
make them better, and most of what you
do won?t cost a fortune.”
There are many steam systems in serv-
ice today, and they’ll be around for some
time to come. It’s not that easy (or inex-
pensive) to rip out a steam system and
start anew, and that’s why so many of
them are still around. Holohan’s book
walks you through your old steam heating
system and shows you how to get the
most out of it without putting a lot of
money into it. It’s an entertaining and in-
formative book that will have you looking
at steam heating in a whole new light.
You’ll be amazed at how small changes
can make a big difference when it comes
to efficiency and savings. Read this book
and start greening your steam heating sys-
tem (and your wallet) today!
Readers have given this book a consis-
tent five out of five stars in reviews on
HeatingHelp.com. Daniel G. of Abilene
Inc. says the book “is packed with all of
the information any heating professional
or steam heat homeowner will ever need
to get a steam system operating at peak
efficiency.” After applying knowledge
gained from Greening Steam to a recent
job, Bob L. of Guardian Heating said,
“We have been in business for 57 years
and I guarantee you we as a company
were never prouder of a job.”?
To purchase the book for just $30 a
copy, visit www.heatinghelp.com or call
800/853-8882.
Refrigerant Services Inc.acquired by Polar TechnologyNASHVILLE, TENN. — Polar Technology,
known as the “Refrigerant Authority,” has
purchased Missouri-based Refrigerant
Services Inc. RSI provides recovery serv-
ices in a specialized section of the indus-
try, tailored toward large industrial
refrigeration accounts, such as chemical
plants and process cooling facilities. The
acquisition is seen as a strategic comple-
ment to Polar Technology’s strength as a
refrigerant sales and reclamation and re-
cycling company.
Polar has one of the largest refrigerant
recovery cylinder exchange programs in
the industry. In addition, Polar markets a
complete line of virgin and recertified re-
frigerants, refrigerant and oil analysis
programs, provides recovery and rental
services as well as conducts oil and sol-
vent reclamation.
“Polar made this investment as we
strive to grow our business and enter the
field of direct refrigerant recovery sup-
port,” said Ted Atwood, president/
founder of Polar Technology. “We feel
that this purchase will not only broaden
our customer base and focus our re-
sources, but will further allow us to
broaden our environmental stewardship
programs, of which we are extremely
proud.”
Refrigerant Services has been instru-
mental in developing a special sector of
the industry, large industrial refrigeration
accounts. They have developed an exclu-
sive position in this area, due to the chal-
lenges and technical expertise required to
perform such work. The specialized tech-
nology will now be transferred to Polar
Technology’s new facility in California.
Polar Technology will continue to support
the needs and requirements of the Refrig-
erant Services customers. Shannon Arthur
will remain involved as the account man-
ager for Refrigerant Services clients.
Visit www.refrigerantauthority.com.
76 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
ket research, we discovered a void within
the residential market segment and set
about developing this new line that in-
cludes stainless steel features and digital
temperature controls.
HomeAdvantage products adjust the
power applied to their heating modules to
maximize energy savings by sensing inlet
water temperature and flow rate. In addi-
tion, these units make it easy to adjust your
exact comfort setting with a finger-tip con-
trol pad and temperature LED display. Se-
lectable operating range can be set from
100°F to 140°F. The HomeAdvantage
product line features simple installation
with “quick connect” water fittings without
soldering. To match today’s appliance
trend, the units come standard in a modern
stainless steel enclosure.
MJM: Has Eemax rolled out any
other new products recently?
Siegel: Eemax has begun producing
heaters for safety shower applications
used in production applications. With tra-
ditional water heaters, the water for safety
showers is constantly heated, even though
they’re only used in emergencies. You
can take our product and place it next to
the safety equipment, so when you need
water at a precise temperature in an un-
likely event of an emergency, it turns on
and heats the water instantly, instead of
heating the water all the time with a tra-
ditional tank style heater. The Eemax unit
used in this application will create
tremendous energy and cost savings.
MJM: Could you please share what
you think are the most significant benefits
and capabilities of the Eemax ETWH?
Ruppelt: We’re all familiar with the
process. When in need of hot water,
faucets usually have to be turned on and
run for quite some time before warming
up – with valuable water and energy
going down the drain. Estimates show
20% of the country’s hot water goes down
the drain unused.
