quickeys power pak

“News and Views That Are Out Of This World”
Spring 2016
Vol. 16 No. 3
Board of Directors
Chairman
George Morgan
Kentec, Inc.
Snellville, GA
Vice-Chairman/Secretary
Ron Foltz
Cornerstone Tool & Fastener
Tallahassee, FL
Treasurer
Larry Johnson
Northbrook Contractor Supply
Northbrook, IL
Directors
Maria Polidoro
Ace Tool
Wantagh, NY
I
n business, people often ask subject
matter experts to predict the future. How will
the economy perform over the next 5 years?
What will the interest rates be? How will
commodity prices perform? Ultimately, the
source of these questions is a pursuit to find
confidence so that we know when and how
much to invest into our businesses. So when
businesses ask experts to predict the future,
Ron Tacey
A.H. Harris & Sons
West Hartford, CT
Rodney Steier
Duo-Fast Northeast
East Hartford, CT
Mike Gleason
ELFCO
Mokena, IL
Andy Marker
L.W. Meyer, Inc.
Waukesha, WI
Todd Klutts
Pioneer Fasteners & Tools
Euless, TX
Associate Directors
Joe Wibbenmeyer
Nu Way
St Louis, MO
Dan Williams
Tighton Tools
Omaha, NE
I am often reminded of a quote that it is far
easier to build the future than to predict it.
By taking the position of building the future,
we are taking ownership of it. By predicting
the future, we are bystanders to the builders.
Robert Shieh of the Ta Chen Group. Ta
Chen International was a group started by
Mr. Shieh in 1986, and has since become a
$1.5 Billion USD business with over 4,000
employees globally focused on the wholesale
distribution of stainless steel and aluminum
products.
For BBI, the acquisition also meant an
infusion of resources. Hundreds of millions
of dollars were invested to modernize BBI,
from increasing warehouse space under roof
by 500%, increasing the range of our SKU’s
by 400%, and building an online trading
platform with existing distributors that would
eventually generate 75% of BBI’s sales.
BBI thus began a radical transformation,
and we have emerged as one of the largest
wholesaler of fasteners in the world, selling
a wide range of commodity fasteners from
sockets to hex heads, nuts, washers, screws,
anchors, threaded rods in all different
material grades and types. We’ve expanded
from roughly 12,000 SKU’s to over 60,000
SKU’s worldwide. So, what’s next? There
are still obvious steps we will take to improve
our operational efficiencies, to grow our
Seven years ago, Brighton Best Socket
Screw, the predecessor to Brighton Best
International “BBI”, embarked on a new
journey. The previous owner looked to sell
the business that he built to a new ownership
team that pledged to keep the company intact,
and invest to grow and expand the platform.
In 2008, the company was purchased
by a consortium of investors lead by Mr.
Brighton-Best International – Continued on back page
Carol
Shackelford
CEO and
President
President’s Message
Dear Sphere 1 Membership,
Our group experienced double-digit
growth in 2015… again, which marks
another milestone. The Sphere 1 group
has now experienced six consecutive
years of double-digit purchase growth.
Great job to all and a wonderful show of
support by our membership!
Our 10th annual Preferred Supplier
Advisory Meeting took place a few
months ago at the beautiful JW Marriott
Starr Pass in Tucson (the destination
of our May 2017 annual meeting).
Our board of directors met with ten
supplier companies who were involved
in roundtable “think tank” discussions.
The hot topics included our newer
organic growth initiative, which marries
members buying outside of the group
with our preferred suppliers, as well
as stressing the need for pre and post
appointment planning where 3,000
individual tabletop meetings will take
place.
Preferred Supplier Advisory Team
Participants:
•Greg Hocevar: 3M/Capital Safety
•Joe Dunnigan: ADA Solutions
•Rick Duft: Eaton’s B-Line
•Aaron Taylor: Husqvarna
•Jim O’Connor: Norton Abrasives
•Bill England: Radians
•George Blanchfield: Senco Brands
•Scott Ferguson: Sonoco Products
•Jeff Waychoff: DeWALT/Stanley Black & Decker
•Lenny Colasuonno: Werner Ladder/
Knaack
Our Sphere 1 management team
and service providers are doing an
outstanding job of getting us ready for
our 17th annual meeting at the stunning
JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando.
THANK YOU to Rob Moe, Melinda
Tobey, Betty Massey, Barb Drochak,
Colleen Good, Kathy Hageman,
and our new addition Katherine
Washington, for their dedication
and commitment to our growing
organization.
Last year’s Preferred Supplier Partner
of the Year award winners will give
a closed session presentation to our
attending member companies:
•MAKITA USA
•SOUTHWIRE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
See you next month at our annual
gathering!
Carol Shackelford
Supplier Advisory Meeting • JW Marriott, Tucson, AZ • February 19, 2016
Front row, left to right: Larry Johnson, George Morgan, Andy Marker, Ron Foltz, Maria Polidoro, Rod Steier, Mike Gleason, Todd Klutts and
Jim O'Connor.
Back row, left to right: Carol Shackelford, Greg Hocevar, Aaron Taylor, Lenny Colasuonno, Joe Dunnigan, Bob Borrhello, George Blanchfield,
Rick Duft, Scott Ferguson, Bill England, Jeff Waychoff, and Rob Moe.
