The New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association (NJSSA) drew 120 participants to its half-day seminar, “Understanding the Green Cleaning Market...Just the Facts, Not the Hype” in May.

Held at the Woodbridge Hilton Hotel, Butler, N.J.,the event presented an overall view of the green cleaning movement and clarified what distributors need to know to meet compliance standards and serve their customers.

The featured speakers were Bill Balek, director of legislative affairs for ISSA; Rich Sedlak, vice president of The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA); and Kathy Stanton, associate director of scientific affairs for SDA.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

NAW Studies Communication Technology
A new book from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), Washington, details how distributor-supplier electronic communications systems can improve the exchange of information among distributors, suppliers, third-party service providers and customer companies.

Written by Jim Narus of Wake Forest University, “Connect With Your Suppliers: A Wholesaler-Distributor’s Guide to Electronic Communications Systems” examines key managerial issues and decisions that distributors must address when selecting and using these systems. The cost is $79 for NAW direct members, $89 for regular NAW members, and $99 for non-members.

NPTA Alliance to Launch Distributor Trade Show
The NPTA Alliance, a major trade association representing the $60 billion distribution industry for paper and packaging supplies, recently announced that it will launch a new trade show, PackUSA™, in 2006.

The full title of the event, which will be co-located with ISSA’s annual ISSA/INTERCLEAN® trade show, is “PackUSA™: The Packaging Materials & Systems Marketplace.”

PackUSA™ will draw exhibitors who produce packaging materials and supplies, including the equipment utilized by packagers, packaging systems and support, plus shipping-room supplies and foodservice-packaging materials. There will also be educational programs and seminars.

The first show will be October 4-7, 2006, in Chicago’s McCormick Place, and it will be open to distributors, suppliers, and manufacturers’ reps. It will also be open to select end-user customers, according to a press release. Visit NPTA Alliance for more details.

COMPANY NOTES

United Electric Co., a Burlington, N.C.-based manufacturer of vacuum hoses and vacuum cleaning attachments, recently announced that it has entered into an agreement with Wessel-Werk Commercial Products. United Electric will now inventory and distribute a wide range of Wessel-Werk products.

Enviro-Solutions, a Peterborough, Ontario-based manufacturer of environmentally friendly cleaning products for more than 10 years, recently announced the addition of three new Canadian distributors that have signed on to carry the Enviro-Solutions product line: SK Sanitation Supply, Super Chem, and Call I Supply.

Network Services Co., Mt. Prospect, Ill., an $8.2 billion organization of independent distributors, has formed a strategic alliance with INPACS, a similar German organization serving European markets and based out of Berlin. Precise terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

PLAYERS

William Sheppard, founder of Sheppard Redistribution, Oaks, Pa., a locally owned and operated jan/san master distributor, has grown his company from six employees to 19 full-time redistribution specialists in six months.

Nick Wiebe was recently hired as the marketing manager for U.S. Products, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a manufacturer of carpet and floor care equipment. Wiebe has more than six years of experience in marketing, primarily as marketing options manager for Northern Technologies Inc.

Mike Jacobs, a manufacturer’s representative for Betco Corp., Toledo, Ohio, was recently recognized by MASSCO, a distributor in Kansas City, Mo., as its Vendor Representative of the Year.

Russ Magnuson of National Chemical Laboratories, Philadelphia, recently gave a speech at the China Clean Expo. The topic was “Selecting the Right Equipment and Chemicals.”

Traci Giese recently joined EnvirOx LLC, a Danville, Ill.-based manufacturer of organic cleaning chemicals, as director of customer relations. Her responsibilities include managing the customer relations department, supervising inside sales and meeting the needs of field representatives.

Brent Grover, president of Evergreen Consulting, was recently named a Distribution Research and Education Foundation (DREF) fellow by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW). Grover will serve a four-year term, contributing research to the supply chain. Past fellows include Adam Fein and Michael Marks.




POSTED ON: 6/1/2005