Eemax wants to revolutionize the water
heater industry with products that heat
water instantly. Our ETWH save users
more than just water and energy — they
save our customers money. The unique
thing about our product is that they are
able to be located close to the point of use.
So instead of having a tank-style water
heater in the basement or utility room,
customers can put ours close to where the
hot water is used – showers, bathtubs,
vanities, washing machines, dishwashers,
and kitchen sinks. With our ETWH at the
point of use, water can be heated at a des-
ignated location or they will boost hot
water until it arrives from and existing tra-
ditional water tank heater.
MJM: So how exactly do your ETWH
work?
Ruppelt: Water is heated directly with-
out the use of a traditional storage tank that
is commonly found in the basement or util-
ity rooms. Traditional storage tank water
heaters will run and reheat water even
when not in use – costing users money and
consuming energy. At the same time, water
temperature is lost while sitting and trav-
eling through the pipes.
With the Eemax line, when a hot water
tap is turned on, cold water travels
through a pipe into the unit. An electric
element heats the water immediately with
minimal wait time to the desired temper-
ature. As a result, the Eemax ETWH de-
livers a constant supply of hot water
while being “green” at the same time. You
never run out of hot water.
MJM: How important are your rela-
tionships with wholesalers?
Dokla: Eemax focuses on the whole-
sale channel and does not sell direct to
consumers or to Big Box retailers. Rather,
we prefer to partner with the local experts
— wholesalers. We support our whole-
salers by shipping order within two to
three days of order receipt. We have just
launched a new marketing campaign to
assist our wholesalers get the word out on
Eemax ETWH models. We’ve developed
a turn-key program utilizing Personalized
URLs where Eemax manages all of the
creative and delivery; all the wholesaler
has to do is say “yes” and the program is
launched. It’s that simple.
MJM: Do you use factory salespeople
or have independent manufacturers’
reps?
Siegel: Eemax utilizes both a direct
sales team and manufacturers’ reps. The
direct sales team focuses on the larger cus-
tomers and provides support to the manu-
facturers’ reps. We use manufacturers’ reps
because of their local knowledge of the in-
dustry and customers. They know where
the jobs are! Also, we have a vibrant export
business where we ship products to 30
counties outside the U.S., thus creating
green collar jobs within the U.S.
MJM: What steps are you taking to
achieve Energy Star certification and
educate the public on your high effi-
ciency levels?
Dokla: While Eemax heaters are one
of the most efficient ways to heat water –
99% efficient – they’re not widely known
yet. And while we’ve seen sales grow for
a number of years, we must continue to
keep working on getting the word out.
Our products are currently not Energy
Star certified, primarily because the
heaters are not well-known. Once people
realize the advantages of such heaters
they wonder why they are not Energy Star
certified. But our team is dedicated to ed-
ucating the public on the benefits of
ETWH. Our partners are motivated and
dedicated to selling and marketing our
products. Our products are available at
plumbing wholesalers across the nation,
so we have excellent distribution and cus-
tomers who have experienced growth by
selling our products.
We are also putting our competitive
spirit aside to join forces with competitors
to educate potential customers on the
heaters’ value. The Coalition of Efficient
Electric Tankless Water Heaters is work-
ing with the Environmental Protection
Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, non-
government organizations, and the Air-
Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration
Institute to spread the word. The goal of
the Coalition is to convey the savings po-
tential of ETWH. Eemax believes the
Coalition will help the company’s prod-
ucts receive Energy Star certification.
The Coalition was formed by well-
known industry-leading companies. Its
leadership team consists of our very own
Kevin Ruppelt, Coalition chairman and
Salo Zelermyer, Coalition director and
associate with Bracewell & Guiliani.
The Coalition is represented by
Bracewell & Guiliani, a highly success-
ful Washington, D.C., firm with out-
standing credentials and expertise in the
energy industry.
MJM: Can you share any information
going forward on your strategic long-range
planning? What are the key focus areas of
the plan?
Ruppelt: Despite the recession,
Eemax has experienced growth in recent
years, and has a strategic plan to keep
growing the company. Our goal is to
triple the company’s size.
In addition to developing new innova-
tive products, Eemax’s growth was bol-
stered by an investment in September
2008 from Riverside Company, a private
equity company. Riverside invests in
strong companies primed to excel, with a
plan that will leave them substantially
larger and more profitable. With Eemax,
Riverside saw an opportunity to invest in
a company with great products and great
people. From that investment, we are
reinvesting in our company. We’re invest-
ing in new products, new leadership, as-
sembly lines automation, and enhanced
sales and marketing techniques. n
For additional information, visit www
.eemaxinc.com.