Sphere 1 Annual Member Meeting
Schedule of Events
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
JW Marriott Grande Lakes
Orlando, Florida
May 15 –18, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
8:00 AM- 9:15 am
• Preferred Supplier Meeting
8:00 am – 9:15 am
• New Member Orientation
Sunday, May 15, 2016
8:00 am Shotgun Start
• Sphere 1 Golf Outing
• The Ritz-Carlson Golf Club
9:25 am – 2:50 pm
• Member & Supplier Tabletop Meetings
9:25 am- 2:50 pm
• Preferred Supplier Networking Room
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm
• New Preferred Suppliers Orientation
3:00 pm -4:30 pm
• Member Meeting
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Cocktail Reception
7:00 pm – 9:00pm
• Awards Dinner
Monday, May 16, 2016
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Member Luncheon
12:30 pm – 5:00 pm
• Member Meeting
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Opening Party
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
8:15 am – 1:00 pm
• Member & Supplier Tabletop Meetings
8:15 am – 1:00 pm
• Preferred Supplier Networking Room
1:00 pm -4:00 pm
• Ballroom available for meetings
on your own
Upcoming Events – Save the Dates
STAFDA 2016 • November 6-8, 2016 • Atlanta, GA
• Georgia World Congress Center
World of Concrete • January 17-20, 2016 • Las Vegas, NV
2017 Sphere 1 Annual Member Meeting • May 9-11, 2017 • Tucson, AZ
• JW Marriott Starr Pass
2018 Sphere 1 Annual Member Meeting • May 15-17, 2018 • San Antonio, TX
• JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Welcome New Sphere 1 Members
Acme Ladder and Supply Co.
Oak Park, MI • 248-543-4420
Contact: Steve Hoberman
[email protected]
www.acmeladdersupply.com
Advantage Construction
Supply, Inc.
Sacramento, CA • 916-381-9188
Contact: Steve LaMothe
[email protected]
www.advantageconstructionsupply.com
Sphere 1 Member News
Tighton Tools and Fasteners is pleased to announce two
new branch managers. Ron Lueschen is at the Columbus,
NE store. He may be contacted at 402-562-7606 or ronl@
tighton.com. Chris Whitney manages the Lincoln, NE
location. Chris may be reached at 402-975-2975.
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Alaska Industrial Hardware is in
the running for a People’s Choice
Telly Award for their “Alaska Tough”
commercial, which you can view
here: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=lz4uoLqIylA. The Telly Award is the premier
award honoring the finest film and video productions,
groundbreaking web commercials, videos and films, and
outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and
programs. Their mission has been to strengthen the visual
arts community by inspiring, promoting, and supporting
creativity. The online community will help decide this year's
People's Telly Award Winners by logging in and rating
videos. Each year, the People's Telly averages over 125,000
video views with ratings cast from viewers from across the world. The winner is selected from
over 10,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Good Luck AIH.
Hahn Systems’ branch in
Livonia, Michigan has just
completed an expansion
and renovation. "We have
more than doubled our branch/warehouse space and
moved into a completely new retail store", says Jason
Moore, Territory Manager. The new store allows
contractors to take
advantage of the full
line of on-site tools and
accessories from Hahn.
Stop in and see Jason
and his team at 32423
West 8 Mile Road,
Livonia, MI 48152.
Sphere 1 Member News
On February 25 and 26, 2016 the employee owners of DHC Supplies, Inc.
joined together in Sacramento, CA to
celebrate the 55th anniversary of the
company and 25th anniversary as an
Employee Owned Company. DHC Supplies was started in 1961 by Don Hoban
as the Don Hoban Company. In 1991,
the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership
Plan) was established and in 1998 the
ESOP became the 100% owner of the stock. In 2004, the company legally
changed their name to DHC Supplies, Inc. Today, they have 23 current employee owners located in 3 cities. The celebration was one of the only events
where all DHC employees can get together. DHC sponsored the party and
lodging for the employees and their families. Many of their vendors, most of
whom are Sphere 1 members, donated gift cards, cash, promotional
items, electronics and inventory to the event. All of these items
were either raffled off or put into a vendor bag. No attendees went
home empty handed!
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
A.H. Harris has completed the acquisition of Kenseal Construction Products, the leading
distributor of waterproofing, sealants, EIFS/stucco, glass/glazing and concrete masonry restoration products on the East Coast. The transaction was financed by Frontenac, private equity
partner to A.H. Harris.
“The Kenseal business will be integrated into the A.H. Harris family
and will operate as Kenseal, a division of A.H. Harris.” said Kimberly
Corwin, A.H. Harris President and CEO.
A.H. Harris recently held their 2016 Harris Summit and Vendor Expo. As the company celebrates its 100th year in business the event recognized individuals and branches whose accomplishments and dedication helped achieve the historic milestone.
Highlighting the awards banquet, the Harris Fund raised $11,500 due to the generosity of Harris associates and vendor partners. The Harris Fund is registered with the IRS as a 501(c) (3)
charitable organization. It is funded by Harris associates to assist Harris associates in the time
of need. Founded in 2009, the Harris Fund has issued over 100 grants to associates that were
facing difficult circumstances. In 2015 alone, 15 grants were issued totaling over $35,000. Along with the fund raising efforts at the Harris Summit, contributions come from one time
donations, through bi-weekly payroll deductions, and various fund raising events throughout
the year.
