- IEWC Germany GmbH

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1962-2012: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Summer 2012
IEWC Celebrates 50 Years of
Wire & Cable Supply Innovation
After a half century of business,
IEWC’s gaze turns to the future
with plans for rapid growth and
continuous improvement.
The evolution of IEWC into a global supplier of
wire, cable and wire management solutions did
not happen overnight. Rather, it began 50 years
ago with the same entrepreneurial spirit that
IEWC regards so highly today.
Simply put, IEWC exists today because of one
man’s dream to own a small business.
THE BIRTH OF A DREAM...
On January 1st, 1962, Ted Kryzynski purchased
Martin Electric Sales, a small wire and cable
house located on Water Street in Milwaukee, WI.
Desiring a fresh start, the company was soon
renamed to Marcam, with Ted as its first President.
Ted quickly found a trusted friend and business
partner in Harlan Murray, who became the
company’s Vice President in March of 1962.
Together, Ted
and
Harlan began planting
the seeds for a company
that would ultimately
become the global
entity known as IEWC.
Over the course of
the first year, Ted and
Harlan worked tirelessly
building
a
solid
Continued on page 3...
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
• “STRETCH” AWARD FINDS NEW HOME
• PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
• PROJECT SHIFT
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
Ed Wegner Presented with “STRETCH” Award
Ed Wegner never imagined that he would end up leading
IEWC’s community efforts with Habitat for Humanity. Even
more so, he never expected that he would be presented
with an award in honor of his service and leadership with
the charitable organization.
For Ed, he contributed his time and talents for one simple
reason: it was a way that he could help give back to the
community.
Founded in 1984, Habitat for Humanity has built and repaired
over 500 homes in the Milwaukee area in partnership with
hardworking local families and businesses. The charity is a
leading advocate for affordable housing and is the largest
non-profit home builder in Southeastern Wisconsin.
In 2008, IEWC began contributing time and resources to
the local charity to help create sustainable value within the
community. Even though it was Ed’s first year contributing to
the cause, he quickly learned the ropes and began showing
leadership qualities on the jobsite.
“It’s extremely rewarding to have the opportunity to
give back to the community and help those who are less
fortunate,” Ed comments. “It’s such a great charity, and such a
great way to bring the community together.”
In May of 2012, Ed was presented with IEWC’s STRETCH
award in honor of his time and leadership with Habitat for
Humanity. The STRETCH award, which comes in the form of
a stuffed giraffe, is presented to those who have gone above
and beyond the call of duty in exhibiting their leadership
qualities.
For more information on IEWC’s Habitat for Humanity
efforts, please contact Stefanie Bruns at 262-957-1156 or
[email protected].
©2012 Alpha Wire
Today, Ed leads IEWC’s Habitat for Humanity efforts
both within the company and on the jobsite. Whether
it’s organizing work teams or helping to create new
opportunities for IEWC to work with the charity, Ed enjoys
every minute he donates to the cause.
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ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
50 Years of Wire and Cable Supply Innovation
...Continued from page 1
foundation for the business.
Mary Jane Krzynski recalls, “Ted worked all week, and
struggled all week. On the weekends he brought work
home. So Saturdays and Sundays the kitchen table was
covered with work.”
With a staff of 4 employees, Marcam’s sales for the first year
amounted to $166,000.
In 1963, Ted began to implement his vision of offering cut-tolength respooling and just-in-time inventory. This focus on
customer service and satisfaction quickly got the company
moving, and in January of 1964 he changed the company’s
name from Marcam to Industrial Electric Wire & Cable.
success. By 1983, the number of employees had increased to
25, and showed no sign of slowing down.
Over the next 20 years,
Industrial Electric Wire
& Cable began growing
at an increasingly fast
rate. In an effort to keep
Industrial Electric moving
forward, the company was
relocated twice during
this period. The added
space allowed accomodation for the additional inventory
and employees needed to sustain the company’s growing
Despite the company’s rapid growth, Ted Krzynski cherished
the close-knit relationship that he had with his employees.
Generous in heart, Ted was always willing to give the benefit
of the doubt to those close to him. His unique personality
and gentle touch quickly made him a father figure amongst
his employees.
“[Ted] called us all
his kids. It was a
small company at
the time and that’s
really how we all felt.
We were family.”
In February of 1983, Industrial Electric Wire & Cable began
moving beyond its roots in Milwaukee with the opening of a
sales office in South Carolina.
“When I remember Ted Krzynski, what I think of is how he
treated everyone as his family,” recalls Nyleen Trimborn,
Have a question or comment? Please visit us at: www.iewc.com/askquestion. aspx
3
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
IEWC Sourcing Manager. “He called us all his kids. It was a
small company at the time and that’s really how we all felt.
We were family.”
everyone that came into the building headed straight
into his office. But that was Chuck’s style, just
very outgoing.“
In October of 1985 Ted sold Industrial Electric Wire & Cable to
his “kids” through the gift of employee-ownership, which has
helped to sustain the company’s independence ever since.
Following in the
footsteps of Ted,
Chuck Mahaffey
continued the
expansion
of
Industrial
E l e c t r i c ’s
United
States
presence. Beginning
in 1988 with the opening of a
sales office in Ohio, the company would open
two additional locations over the next 10 years.