Electric tankless waterheaters a growing market
(Continued from page 14.)
Our partners are motivated and dedicated to selling and marketingour products. Our products are available at plumbing wholesalers
across the nation, so we have excellent distribution and customers who have experienced growth by selling our products.
Tankless Tech
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• •77WATER HEATING
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
Electric hybridThe VOLTEX™ Hy-
brid electric water
heater integrates a
new heat pump tech-
nology that makes it
more than twice as
efficient as a stan-
dard electric water
heater. Rated at 2.3
EF, it’s the only elec-
tric water heater that
is ENERGY STAR
rated and eligible for
a federal tax credit
up to $1,500. One of
four new families of
residential water
heaters. A.O. Smith.
www.aosmith.com
On demand domestic hot waterThe new ODW is available in 4 capacities
from 99,000 Btuh to 199,000 Btuh, for
performance and effi-
ciency plus the com-
fort of on-demand
domestic water. Users
will never run out of
hot water again. Ben-
efits include energy
savings and space
savings because all of
the units are wall
hung. With revolu-
tionary S line Heat exchangers, units can
reach efficiency levels over 92%, which
qualify for the 30% federal tax rebate. Be-
cause this unit is condensing, it can be
vented with schedule 40 PVC. Quietside.
www.quietside.com
Hybrid water heatersThe Condensing Hybrid improves the technological advance-
ments of the original hybrid water heater but in a smaller, more
efficient and every bit as powerful unit. Patented full-flow de-
sign and stainless steel heat exchanger with a built-in 2-gal re-
serve. Can be wall mounted or floor standing with water
connections on unit’s top. Vented with 2" or 3" PVC up to 100
ft. Eternal Hybrid Water Heaters.
www.eternalwaterheater.com
New tankless technologyAs a leader in tankless water heating technology, this manu-
facturer popularized the combination of tankless technology
and safe, reliable concentric venting in North America. They
now introduce a new line of Concentric Venting with a
polypropylene (PP) inner pipe exclusively for their ultra-effi-
cient condensing products. The condensing PP concentric vent-
ing offers superior safety and a more cost effective choice for
venting condensing appliances. Rinnai.
www.rinnai.us.
Electric tankless water heatersThe HomeAdvantage Series is a full line
of whole house electric tankless water
heaters with thermostatic control. With
“Quick-Connect” fittings, these space-
saving devices are
easy to install, ac-
tivate instantly
and deliver an
endless supply
of hot water to
any point of use.
HomeAdvantage products are 99% en-
ergy efficient – an ideal eco-conscious so-
lution for new construction and green
home renovations. Made in the USA,
lead-free and feature stainless-steel con-
struction. Eemax.
www.eemax.com
New tankless lineEverHot® tankless water heaters offer en-
ergy efficiency in a
compact but powerful
package, with flow
rates up to 9.4 gpm. 6
models available (3
interior and 3 exte-
rior) in natural or LP
gas with maximum
input ranges of
150,000 – 199,900
Btuh. Can be con-
verted from residen-
tial to commercial. Control
monitors and displays 17 diagnostic
codes for trouble-shooting. Small foot-
print, wall mounting. Bradford White.
www.bradfordwhite.com
78 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010
Extended Release Corrosion ControlThis complete treatment solution defends against scale and corrosion. Each Poly Guard
System contains 1 refillable cartridge with 24 oz of extended release crystals that will
treat 30,000 gal of water or up to 6 months. Also in-
cludes a clear 10" filter housing with a pressure release
button, housing wrench and filter replacement reminder
sticker. Crystals prevent hard water scale, corrosion and
iron build-up in water systems, equipment and appli-
ances by forming a protective coating on metal and
plastic surfaces. Also prevent hard water build-up and
iron staining by holding hard water minerals in solution
before they can cause discoloration on appliances and
plumbing fixtures. Pro Products LLC.
www.proproducts.com
See contact information on page 82• Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •
WATER HEATING
Prevent hard water scalingThe Heater Treater was specifically de-
veloped for the protection of tankless
water heaters from the effects of hard
water scaling. The
blending of a time-
tested water treat-
ment process with
current housing and
filter technology
created a simple,
economical, reliable
and environmen-
tally friendly way to extend the life of
tankless water heater installation in hard
water areas. Falsken Water Systems.
www.theHeaterTreater.com
On-demand electric heatersThe next-generation Tempra® and new
Tempra® Plus models are now available.