Bolt and Anchor has two contact changes to announce. Tammy
Widhalm is the new secondary contact. She may be reached at
406-728-3010 or [email protected].
Jay Bair is now the Branch Manager of the Bozeman store. Jay may be reached at 406-5569846 or [email protected].
In January, Foundation Building
Materials held their first “FBM Sales
University” event in Houston, Texas.
The three-day event included one
full day of training courses and an
evening for the Vendor Showcase. In attendance were 25 FBM vendor partners of which 15
were Sphere 1. Rob Moe, with Sphere 1, made a presentation to more than 120 FBM personnel which included Outside Sales Representives, Purchasing Agents and the FBM Leadership
Team. The event was well received and is intended to be an annual event for FBM and its
partners.
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Sphere 1 Member News
Contractors & Industrial Supply, Inc. is pleased to
announce the appointment of Michael Fleming as Sales
Manager across all branches. Fleming has been with the
company for ten years as a construction supply specialist
and as Vice President of the North Carolina Division. In
this new role, he will be responsible for all sales training
including working with the outside sales team as well as the newly
established inside sales department. He will continue to service major
customers in the North Carolina division of the company along with the
new position.
Michael Fleming
The Tool Shed has remodeled and expanded its
showroom to better take
advantage of its prominent location on Poinsett
Highway. This 30,000 traffic count highway is
part of a revitalization program for Greenville
County and The Tool Shed is fortunate to be
at the epicenter. In concert with the beautification of our highway, we’re “dressing up” our
storefront with the help of Sphere 1 suppliers. New attractive signage is going up featuring the
brands of Sphere 1 partners to attract a booming walk in trade to our 15,000 sq. ft. location…
˝Where the Pros tool up˝ since 1977.
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Bayco, a 40 year construction supply company, celebrated the Grand Opening of its 2nd location on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in Kill Devil
Hills on Friday April 8th. Founded in 1977 by Mike Keene, Bayco serves
the Baltimore/Washington corridor, Delmarva Peninsula as well as eastern
North Carolina including the Outer Banks. Attending the ribbon cutting
were OBX Chamber of Commerce Officials, local dignitaries, Bayco staff
and Kim and John Kaestner. Bayco at the Beach specializes in hot-dipped galvanized and
stainless steel fasteners. They are a distributor for Hitachi, Max, Fasco, DeWalt, Senco
and Bostitch, among many other quality
manufactured products. Bayco has a service
department for repairs of many brands of
tools and compressors. The Bayco at the
Beach store is located at 2401 N Croatin
Hwy, Unit 5, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, 27948. Hours are 6:30 – 5:00 weekdays. Phone number – 252-480-0112.
Southwest Fastener is pleased to announce their 4th distribution warehouse in Grand Prairie, Texas. Open for business on April 1st, this location
will provide better service to the Metro Dallas area. “We opened this location after numerous requests from customers who really wanted us here
in Dallas,” said President Ken Lubbering. “Without them, this additional
location would not have been possible, and we are grateful for the new
opportunity!” “Initially, we will be stocking all key items, and we’ll continue to add products
as required by our local customer base,” said Sales Manager, Bobby Ramirez. “We will also
be providing free delivery service, covering the
Metro Dallas area, so expect to see the BoltHeads™ around town!” The address and contact
information for the new location is: Southwest
Fastener, 817 S. Great Southwest Parkway,
Grand Prairie, TX 75051. Sales Manager: Bobby
Ramirez, [email protected].
Southwest Fastener has locations in Phoenix,
Tucson, Albuquerque, and now Dallas. With more than 14,000 SKU’s, they are a full line
distributor of fasteners, hardware, and tools, servicing the industrial, construction, solar, and
waterworks industries. For more information, visit www.swfastener.com.
Preferred Supplier News
To better serve their customers, Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings – IDG,
is excited to announce the opening of their East Coast warehouse. Get your
items faster. This CT based warehouse is fully operational and ready to ship.
Contact the customer service group at 800-826-2884 for
more information.
There’s no more critical connection to the customer than Jim Baumgartner. He has been a key part of AFSR IDG’s inside sales group for the past
eight years, and was recently promoted to Inside Sales Group Leader. Jim
oversees all inside sales and customer service transactions, issues, and
communications. He is also responsible for reviewing all internal policies
to help ensure an optimal fit with today’s economy and for our customers’
specific needs.
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Jim Baumgartner
For the second year in a row Multiquip has donated an HHNG5 ride-on
power trowel for the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program auction
during World of Concrete 2016. The goal of CIM is to prepare graduates to
become qualified concrete industry professionals. CIM is a business intensive
program providing solid management skills
that are applicable in any industry, but developed specifically for the concrete industry. Working with a wide network
of universities and supported by local, state and regional
contractors and suppliers the program supplies the industry
with future managers and leaders. Multiquip is proud to support CIM as it works to further careers in the concrete and
construction industry.
Welcome New Preferred Supplier
Since 1989, BoMetals has earned
a reputation in the concrete and
masonry accessory market for
continuous innovation, enthusiastic
customer service and dedication to the construction industry.
