Face of the Industry

Company Notes

New Alto U.S. President/CEO Promises Clarke Brand Emphasis
M ark Hefty returns to Alto U.S., St. Louis, after a five-year absence from the major manufacturer of floor cleaning equipment. The company recently announced that Hefty has assumed the title of president and CEO of the company. After leaving Alto U.S. in 1997 (then known as Clarke Industries Inc.), he served as president of Jackson Products, a manufacturer of safety products.

“I believe that my experience there will help me,” says Hefty. “It’s a little different because that industry was primarily ‘two-step’ distribution — from the manufacturer to the wholesaler, and then from the wholesaler to the distributor. I don’t think our industry is headed that way, although there is some two-step distribution in the jan/san industry.”

Distributors will notice at least one change almost immediately in the Alto U.S. line due to Hefty’s leadership: the reintroduction of the Clarke name brand. “It was never totally removed from our products, but it was de-emphasized,” he says. “However, people still have a strong connection with the Clarke name, so it will now be on our entire product line.”

Hefty says that distributors should not fear any changes in the quality of Alto U.S. products or the internal organization of the company. “If anything, our distributor customers can expect an even higher level of new product development which will better meet the needs of the end user,” he says. “Distributors fulfill vital functions for manufacturers, and that relationship is still critical for Alto’s success.”

Bridgepoint Systems Completes HQ Addition
The corporate headquarters of Bridgepoint Systems, Salt Lake City, recently was renovated to add a 25,000-square-foot warehouse onto the current building. The addition includes a research and development lab, along with a storefront for Aqua-Air, Bridgepoint’s sister company.

Waxie Sanitary Supply, San Diego, a major distributor in the jan/san industry, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the company’s new Ontario, Calif., inventory center. When completed in early 2003, this 140,000 square-foot facility will be the largest of Waxie’s 14 inventory centers.

DDi System, Sandy Hook, Conn., a provider of distribution management software, has moved locations to accommodate for its continued growth, according to president Adam Waller. “Our new facility houses our growing customer support team as well as a new training facility,” he says.

AFFLINK, Tuscaloosa, Ala., has announced that it recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. In 1977, Ernest Williams and Robert E. Keith founded Affiliated Paper Companies (APC), a regional buying group with 40 independent paper distributors. Today, AFFLINK consists of more than 520 distributors in a variety of markets and industries.
To celebrate its anniversary, AFFLINK has introduced Ec-Dox, an e-commerce program that enables small distributors to transact directly with a variety of national suppliers with one electronic data connection.

Dri-Eaz, Burlington, Wash., recently announced that it has updated its offering of schools, seminars and three-day hands-on DriZone training. Those interested in scheduling should visit the company’s website at www.dri-eaz.com.

Bay Paper Co., Mobile, Ala., recently announced that it has celebrated its 50th anniversary with an open house and trade show, hosting 30 national and regional vendors. The company was founded by Raymond and Violet Hirsch in 1952 and remains under family control.

International Paper, recently launched a new website with a wide range of educational tools and resources. The site is www.IPpaper.com, and it provides real-time product and service information about the Commercial Printing and Imaging Papers’ brands.

Snee Chemical, Harahan, La., has announced the retirement of Richard and Linda Hartwell, who served as co-owners for the past 29 years. Richard will become chairman of the board while Linda will serve as secretary/treasurer. Snee will be under the care of the Hartwell’s son, the new president.

Treat’s Janitorial Supply, Ada, Okla., recently announced that Freeman Jordan, 82, is marking his 62nd year of selling in the jan/san industry.

Cascades Tissue Group Inc., Kinsey Falls, Canada, a major paper manufacturer for North America, has announced the following appointments to its sales team: Bob Jenkins, regional sales manager (Midwest, U.S.); Mike Robertson, regional sales manager (Southeast, U.S.); Dennis Lion, regional sales manager (Northeast, U.S.); Marshall Warren, regional sales manager (West, U.S.); and Walter Hudson, regional sales manager (National Accounts, U.S.).

Triple S, Billerica, Mass., recently presented awards to companies that exceeded $1 million in Triple S product sales: Doug Ireland, Capital Sanitary Supply Co., Inc., Des Moines, Iowa; Curt Todd, Nogg Chemical & Paper Co., Omaha, Neb.; Jim Cusick, Florida Sanitary Suppliers, Pompano Beach, Fla.; and Richard Lantier, Manny’s Sanitary Supplies Inc., New Orleans.