Enhancements include: output to 140°,
upgraded heavy-duty electronics, single
flow sensor, easy access hinged cover,
larger inlet filter screen. Tempra® Plus
models have a digital display for °F or °C
readout and Advanced Flow Control™ to
automatically adjust flow rate to maintain
set point temperature. Further, the Tem-
pra® series is now an ideal backup for
solar thermal systems. Stiebel Eltron.
www.stiebel-eltron-USA.com
Condensing combi boilerThe Condensing Combination wall hung
boiler was launched in response to the
rapidly growing demand for a tankless
unit that fulfills a
combination of heat-
ing applications. It
features the manufac-
turer’s proven con-
densing technology
and uses Sch 40, 3"
PVC venting, which
lowers the cost of in-
stallation and simpli-
fies the process. The
stainless-steel condensing heat exchanger
and premixed burner make this product
unique; the integrated primary and sec-
ondary stainless steel heat exchanger that
prevents corrosion and ensures a longer
lifespan. Its outdoor sensor can automat-
ically regulate the heating temperature ac-
cording to changes in the temperature
outdoors. Navien America.
www.navienamerica.com
Commercial tanklessThis system is the most precise and en-
ergy efficient method of heating water for
any commercial
applications. The
NC380 is ASME
certified with
max flow rate of
13.2 gpm, it is
equipped with a
durable commer-
cial grade heat
exchanger, a full
m o d u l a t i n g
burner, and housed in a heavy duty stain-
less steel casing. Up to 24 units can be
linked on a single intelligent modular sys-
tem providing 316 gpm with a superior
545:1 turndown ratio. Noritz.
www.Noritz.com/commercial
80 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010CLASSIFIED ADSEMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
REPS WANTED
REPS WANTEDManufacturer is seeking professionalrepresentation in several US territories.Products include solar storage tanks,indirect water heaters, hot water stor-age tanks, and other hydronic, solar,and water heating products. Please faxresumé and line card to 508-422-9881or email:
SALES REP WANTEDFor Greater Los Angeles Area
(Other territories haveopenings as well)
As a leading master whls. dist., we’reseeking an energetic ind. or co. to serveas an exclusive sales rep. Position in-volves calling on wtr dists, health depts.,contractors, and related sources. Appli-cants must have background in back-flow, plbg, HVAC, or related sales exp.Please email resumé /line card to:
[email protected] FAX to 619 440-9581
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
WANT TO BUY
WANTED TO BUYContractors! Wholesalers!
Sell us your surplus or overstock plumb-ing materials. Black, Galv., PVC, Groove,No-Hub, Copper, Brass, Weld Flg's & Fit-tings, Valves, SS316 & 304, etc.
Excess Plumbing, [email protected]
Ph. 602-252-1280 •Fax. 602-252-1668
Get more BANG for youradvertising buck with adisplay advertisement in
TheWholesaler!
See opposite for yournearest advertising sales
representative!
Reps! Be sure to call847-564-1127 to be included in the Listing of Manufacturers’
Reps, appearing in the August issue of The Wholesaler!
POWER ON DEMAND
INSIDE SALES POSITIONMaster Distributor of Pipe Fittings andValves looking for an experienced InsideSales Person.
This position will be responsible for thedevelopment and expansion of our prod-ucts lines within the PVF, Fire and Wa-terworks markets located in the UnitedStates and Canada. All resumés will beheld in strict confidence.
Please send to [email protected].
OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE – PLUMBING INDUSTRY
Wholesale plumbing distributor is look-ing for an aggressive, self-confident, andresults oriented outside sales represen-tative to call on contractors in the North-ern Illinois and Southern Chicago Illinoisterritories. Will maintain current ac-counts and penetrate new markets. Theideal candidate must have at least 5years proven plumbing industry outsidesales experience.
We offer a competitive salary, excellentbenefits package and company car.