BoMetals serves the concrete accessory market by manufacturing a wide variety
of products used in both commercial and residential construction. These products
include a comprehensive offering of PVC and TPER Waterstop to meet the needs
of any job. We also supply strip applied Waterstops. BoMetals is also the nations
top manufacturer of keykold joint systems. They include QuicKey™, the only
galvanized joint system that features square dowel knockouts and PRO-KEY™,
with a patented positive stake-to-key interlock. Our recent product line additions are
Paving Cap Seal (B-Seal) and QuicSleeve Load Transfer systems. Other concrete
products include Keyway Caps, Expansion Board Caps, Zip Joint, Chamfer and
Radius Formers plus much more.
BoMetals also serves the masonry market with a complete line of PRO-SLOT™ and
Dovetail Anchors, and Control Joint, which are available in PVC and Rubber. We
also manufacture Block Cap & Weep Tubes.
All BoMetals products are available through a national network
of distributors and warehouses. A trained and knowledgeable
sales or engineering staff offers personalized service unparalleled
in the industry today.
Jon Kelly is the Sphere 1 primary contact. Jon has been
National Sales Manager for BoMetals since 2014. Prior to that
Jon managed the sales efforts of 2 major STAFDA houses for
Jon Kelly
8 years and has spent his entire career in the construction supply
industry. Jon may be contacted at [email protected] or 678-833-7117.
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Preferred Supplier News
As part of a planned leadership succession, Wacker Neuson Sales Americas
LLC appointed Johannes Schulze
Vohren as the new North American
Regional President in mid-2015. Schulze Vohren now leads all of Wacker
Neuson’s sales, marketing, aftermarket, and logistics activities in both the
United States and Canada. Schulze Vohren started with Wacker Neuson in
1994 and has held a variety of management positions within the company
Johannes
including sales and product support for the US and international markets,
Schulze Vohren
business systems and information technology, and logistics.
Longtime President, Christopher Barnard, retired effective December 31, 2015. During his
18 year tenure, the company expanded beyond its light equipment product line through the
acquisition of Ground Heaters, Inc. in 2006 and the merger of Wacker and Neuson Kramer in
2007. Today, Wacker Neuson is a leading global manufacturer of a wide range of equipment for
the concrete, construction, oil and gas, landscape, agriculture, utilities and municipal industries.
Fomo Products, Inc. is proud to welcome Dane Malmberg as National
Account Manager. Dane has eight years of experience in the building materials and insulation industry in the areas of sales management, sales and
marketing. “Malmberg’s background in sales and breadth of experience
in the insulation industry will help us further
expand our national footprint,” said Kristen
Lewis, Fomo National Sales Manager.
Dane Malmberg
Welcome New Preferred Supplier
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
ClarkDietrich Building Systems offers a comprehensive lineup of steel
construction products and services across the United States and abroad. Using coldformed steel, we manufacture innovative products for interior framing, interior
finishing, exterior framing and floor framing, as well as clips, connectors, metal lath
and accessories. As the demands for higher performance in all aspects of today’s
buildings rise, we partner with teams of architects, engineers, building developers
and owners, contractors, and more on projects of all sizes, scope, and complexity.
Far beyond products, our collaborations increasingly involve efforts and expertise
that support smarter installation and design, including resources for BIM and
ClarkDietrich Engineering Services LLC.
Formed in 2011 through the combination
of two established market leaders—ClarkWestern Building Systems and Dietrich
Metal Framing—ClarkDietrich is in an unprecedented position to help you bring
change to the building environment.
ClarkDietrich Building Systems is headquartered in West
Chester, Ohio.
Seth Adams has been in the steel framing industry for 11
years, first with ClarkWestern Building Systems, now with
ClarkDietrich Building Systems. Seth has held various roles
with the ClarkDietrich southeastern sales team including Senior
Account Manager and Territory Manager. He moved into his
current role as National Account Manager in 2014. Seth is based
out of Atlanta, GA and is the Sphere 1 primary contact. He can
be reached at 404-217-4938 or [email protected].
Seth Adams
Preferred Supplier News
Bill Georges has been with Simpson Strong-Tie for 22 years and has
served in a variety of roles prior to his current position as Vice President
of Anchor Systems. He began his career in sales and has held positions
in product development, legal, product management and general
management. He has worked on three different product lines at Simpson
Strong-Tie: connectors, fasteners and anchors,
and has been involved in the integration of three
acquisitions. Bill is excited about his recent move
Bill Georges
to Chicago as it will allow him to be more involved
with the upcoming move, expansion and upgrade of the new Simpson Strong-Tie chemical
manufacturing facility. Bill is the new Sphere 1 primary contact and may be contacted at 925523-1880 or [email protected].
Erik Wilson
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Erik Wilson, Director of Sales for Freud & Diablo
Tools, with focus on Sales, Channel & Product, is
the new primary contact for Sphere 1. Eric has 25
years of experience in the industry and was previously Western Regional
Sales Manager. He may be reached at [email protected] or 714264-9301.