With company resources now available in Ohio,
Arizona and Texas, Industrial Electric was quickly
becoming a recognized name in the national wire
and cable industry.
PASSING OF THE TORCH...
When the time came for Ted to name his successor for
President of Industrial Electric Wire & Cable, employees
knew that Ted was leaving behind some sizeable shoes to
fill. In January of 1987, Ted handed the reins over to Chuck
Mahaffey, who brought with him a love for modern day
technology.
“I do know that when he started at the company, Ted did
Growth quickly continued within the company, and
by 1998 Industrial Electric consisted of over 200
employees nationwide. It was becoming increasingly
clear that under the unique leadership style of
Chuck Mahaffey, Industrial Electric truly had a
recipe for success.
not want anything to do with computers,” Mary Mahaffey
remembers. “Chuck would often come home very frustrated
because he knew that this was the right direction for the
company to go. So they had a few words, and Ted finally
agreed to take the leap.”
That leap resulted in Industrial Electric purchasing its first
office computer in July 1978.
In addition to pushing the company to the forefront with
technology, Chuck was also extremely passionate about
customer service.
Jim Fitzpatrick, Senior Application Specialist, recalls, “When
we moved into our old building on Ryerson, Chuck insisted
that he had the first office inside the front door, so if any
customers came in, he would have the chance to interact
with them. Unfortunately, he discovered after awhile that
4
Dave Nestingen, current CEO of IEWC commented, “I
often like to compare Chuck Mahaffey to Yoda of Star
Wars fame. He was a little philosophical sometimes,
and sometimes a little imperious. However, it was
always with a purpose. He was always
trying to help people find their own
path and their own way through
the questions that he asked and the
examples that he set.”
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
THE NEXT GENERATION...
Despite the overwhelming success Industrial Electric had
during the previous 11 years, Chuck was beginning to
focus on an exciting new venture - retirement. With Chuck’s
retirement plans all but imminent, the need to choose a
successor once again became a focus for the company. Due
to the massive growth the company had undergone during
the previous decade, choosing the right man for the job had
never been more important.
Having served on the company’s board of directors for 14
years, Dave Nestingen had gained a great deal of insight
from its senior executives and was quickly identified as a
front-runner to succeed Chuck Mahffey.
In January of 1999, Dave became Industrial Electric’s third
and most current President.
“I don’t think that
there’s any question
that the single
most important
contributing factor
to the success of
IEWC is its people...”
Under the leadership of Dave Nestingen, Industrial Electric
began to redefine its goals and vision for the future. With
the company having executed a successful expansion across
the United States, Dave began to set his sights on
international opportunities.
In January of 2005, Industrial Electric opened its first
international sales and distribution office in Aguascalientes,
Mexico. Later that year, another sales office was opened
in Ontario, Canada. Both locations were deemed huge
successes for the company.
Shortly thereafter, Industrial Electric identified additional
international opportunities and opened offices in Germany,
China, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Expansion within
the United States also continued with the acquisition of
companies in Massachusetts and California.
At this time, Industrial
Electric was also making
plans to once again
move
its
corporate
headquarters. With 5
U.S. sales offices and a
company-wide employee
base nearing 250, space
and resources were again
at a premium.
In September of 2000, Industrial Electric made the move to
its most current corporate headquarters on Towne Drive in
New Berlin, WI.
Have a question or comment? Please visit us at: www.iewc.com/askquestion. aspx
5
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
CLEAR PATH TO THE FUTURE...
It was becoming increasingly clear that Industrial Electric
Wire & Cable was quickly becoming a major player in both
the domestic and international wire and cable industries. As
the company continued to penetrate new geographies and
market verticals, there became a renewed focus on company
image and branding.
While wire and cable would always be the core of Industrial
Electric’s business, the addition of wire management
products and a custom engineered solutions division
known as FABTECH showed the desire for the company to
spread its wings.
In 2010, Industrial Electric began the process of rebranding
itself to better portray its presence in the global market
and its constantly expanding line of products and
value-add services.
Because the name “Industrial Electric Wire & Cable” had
existed since the inception of the company in 1962, the
idea of changing the name nearly 50 years later remained
bittersweet. However, the entrepenurial spirit of Ted
Krzynski, Harlan Murray and Chuck Mahaffey would always
be alive in the employees of Industrial Electric, and their
gaze was firmly focused on the future.
In June of 2010, Industrial Electric Wire & Cable unveiled its
new brand. The new name allowed the company to remain
true to its heritage, yet reflect the products, services and
6
solutions that would help ensure its success well into the
future.
Industrial Electric Wire & Cable was now IEWC.
Today, IEWC’s focus is all about providing customers with
premier global solutions. The corporate vision is to deliver
sustainable value to its four key stakeholders - customers,
suppliers, employees and local communities.
IEWC is also firmly focused on the future. Whether it’s
continued global expansion or continued improvement of
its supply chain and business practices, IEWC will continue
to be a constantly evolving company.
“We are never satisfied with the status quo,” comments Paul
Bryant, CCO of IEWC. “We always push ourselves to the limit
- to do better and to grow.”