Qualified candidates may send their re-sume via e- mail to:[email protected]
Visit our web-site:www.auburnsupply.com
Auburn Supply Company3850 W. 167th StreetMarkham, IL 60428Fax: 708-596-0981
EOE
AREA SALES MANAGERBonney Forge Corporation, an Interna-tional Manufacturer in the PVF Market-place, is looking for an energetic AreaSales Manager with knowledge of theWest Coast Region. Re sponsibilities in-clude experience in the Chemical andOil Industry, calling on distributors,E&C’s and end users. Previous salesexperience and excellent interpersonalskills a must. Advanced PC abilities es-sential. Forecasting territorial responsi-bilities required. Bachelor’s Degreepreferred. Unlimited potential for moti-vated professionals, great compensa-tion, and full benefits packagecompliments this exceptional career op-portunity. Bonney Forge supports Affir-mative Action and is an EqualOpportunity Employer.
Apply in confidence to:Bonney Forge Corporation
P.O. Box 330Mount Union, PA 17066
or email to:[email protected]
ITEMS WANTEDWANTED: Alan Silver Kardex Cabinets,Kardex pockets,sales & receipt slips.Look in your basement. I know it's there.Please contact:North Shore PS, 188-07 Northern
Blvd. Flushing, NY11358718-463-4000
[email protected]. Michael T.
REPS WANTEDWe are looking for aggresive sales Repsfor a well established product. It servesthe plumbing, HVAC, roofing and elec-trical industry. We pay top commissions.Please visit our website for more prod-uct information. Our website is:
www.quickpipeblock.com
MANUFACTURERS REPS WANTEDNational Fitting & Valve Company look-ing for PVF, Plumbing & WaterworksReps In various states. Reply to:[email protected] /800-807-2215
REPS WANTEDManufacturer of quality test plugs & testcaps for over 30 years is seeking repre-sentation. High commission paid.
Please fax resumé to:626-792-0956
NEWS
NEWINGTON, CONN. — An industry veteran
in the New England market, James “Jimmy
D.” D’Entremont Jr. passed away suddenly
on Tuesday, February 16 at the age of 59.
Jimmy worked for AKR Associates
Inc. for the past seven years. Previous to
that, he spent 20 years at Eljer and several
years prior to that at Riverside Pipe and
Supply Company.
Jimmy was a pillar of his community
and parish. He was a gentleman with a
big heart, a great sense of humor, and an
avid Boston sports fan. He is survived by
his two children; James H. D’Entremont
III and Katie Lee D’Entremont of Mel-
rose, Mass.
Contributions can be made to the
D’Entremont Family Fund, in care of
Melrose Cooperative Bank, 638 Main
Street, Melrose, MA 02176
OBITUARYJames D’Entremont Jr.,
industry veteran
THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010• •81CLASSIFIED ADS
The Wholesaler® (publication number USPS 351-650 ISSN 0032-1680) is a trademark of TMB Publications, Inc. TheWholesaler® is published monthly by TMB Publications, Inc., 1838 Techny Ct. Northbrook, IL 60062; tel. 847/564-1127;fax 847/564-1264. Copyright 2010 by TMB Publications, Inc. All rights reserved under the United States, Internationaland Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted inany form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, electronic recording or otherwise, without the prior written per-mission of TMB Publications, Inc. The Wholesaler® is delivered free of charge to qualified subscribers in the U.S. andCanada. Others: U.S., U.S. Poss. and Canada, $100/yr.; two-year annual subscription rate U.S. and Canada, $155;other countries, $200/yr. or $300 for two year (U.S. funds) plus $20 surface postage. Single copies, $15.Second class postage paid at Northbrook, IL and additional mailing offices.• POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wholesaler, Creative Data Services, 519 E. Briarcliff Road,Bolingbrook, IL 60440. [email protected]• Publications mail agreement No. 41499518: Return undeliverable Canadian adresses to PO Box 503, RPO WestBeaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6
PublisherTom M. Brown Jr.Administrative AssistantSadie Bechtold
Editorial DirectorMary Jo MartinProduction ManagerCate C. Brown
Managing Editor
James Schaible
Associate Editor
John Mesenbrink
PVF, Industry and
Economic Analyst Emeritus
Morris R. Beschloss
Midwest, Southeast, E. Canada
David Schulte1838 Techny CourtNorthbrook, IL 60062847/564-1127Fax: 847/[email protected]
Sales Offices
West, Texas
Diane SpanglerP.O. Box 9802Fountain Valley, CA 92728714/839-6700Fax:714/[email protected]
East (Indiana; W. Mich.)