Russell Kohl – 404-989-5858, [email protected]; Jason Muchler –
610-908-2888, [email protected]; and Tony Mabry – 423-5235025, [email protected], remain as Freud's secondary contacts. Bill Deckard, National Sales Manager for the Krylon
Industrial Products Group, is the new Sphere 1
primary contact. He has over 30 years experience with
paint, coatings and chemical sales, and is responsible
for the utility locating, power transmission and construction businesses.
He can be reached at 216-566-3573 or [email protected].
Bill Deckard
Welcome New Preferred Supplier
With over a century of experience
in the sprayer business, H.D.
Hudson Manufacturing Company
has become known as the World
Standard of Value in the sprayer
category. We deliver patented
innovative features, benefits, and products that are unique to Hudson® and preferred
by users around the world. Our catalog of products ranges from large and small
acetone sprayers to heavy-duty curing compound sprayers suited for application
of cures and form release agents. Whether needing a small, economical sprayer
for asbestos removal or a top-of-the-line model for tough industrial applications,
professionals turn to Hudson® Professional Division sprayers and accessories for
quality and value. After more than 110 years operating as a privately held American
company, Hudson® is proud to still manufacture a wide array of
the latest in sprayer technology products including: professional
grade compression sprayers, hand sprayers, hose, guns, drum
pump applicators, Bak-Pak® designs, and more.
Todd Horvath is the Sphere 1 primary contact. Todd has been
with H.D. Hudson Manufacturing Company for three and half
years, running the Professional Division, Contractor Industrial
Supply Division. He may be reached at 608-712-1993 or
[email protected].
Todd Horvath
Vendor Spotlight
PLATINUM SPONSOR
Preferred Supplier News
Vendor Spotlight
GOLD SPONSOR
FallTech has partnered with Sales Solutions, Inc., a manufacturers’ representative group deeply rooted in the Construction
Safety, Traffic Safety and Personal Protective Equipment industries, to promote its fall protection portfolio throughout the East Coast.
In addition to bringing extensive fall protection knowledge and support for FallTech customers, Sales Solutions Inc will operate a 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility in Martinsburg WV
— shortening lead times for FallTech’s fall protection equipment to distributors by providing a
2-day delivery to every state east of the Mississippi.
“FallTech has experienced tremendous growth in 2015, adding several new innovative products, expanding our in-house ANSI Z359.7-compliant testing facility and doubling the size of
its sales force to meet end user demand,” states Scott Miller, Vice President of Sales, FallTech.
“Sales Solutions Inc. shares FallTech’s vision of excellence and innovation in keeping workers
safe at heights. I look forward to partnering with them to continue this growth and take share
from our competition.”
Brighton Best International is pleased to announce
the promotion of Dustin Henderson to the position of
Regional Manager for the Denver and Salt Lake City locations. Dustin has been in the fastener industry for 20 years
with PFC and Brighton Best. Dustin can be reached at
[email protected].
Vendor Spotlight
GOLD SPONSOR
BBI has expanded their Sayreville,
NJ warehouse. The facility is now
Dustin Henderson
approx. 200,000 sq ft and houses
over 35 million pounds of inventory. Located adjacent
to New York City, the Sayreville branch is ideally situated to service the Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington metroplex. Carrying a full range
of construction and industrial fasteners, threaded rod,
anchors, B7 studs and all varieties of nuts and washers, they are ready to service their distributor base and expand their market opportunity. Since we service a large coastal area special
attention has been given to the inventory in stainless and Hot Dip Galvanized product for all
corrosive environment applications. Orders placed by 3:30 PM will be
shipped
same day and pick up hours will be from 7:30 am until 7:00 PM.
Lisa Cole
The Secretary of Defense has awarded Lisa Cole, from BBI-Cleveland,
the Patriot Award for her contribution to the National Security and Protecting Liberty and Freedom by supporting Employee Participation in America’s National Guard and Reserves
Force given by ESGR. Brighton Best International is
dedicated to hiring veterans and we wish to thank you
for your continued service and our freedom.
BBI-LA has announced the promotion of Jessie Portillo to the position
of Branch Manager for the Los Angeles & San Francisco locations. Ms.
Portillo has a proven track record in sales & management and is ready to
serve
our customers in her new position.
Jessie Portillo
Robert Escobar has been promoted to Dallas Regional Warehouse Manager. Robert has been with Brighton-Best for over 13 years. He was the
Assistant Manager at the Dallas facility for the last 6 years. Robert will do
an exceptional job in maintaining and exceeding the high level of service
that customers have come to expect.
BBI's “ULTRAWEDGE” wedge anchor was recently approved by Miami
Dade County. The NOA # is: 14-0902.09. The Proferred U.S. Anchor
UltraWedge is approved to comply with the Florida building Code, includRobert Escobar
ing High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Corrosion
testing per ASTMG 85 Annex 5 and TAS114 Appendix E on report #
ESP020309P and per Report # ESP019482P, is also included in this
approval. Preferred Supplier News
The Tool Nut of New York participated in Makita Tool's February
training. Traveling to the class were Sean Ackerman and his top
managers. Allan Templeton is shown testing Makita's “Awesome”
1,090” lbs or torque drill. After training the group went pheasant
hunting. Pictured are (left to
right) Doug Hocutt, Shane
Holland, Peter Mihalick, Allan Templeton, Sean Ackerman and Makita Rep Eric
Quinn. The group had a great
time learning about the tools
and hunting.