If you ever get a chance to ask Dave Nestingen what the
secret of IEWC’s success is, he’ll always tell you that it’s really
no secret at all:
“I don’t think that there’s any question that the single
most important contributing factor to the success of IEWC
is its people and culture,” states Dave Nestingen. “I know
that our founders were among the finest human beings
that you’d ever want to run into under any circumstance. I
think somehow that has a way of just carrying through to
future generations.”
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
People on the MOVE
Luis Ramirez joins the IEWC Mexico
sales team as Account Executive for
the Pacific region of Guadalajara. With
past work experience that includes
companies such as Amphenol and
Heilind-Force, Luis will be an integral
part of IEWC Mexico’s success as the
company moves into the future.
Luis holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and
Electronics Engineering in addition to a Master’s in Business
Administration.
In his free time, Luis enjoys spending time with his 4 children.
Luis can be reached at [email protected].
Tomasz
Mazur
joins the IEWC
Germany sales team as Account
Executive for eastern Europe.
With over 8 years of experience in
sourcing, Tomasz has worked for major
companies such as Lear Corporation
and
Rockwell
Automation.
His
comprehensive knowledge of the industry will be key in
the continuing development and expansion of IEWC Germany.
Tomasz holds a Master’s Degree from the Silesian University of
Technology in Gilwice in addition to his postgraduate studies
at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow.
In his free time, Tomasz is an active sailor and recently spent
time sailing between the Greek Islands with his wife Karolina
and son Filip. He also enjoys movies and has an affinity for
history.
Tomasz can be reached at [email protected].
IEWC Germany also welcomes:
Kirralee Bartrim
Sven Arne Bartels
Marie-Elise Jox
7
ONLINE: WWW.IEWC.COM | TOLL FREE: 800-344-2323
Project SHIFT Streamlines Sourcing and Supply
IEWC recently completed the implementation of Project
SHIFT and the optimization of its Sourcing and Supply Chain
teams. Project SHIFT was created in an effort to enact more
efficient and productive methods for the handling of IEWC’s
purchasing and inventory management efforts.
The project culminated on July 2nd with the restructuring of
IEWC’s purchasing and inventory management departments
into two distinct groups: sourcing and materials
management.
IEWC’s Sourcing Group is responsible for the maintenance
of material master data, the upkeep of costs within SAP and
the handling of invoice discrepancies. They also work closely
with IEWC sales teams to help secure new business, evaluate
the need for new stock items, and work with IEWC Preferred
Suppliers to improve overall performance and lead times.
The Materials Management Group handles exception
monitoring, PO entry, order expedites and order
acknowledgments. In addition, this group controls the
service levels of materials, establishes inventory planning
strategies, creates target inventory levels based on changes
in market trends and demand, and maintains finished goods
inventory planning parameters such as safety stock, reorder
point quantities, lot sizes, forecast and lead-times.
Championed by Nyleen Trimborn (IEWC Sourcing Manager)
and Mike Heard (IEWC Materials Manager), Project SHIFT
eliminates departmental redundancies, minimizes points
of contact within the IEWC supply chain, promotes
product expertise and a deeper understanding of supplier
capabilities while ultimately providing customers with
improved information and a faster response time.
IEWC Preferred Suppliers
Hilec
RSCC Aerospace & Defense
Data Guide Cable
James Monroe
Wire & Cable
Sealcon
Delfingen US
Lutze
Drossbach
Panduit Corp.
Sumitomo Electric
Interconnect
DSG-Canusa
Prestolite Wire
Techflex
Brady Worldwide
General Cable Corp.
Quabbin Wire & Cable
Thermax
Burndy
Harbour Industries
Qualtek Electronics
Therm-O-Link
Cable Technology
Hellermann Tyton
Quirk Wire Company
Tricab
Champlain Cable
Heyco Products
Radix Wire Company
Tyco Electronics
Alpha Wire Company
Amercable
Atlas Wire Corp.
Badger Wire
Belden/LTK
International Ltd.
Coleman Cable/
Copperfield
Southwire Company
IEWC Global Stocking Locations
UNITED STATES
Boston, MA
978-422-6000
800-225-0802
Milwaukee, WI
262-782-2255
800-966-6325
Cleveland, OH
440-835-5601
800-321-5601
Phoenix, AZ
480-922-6900
800-989-9502
Dallas, TX
972-801-9787
800-474-9984
San Francisco, CA
925-939-3600
866-472-9473
Greenville, SC
864-234-5322
800-480-5322
MEXICO
Aguascalientes, AG
+52 449 922 1200
Monterrey, NL
+52 449 922 1200
BRAZIL
Sorocaba, Sao Paulo
+55 15 3218 1347
CANADA
Montreal, QC
514-956-5877
Toronto, ON
416-609-2050
866-303-6596
CHINA
Hong Kong, SAR
+86 512 6275 6668
800-828-2086
Suzhou, Jiangsu
+86 512 6275 6668
800-828-2086
GERMANY
Frankfurt am Main
+49 6175 79791 0
UNITED KINGDOM
Weston-super-Mare
+44 870 609 1257