Brad Burnside1838 Techny CourtNorthbrook, IL 60062847/564-1127Fax: 847/[email protected]
Editorial Offices: 1838 Techny Court, Northbrook, IL 60062Phone: 847/564-1127, Fax: 847/564-1264, e-mail: [email protected]
Direct subscription inquiries to: Cynthia Lewis, Creative Data Services; 519 E. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; [email protected];
Phone: 630-739-0900 ext 203, Fax: 630-739-7648
www.thewholesaler.com
TMB Publications, Inc.Tom M. Brown Jr., President
Classified ad salesSadie Bechtold: 847-564-1127
SUPPLIERS
Classified advertisement rates begin at $140 per column inchfor a single insertion. Call Sadie Bechtold
at 847-564-1127 to place your classified today!
JUST FAUCETSAS SEEN ON “WILD CHICAGO”
• ALL BRANDS • TOILET TANK LIDS
BACK TO THE 1920’s—BRING SAMPLE PARTS—• FAUCET PARTS • TOILET PARTS •
VISIT OUR SHOWROOMMon - Fri: 9:00-5:00 • Saturday: 9:30-3:00Showroom: 1-847-255-0421 • 1-800-331-0421
Fax:1-847-255-7850540 S. Arthur Ave.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005www.justfaucets.com
email: [email protected]
+ +
Watch for our 9th annual
PVF Hall of Fame
next month!
82 • •THE WHOLESALER® — APRIL 2010PETER SCHOR’S K/BIS PRODUCT PICKS
A.Y. McDonald . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10www.aymcdonald.com
Acorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58www.acorneng.com
Activant Solutions . . . . . . . . . . .16www.activant.com
American Standard . . . . . . . . . . .19www.americanstandard.com
Anderson Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6www.andersonmetals.com
BackStop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51www.000.com
Bootz Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . .48www.bootz.com
Bradford White . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55www.bradfordwhite.com
Bradley Corporation . . . . . . . . . .15www.bradleycorp.com
BrassCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53www.brasscraft.com
C & C Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17www.candcvalve.com
Coaire Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50www.000.com
Core Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9www.corepipe.com
DDI Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65www.ddisys.com
Distribution Point . . . . . . . . . . . . .2www.thedistributionpoint.com
Dormont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72www.dormont.com
Eemax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60www.eemaxinc.com
Equity Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . .56www.equityplumbing.net
Eternal Hybrid Water Heater . . .49www.eternalwaterheater.com
FloodMaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70www.floodmaster.com
Forgings, Flanges and Fittings . .63www.onestoppvf.com
Fujitsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39www.fujitsugeneral.com
General Pipe Cleaners, a div of General Wire Spring . . .11, 54
www.gerberonline.comGlobal Stainless Supply . . . . . . .62
www.onestoppvf.comHalsey Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
www.halseytaylor.comHeatinghelp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
www.heatinghelp.comHouzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
www.houzersink.com
Insinkerator . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 13www.insinkerator.com
JMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14www.jmfcompany.com
Kissler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35www.kissler.com
Legend Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23www.legendvalve.com
Liberty Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41www.libertypumps.com
Marathon Boiler . . . . . . . . . . . . .69www.wallhungboilers.com
Matco-Norca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3ww.matco-norca.com
Navien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25, 57www.navienamerica.com
Neoperl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6www.neoperl.com
Niagara Conservation . . . . . .44, 45www.niagaraconservation.com
Noritz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43www.noritz.com
North American Safty Valve . . . .27www.nasvi.com
Quietside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74www.quietside.com
Rheem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29www.rheem.comRinnai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
www.rinnai.usSaniflo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
www.saniflo.com
Service Metal Products . . . . . . . .37www.servicemetal.net
Smith Cooper International . . . . .5www.smithcooper.com
Smith, A.O. . . . . . . . . . .cover wrapwww.hotwater.com
Stiebel Eltron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
T & S Brass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61ww.tsbrass.com
Ta Chen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84www.tachen.com
Tapco . . . . . . . . . . . .46, 47, 64, 83www.tapcogenuinepartscenter.com
Val-Fit, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66www.valfit.com
W.O.I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67www.woihouston.com
Walworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52www.twcwalworth.com
Ward Mfg. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31www.wardmfg.com
Warren Alloy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7www.warrenalloy.com
Watts Water Technology . . . . . . .76www.watts.com
Weldbend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32, 33www.weldbend.com
Worthington Cylinders . . . . . . . .59www.000.com
Advertisers Index
American Standard Tropic CollectionChic, smaller fixture shapes and contem-
porary furniture with playful, casual de-
tails come together in the Tropic
Collection. Rattan pattern details in the
richly finished wood cabinets and clean
contemporary lines in the round and oval
sinks combine to create a versatile new
bath collection. “The Tropic collection
provides the opportunity to mentally es-
cape the day-to-day every American
needs occasionally,” says Gray Uhl, de-
sign director for American Standard.