SouthernCarlson has been expanding
their showroom displays with help from
Makita. Recently Tony Armoogam,
Makita sales rep, completed the DallasFort Worth, TX store. The finished
displays offer walk-in customers the opportunity to view
and purchase tools. Pictured (top right) in front of the new
display is Branch Manager David Valenzuela. Oscar Cortez
is working at the newly designed
counter of the Grand Prairie store
(bottom right) . Makita wishes
to thank all the SouthernCarlson
stores who have worked with their
Makita reps to expand and improve their displays. If you would
like your store display freshened up and expanded please call your Makita rep, or Sphere 1
primary contact Theresa Westphal at 909-210-3176 or [email protected].
International Fasteners Inc. has relocated their Chicago based
inventory. While still in Elk Grove Village, they are now located at
1401 Morse Avenue. All contact information remains the same, as
well as general pick up and freight allowances.
For more information visit www.daggerz.com.
Majestic Glove is excited to
announce its strategically placed
distribution centers. With a main
warehouse in Washington and
distribution centers in Georgia, Ohio,
New Jersey, Texas and Hawaii,
Majestic’s distribution capabilities are
designed to support timely delivery and to accommodate your business. Local needs require
local inventory, and Majestic is committed to your local business.
Sphere 1 Directory
President/CEO • Carol Shackelford
[email protected]
Vice President • Rob Moe
[email protected]
Director-Member Services • Betty Massey
[email protected]
Office Manager • Melinda Tobey
[email protected]
Co-op Support Services • Katherine Washington [email protected]
Sphere 1 Inc. • 16441 Scientific Way, Suite 150, Irvine, CA 92618, 949-932-3600, fax 844-274-1929
Vendor Spotlight
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Preferred Supplier News
Vendor Spotlight
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Paul Hunt was recently named as Manager,
National Accounts for Saint-Gobain Abrasives
– Norton and Carborundum. He has over 40
years of industry experience, including 29
years as a Regional Sales Manager in the
Western USA and Mexico, 2 years as Manager of Sales Training, and
2 years as Manager of Customer Service at Saint-Gobain’s Worcester,
MA headquarters. Paul looks forward to being Sphere 1’s first point of
Paul Hunt
contact at Norton and Carborundum. He is located in Northern California
and can be reached at 925-997-6630 or [email protected]. In an effort to strengthen its best-in-class sales support and
training in the safety industry, Protective Industrial Product, Inc. is pleased to announce the realignment of its outside sales team. February 1, 2016 the sales team transitioned
to smaller, more focused regions throughout the U.S. in order to provide more dedicated attention to their customers. All outside sales team members will transition to the role of Regional
Sales Manager with full product line responsibility in Hand Protection and Personal Protective
Equipment. To better service their regions each RSM will lead a team of dedicated agency representatives. This realignment began in the last quarter of 2015 with intensive cross-training,
resulting in the best trained PPE sales professionals in the industry.
PIP has acquired Safety Works LLC, a provider of safety products that
service the consumer and retail market. “With this acquisition, PIP strengthens its position in the retail-ready safety product market while giving Safety
Works LLC access to PIP’s globally integrated logistics and sourcing
operations in the U.S. and Hong Kong,” said Joe Milot, President and CEO
of PIP. Safety Works LLC will operate as a subsidiary of PIP under the name Safety Works,
Inc. It will retain its current sales strategy and sales team, along with its current address, phone
numbers and email domain. For more information visit www.SafetyWorks.com.
Vendor Spotlight
SILVER SPONSOR
Rivet & Eyelet Technologies LLC named C.R. Kinsman & Assoc. Inc.
as manufacturer and stocking reps, National Sales Manager Maria Garcia
has announced. C.R. Kinsman sales team covering AR, KS, LA, MO, MS,
NE, OK, TX, headed by Craig Kinsman, will also serve as a stocking
warehouse. The warehouse is located at 1110 Pamela Drive, Euless, TX
76040 and may be contacted at 800-772-9864 or fax: 817-371-9864.
For more information about Rivet & Eyelet visit www.riveteyelet.com.
Angie Johnson
Al Ryding
Angie Johnson, MBW Inc.'s new Sphere 1 primary contact, has been
with the company since February 2014. She is currently the Regional
Sales Manager in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
territories. Angie is a member of the Sub-Contractors
Association of Delaware Valley (SADV) and is Chair
of the Membership Committee, and an active member
of the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA). Angie
resides in Pennsylvania and can be reached at 651269-4086 or by email at [email protected].
As Vice President of Sales at Wright Tool,
Al Ryding will oversee U.S., Canadan and
International sales. Al has years of experience in
sales and sales management; 4½ years as National
Sales Manager for Craftsman Industrial at Sears
Holdings, and 20 years with The Danaher Tool
Group as Regional Manager, National Accounts Manager and Director of
National Accounts. Al serves as Wright Tool's secondary contact. He may
be contacted at [email protected] or 330-848-0600 ext. 203.
Vendor Spotlight
GATEWAY FOR GROWTH SUCCESS
“Punching the Ticket”
SILVER SPONSOR
This testimonial from Kim Reynolds of The M. K. Morse Company
shows that sound planning and follow through
pays off for both Members and Suppliers
…Gateway for Growth Works!