Fuller Brush, Leicester, N.Y., recently announced that sales were up 1.4 percent for the quarter that ended June 30, 2002. Fuller brands were up 1.6 percent to $15.03 million from $14.78 million a year ago. The parent company for Fuller Brands is CPAC, which declared a quarterly dividend of 7 cents per share.

The United Group, Monroe, La., recently announced that it has added four new distributors to its organization: A-1 Restaurant & Janitorial Supply Co., Allentown, Pa. (Steve Wiener, co-owner and secretary treasurer, Alan Wiener, co-owner and vice president); Map International Corp., Newark, N.J. (Marie Pimental, president); Precision Chemical & Paper Supply, Dalton, Ga. (Daymon Duckett, president and owner); and Strickland Packaging, Birmingham, Ala. (Bayard Tynes, CEO).

Consolidated Paper Co., Bronx, N.Y., recently held its “Business Builder Trade Show and Exhibition 2002” at the crown Plaza Hotel, LaGuardia Airport, Queens, N.Y.

Obituary

Founder of Vonachen Service and Supply Dies
Robert Vonachen, founder of Vonachen Service and Supply, Peoria, Ill., died in his sleep of natural causes on August 4, 2002. He created a small storefront cleaning wholesaler and saw it grow into a nationally recognized industry leader. He is survived by his sons, Jay and Rudy Vonachen.

Players

Bunzl Distribution, St. Louis, has announced that Paul B. Stewart has joined the company as manager of special projects. He will be based at Bunzl-Atlanta. In addition, Bunzl Distribution has announced that Derek Gordon has been promoted to executive vice president of national accounts.

Charles E. Bennett, CEO of Cook Composites and Polymers (CCP), Kansas City, Mo., has announced the appointment of Bruno Henri as chief financial officer (CFO) for the company. He will be responsible for CCP’s finance, accounting and information systems.

Ecolab, St. Paul, Minn., a manufacturer and supplier of a variety of cleaning products, has named Douglas M. Baker Jr. president and chief operating officer. The announcement was made by Ecolab chairman/CEO Allan L. Schuman. Baker replaces Bruno Deschamps, who resigned in March. Previously, Baker had served as Ecolab’s institutional sector president.

BSW Consulting Inc., St. Louis, a national technology consulting company, recently an-nounced that Jeff Gusdorf, CPA, has been appointed a senior consultant. He will be responsible for technology consulting and software evaluation. BSW acquired Financial and Computer Solutions earlier this year, of which Gusdorf served as president with more than 20 years of experience in financial and technology management.

In addition, announced that Anthony (Tony) Munns has joined the company as a senior consultant. His responsibilities will include helping companies improve their profitability through technology. Prior to his arrival at BSW, Munns served as the St. Louis-based senior manager of technology risk consulting for Arthur Andersen LLP.

Church & Dwight Co., Princeton, N.J., has announced that John Russo has been appointed regional sales manager of the company’s commercial and professional cleaning products. He will market the Arm & Hammer^® family of cleaners and deodorizers for commercial use, including Parson’s, SnoBol and Scrub Free brands.

Ludlow Composites Corp. , Fremont, Ohio, recently announced that Philip C. Meuser has been appointed vice president of crown mats and matting division. Prior to his position, Meuser was president of a Toledo-based manufacturer.

AmSan, recently announced that Shelly Riha has been named regional manager for AmSan West and Fred Adickes has been named vice president and general manager for Easterday Janitorial Supply, Sacramento, Calif.

Bob Robinson Sr., president of KaiVac Inc., Hamilton, Ohio, recently announced several organizational changes designed to support the company’s corporate strategy: Tom Morrison has been named vice president of marketing; Bill Purcell has been promoted to vice president of sales for the Western United States; and Mike Tracy has been appointed vice president of sales for the Eastern United States.

Quaker City Paper Co., York, Pa., recently announced the winners of Quaker’s 2002 Salesperson of the year. Several awards were given for outstanding achievement, including: Kathie Bergdoll, first place in sales; Mike Yeagley, second place; Gerri Arment, third place; Sheryl Horn, fourth place; and Rick Cleckner, fifth place.

The International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), will present its annual awards honoring achievers in the cleaning and maintenance field during the ISSA/INTERCLEAN^®-USA 2002, October 15-18, 2002, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Awards will be presented at the ISSA General Meeting, which will be held Friday, October, 18.

The Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award honors individual ISSA members who have served at least 10 continuous years in the industry and demonstrated outstanding service. This year’s recipient is Donald H. Lees, president of Big D Industries, Inc., Oklahoma City.