www.americanstandard.com
Aquatic-Ava BathThe Ava Bath offers an unprecedented
ease of access; a roomy, benchless,
bathing well system; and a patent-pend-
ing, quick drain system. “We listened to
what our customers wanted and, inspired
by that, we leveraged the companies 65
years of experience to create an excep-
tional product and experience for every-
one, including people who have the
greatest needs for easily accessible hy-
drotherapy,” said Gary Anderson, presi-
dent of Aquatics.
www.aquaticbath.com
Body Glove-3000The Body Glove filter systems have been developed to replace an
aging Everpure water filter line, of which the distributor was a master
distributor for over 30 years. The Body Glove filter system is manu-
factured by 3M and offers 50% more flow and up to 0.2-micron water
filtration through a patent-engineered carbon-block technology. The
Body Glove genuine recyclable filter cartridge contrasts those systems
with fused aluminum and plastic compositions, which cannot be fea-
sibly recycled. Water Inc.
www.waterinc.com
Cascade Faucets Studio CollectionLa Torre Brand is one of the few in the USA that has the “ECO
Cartridge” in many single control faucet series. The faucets from
the Studio Collection hold in position when you lift the lever
to the middle position allowing users to save 20%-40%
of the water flow/consumption. The ECO cartridge oper-
ates like the concept of a dual flush system in Toilet Tech-
nology. The product has all North American code approvals and the
factory is green: “Environmental Management System Certified (ISO
14001:2004)” and “Quality Management System Certified (ISO
9001:2000).” Cascade Faucets.
www.cascadefaucets.com
Copper sinksIntroducing two sink designs in a rectangular shape to fit
the standard rectangular cut-out that has gained popularity
in the past few years. Designed with a crescent-style basin
and are available a traditional copper basin style as well as
a variety of mosaic patterned sinks. The sink pictured fea-
tures a white mother of pearl mosaic design complemented
by a satin nickel finish. More than 51 products, shapes and
finishes will be introduced at K/BIS by Linkasink.
www.linkasink.com
Sydney Smart back outletThe Sydney Smart back outlet high efficiency toilet is one of
the first back outlet dual flush toilets to be WaterSense labeled.
Features Caroma Smart™ technology, delivering the ultimate
combination of design, water savings and performance. The
Sydney Smart back outlet is dual flush, using 1.28 gallons of
water per flush (gpf) for solid waste and 0.8 gpf for liquid waste
and toilet paper. This averages less than 0.9 gpf, which can save
the average family of four more than 5000 gallons annually
when replacing a 1.6-gpf toilet and nearly 19,000 gallons per
year compared to a 3.5-gpf toilet. Caroma.
www.caromausa.com
Clean lines shower drainManufacturer was winner of the BEST Bath Product
of K/BIS 2009. Low profile linear shower drain is
clean and unintrusive — the outdated round center
shower drain is no longer needed! The lowest-profile
bathroom and shower linear drain in the world. Easy
to clean and has a very high flow rate. Ease of instal-
lation keeps this shower drain in demand by home
builders and contractors as well as by discerning
homeowners. Quick Drain USA.
www.QuickDrainUSA.com
Recessed caddyThe leading manufacturer of innovative patented shower
pans and other products, just released the Redi Niche
soap and shampoo recessed caddy that can be installed
and tiled the same day. Tile, marble, granite or stone of
your choice can be applied directly to the Redi Niche
surface. The Redi Niche is the market’s best water in-
trusion solution which provides an upscale design. The
Redi Niche is easy to install, saves time and money,
100% leak proof and mold free. Tile Redi®.
www.tileredi.com
(Viewpoint will return next month.)
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