The combined sales for the (19) Gateway for Growth (2015)
distributors were up almost 20% vs. 2014.
Given that our overall combined sales with Sphere 1 distributors
were up just under 16%, we believe that the additional focus on G for G
distributors helped us grow the G for G sales at a higher %.
As I mentioned before, 2015 provided a lot of challenges to sales
growth, so what was accomplished with Sphere 1 and G for G is
noteworthy and considered exceptional.
For 2016, we have an ambitious total of about (50) G for G 2016
requests made by Morse. We are confident that if we develop our
initiatives with the G for G distributors that agree to match with us, we all
should benefit in additional sales as a result.
Kim Reynolds
Director of Commercial Sales
THE M. K. MORSE COMPANY
Canton, Ohio USA
mkmorse.com • 330.453.8187 X 261
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SILVER SPONSOR
Preferred Supplier News
Scott Ferguson is the new primary contact for Sonoco.
A native of South Carolina, he is a graduate of Francis
Marion College in Florence, SC. Scott has worked for
Sonoco for 15 years, and for the last 12 years has been
exclusively devoted to the construction tube line. Scott
has been a Senior Account Representative since 2011. He may be contacted at 843-731-3581 or [email protected].
Scott Ferguson
Mike Clemente is now Vice President of Sales for Lackmond Products,
Inc. “We are excited to have Mike join the Lackmond team and take on
the role of Vice President of Sales. His experience in sales, business
development and the overall construction and industrial industry will help
accelerate our growth in North
America,” commented Cliff Sallis,
President and Owner of Lackmond.
Mike brings over 36 years of experience in sales and distribution within
Mike Clemente
the construction building materials markets. Previously he was Director of
New Business Development for the Anchor Systems division of Simpson Strong-Tie. “This position is truly a unique opportunity for me to help strengthen relationships between Lackmond
Products, Inc. and our customer partners. I am excited to be part of continuing and accelerating Lackmond’s growth in the building and construction markets”, said Mike.
Mike is the new Sphere 1 primary contact and may be reached at [email protected]
or 770-919-2100, 925-575-4019 (cell).
Vendor Spotlight
BRONZE SPONSOR
Preferred Supplier News
Magnolia Brush Manufacturers is pleased
to announce the addition of Glenn Guyette
as National Sales Manager. Glenn brings
extensive industry and product knowledge
with over 20 years of experience as a synthetic filament supplier to the
brush industry. Additionally, Glenn brings a plethora of knowledge in
the construction industry having worked as an Independent Rep covering
the northeast for over 6 years. Based out of Wilmington, MA, Glenn
Glenn Guyette
will be responsible for managing Magnolia's network of Independent
Representatives as well as provide a key point of contact for new customers and national
accounts. Glenn is the Sphere 1 primary contact and may be reached at his home office at 978988-1446 or by email [email protected].
MAX USA CORP. is
proud to announce their
new YouTube Channel. The
channel features testimonial videos from end users of their 100psi, 500 psi,
and world famous Rebar Tying Tools. The MAX
YouTube channel may be accessed by typing MAX
USA CORP on YouTube or https://www.youtube.
com/channel/UCs-PUH-TafEC4BbuIouqVJw. Visit the site and you will be able to see why
MAX has earned a solid reputation for engineering top of the line building
tools that are designed to last a lifetime.
Vendor Spotlight
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Tony Aguilar
MAX would like to announce the hiring of their new Northwest Regional
Sales Executive Tony Aguilar. Tony has been in the construction industry
for nearly 15 years on the west coast. Working in the power tool industry.
Tony has consistently helped distributors grow market share by working
closely in the field with sales doing jobsite demonstrations and identifying opportunities to help grow business. You can reach Tony any time at
[email protected] or by cell at 503-333-4343.
Radians, a leading manufacturer of high-visibility
apparel and other high performance safety products, has several members on the ISEA product
group who played a significant role in drafting
the new ANSI/ISEA 107 2015 Standard for High-Visibility Apparel
and Accessories. ISEA recently announced the new standard, and the
official standard document can be ordered online by visiting ISEA at
https://safetyequipment.org/product/ansiisea-107-2015/.
Several changes have been added to expand the types of High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) available in order to more effectively
address a wider variety of Struck by Vehicle hazards. If you want to explore the
key five revisions of the new High-Visibility Apparel standard, you can download the Radians
White Paper at www.radians.com. Just click on the White Paper, follow the instructions, and
a complimentary White Paper will be emailed to you. If you have questions about the new
standard, you can consult with a Radians safety specialists by calling toll free 1-877-723-4267,
or email your question to [email protected], or visit www.radians.com.
Caraustar Industrial Products Group,
manufacturer of Easy-Pour/Weather-Shield
Fiber Forms is now producing these products
at fourteen locations across the United States
& Canada. These facilities are located in: Arlington TX, Bay Minette AL, Chicopee
MA, Delta BC, Denver CO, Kernersville NC,
Longview WA,
Ontario CA, Phoenix
AZ, Salt Lake City UT, Toledo OH, Toronto ON, Winnipeg MB &
York PA. For more information please visit www.caraustar.com.