Larry R. Shideler was recently presented the Manufacturer Representative Distinguished Service Award by the ISSA. The award recognizes an individual who has had a positive impact on the industry. Shideler is president of ProTeam, Boise, Idaho.

The ISSA also awarded the John H. Plant Membership Development Award to individual members who have recruited a minimum of 25 companies to the association. The award was named after John H. Plant, former president of Maintenance Equipment Co., Tucker, Ga., and ISSA’s 1986 president. This year’s recipients are:

• Bruce Casselman, Quick-Maccullum Corp., Toronto, Canada
  
• Mattie Chicks, Avmor Ltd., Laval, QC, Canada
  
• Peter D. Holt, Truvox International Ltd., Southampton, U.K.
  

Larry Cunningham, who has been with Huber Inc., Wichita, Kan., since 1978, has been promoted to president of the company. He has been in the Wichita office since 1987, prior to which he lived in Salina and covered a 25-county area. Huber Inc. has been a distributor of sanitary maintenance products since 1949.

Minuteman International, Addison, Ill., recently announced the appointment of Richard J. Wood as a member of its board of directors. Wood was a partner at Earnst & Young, where he had worked for 32 years, before retiring in 1996.

Association News

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) recently announced that Jade West has been appointed NAW senior vice president-government relations and executive director of NAW’s wholesaler-distributor political action committee. Previously, West has been the staff director of the U.S. Republican policy committee for the past six years.

West succeeds Alan Kranowitz, who passed away in early June. She will join NAW at the end of the current Congressional session.

The University of Industrial Distribution (UID), Birmingham, Ala., has announced that registration has begun for its fall session. Eighteen industrial distribution associations co-sponsor the event that is targeted toward middle and developing managers in distribution. UID students can now apply their course work toward earning the new Professional Certificate in Industrial Distribution, awarded by the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

The NPTA Alliance has announced that Gene Shats has joined the association and has been appointed marketing coordinator. He will report to Greg Plezia, alliance manager, and Jack Vaccaro, director of membership & marketing. He will assume ownership of the Weekly Alliance Report newsletter as well as helping with the alliance website. Shats is a graduate of the Hendriks Institute and the Metropolitan Institute.

The Paper Distribution Council has announced that Jim Barrett, executive vice president of Central National Gottesman, Inc., Purchase, N.Y., has been elected chairman for 2003 of the Paper Distribution Council (PDC), an organization that has been in existence for more than 30 years. The PDC has an annual meeting every January to seek solutions for distributors of paper and paper supplies. The 2003 meeting will be held in Coral Gables, Fla.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) recently participated in President Bush’s economic forum, held at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. NAW chairman Grady Rosier, CEO of McLane Co., Inc., was one of the NAW’s representatives. President Bush took the opportunity to get input on possible economic solutions for the private sector. Rosier urged the administration to focus on providing clear leadership during a time of economic uncertainty.

Calendar of Events

AED September 12-13, 2002
Association of Equipment Distributors 2002 Executive Forum; Rosemont, Ill.; Westin O’Hare; (800) 388-0650.

ISSA September 21, 2002
International Sanitary Supply Association Operation Clean Sweep; (800) 225-4772.

TWA 2002 Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2002
Tissue World Americas 2002; Hyatt Regency; Miami; Contact Ria Van Den Bogaert: (305) 358-1234.

FACT October 2-4, 2002
The Finnish Association of Cleaning Technology has organized Finnclean 2002; Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki Fair Centre; info@finnexpo.fi.

NPTA October 12-14, 2002
National Paper Trade Association Convention; Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.

ASTM October 13-17, 2002
American Society for Testing and Materials; Las Vegas; Las Vegas Convention Center; (610) 832-9715.

IEHA October 15-18, 2002
International Executive Housekeepers Association Meetings; Las Vegas; (800) 200-6342.

ISSA October 15-18, 2002
International Sanitary Supply Association/INTERCLEAN-USA 2002 Trade Show; Las Vegas; Las Vegas Convention Center; (800) 225-4772.

UID October 20-23, 2002
University of Industrial Distribution 2002; Indianapolis; The University Place Conference Center and Hotel; (410) 263-1014.

ASA October 29-November 1
American Supply Assn. Annual Convention; Toronto, Canada; (312) 464-0090.

IDA November 23-25
Industrial Distribution Assn./Industrial Supply Manufacturers Fall Convention and Conference; Chicago; (216) 241-7333.