Vendor Spotlight
TREK Center News
SPHERE 1 UNIVERSITY UPDATE
BRONZE SPONSOR
• 2,699 Member Employees taking courses
• 172,150 Enrollments
• 63,948 Hours of Training Completed
• 290 Courses
GENERAC Power Systems
• Generac Portable Generators Product Review
Milwaukee
• Milwaukee Fuel_M18 Fuel 2 Piece Kit with One-Key
• Milwaukee Hand Tools Demolition Gloves
• Milwaukee M12_Infrared Temp-Gun
• Milwaukee M18_Force Logic 600 MCM Crimper
• Milwaukee M18_Force Logic Utility 6T Crimper and Cutters
• Milwaukee One-Key Inventory Management
• Milwaukee One-Key Tool Control
Surface Shields
• Carpet Shield
Werner Ladder
Vendor Spotlight
• Weather Guard EZGlide2 Training SAIT Conducts 2-Day Training Seminars
United Abrasives, Inc. / SAIT training seminars will help improve your business’
profitability by giving you a better understanding of United Abrasives, Inc. / SAIT
products and marketing strategies. This opportunity is provided to our customers,
compliments of United Abrasives, Inc. / SAIT. The 2-day seminar at the North
Windham, Connecticut facility offers Distributors an overview of abrasive products
including bonded, coated, brushes, and accessory items. Attendees will also be given a
plant tour and participate in a very extensive hands-on session.
Next training class will be held June 16th – 17th, 2016. Keep checking our website’s
Training section for future training dates. For more information contact Ron Gehen at
[email protected] or visit www.unitedabrasives.com.
Visit the TREK Center at www.sphere1.coop
for more information.
BRONZE SPONSOR
Brighton-Best International – Continued from front page
Vendor Spotlight
BRONZE SPONSOR
fastener business organically, and to grow
through acquisitions. However as we look at
our evolution from 20 ton coils of stainless
steel sheets and 20 ft pipes, to 1LB boxes of
fasteners, we realize that we are not limited
by the product categories we sell. We are
wholesaler distributors of industrial products
and bring a value proposition of:
• Improving our distributor’s cash flow
by providing a greater mix of products
with lower minimum purchases per
SKU and eliminating the need to carry
large inventories.
• Mitigating the risk of commodity cost
fluctuations.
• Ensuring the highest quality of products
from factories we direct source from
• Carrying the operational cost of
warehouses, people, systems from
importing directly.
• Providing exceptional service with
competitive pricing you would expect
from BBI.
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Nowhere in our value proposition do we
say we should only sell fasteners. We have
expanded over the past 6 years by increasing
the range and depth of our inventory. We will
continue to expand by increasing the range
and depth of our products categories outside
of fasteners. As we continue to expand
into these other product categories, our
distributors will benefit by:
• Having the highest quality of products at
the most competitive prices.
• Having access to new product categories
previously inaccessible or with limited
access for fastener distributors.
• Provide new opportunities for growth
and margin expansion to our distributors.
Already, BBI has placed millions of
dollars worth of purchase orders to expand
into the hand-tool product category with
the expansion launch of July 2016. We
have made it a focus to purchase hand tools
from Taiwan where the manufacturers have
access to better quality steel and have better
controls over manufacturing processes than
from cheaper countries of origin. This will
cost BBI sometimes 50% more in product
procurement cost; however, we will make
the product accessible at a lower price than
what the cheaper product will sell for in the
market. BBI will provide to our distributors
the best quality and most innovative hand tool
products, at the lowest cost, period.
I often get asked, where should a
distributor invest its resources. My answer is
always, invest where you’re small. Because
regardless of the economic growth or
contraction, you will grow.
BBI’s purpose of existence is to help our
distributors make more money. A healthy
distributor ultimately means a healthy
BBI. As we looked at our own growth and
the health of the industry, we felt the need
to create new areas of opportunity for our
distributors. Products like tools are more
difficult to source than to sell. There are
many established channels and brands, and as
with any established channels that generate
high margins, there are many defensive walls
built up to prevent new entrants. To find
good quality manufacturers and to procure the
product at a competitive cost point was the
challenge that BBI has taken on to create this
opportunity.
Tools have a higher USD per SKU
than Fasteners. This means as a fastener
distributor, you will get more efficient as
you sell more hand tools because your sales
will increase faster than your costs. This
investment makes much more sense than for a
high dollar per SKU distributor investing into
a low dollar per SKU product line because
each sale will mean the distributor is getting
less efficient. So ultimately, rather than ask
“Why Hand Tools”, maybe the question
should be, “Why Not Hand Tools”
At BBI, we believe that comfort is the
greatest enemy to our own progress. It is
ironic since everyone in a state of discomfort
fights to get comfortable. However over
time, comfort can change your mentality
from offense to defense, and instead of
looking for opportunities to grow, you look
for opportunities to preserve what you have.
Such an effort is ultimately futile given our
age of rapid innovation as comfort breeds
higher than necessary overheads that present
an attractive target to new entrants with a
different business model. However, this does
not have to be the case if you view challenges
as opportunities. As you grow, you will begin
to see a wider expanse of opportunities. The
constant push to grasp those opportunities,
even when we don’t need to, is our attempt
to fight comfort and to ensure our continued
mutual success.
– Jun Xu, President, BBI