PACE Supply acquires three companies

Effective Jan. 1, Rohnert Park, California-based PACE Supply reached an agreement with J.W. Wood Co., Northern Industrial Sales and All Air Supply to purchase their organizations, complete with four locations, including two plumbing showrooms.

Locations with plumbing showrooms reside in Redding and Chico, California. Locations without showrooms reside in Susanville and Yuba City, California.  J.W. Wood, a family-owned company, established in 1954, and provides plumbing, HVAC, irrigation and industrial services to Northern California and southern Oregon.

“Part of PACE Supply’s strategy is to broaden our capabilities and expand our geographic footprint,” PACE President Keith Hubbard said. “A testament to their passionate employees, J.W. Wood has earned a strong reputation delivering outstanding customer service, and is a great fit for our organization. We’re honored to welcome their family into ours and look forward to serving our customers.”

The loyal customer base within these companies will now have access to additional products, services and territories previously established with PACE Supply; while PACE Supply will add HVAC and industrial divisions to its array of services, the distributor noted.

“My brother Kellie and I were fortunate to learn the plumbing wholesale business from one of the best, our father, Wes Wood — founder of J.W. Wood,” J.W. Wood President John Wood said. “We worked for J.W. Wood from a young age, and when it came time for retirement, our focus was on the importance of finding a buyer that would be a good fit for our family, employees, customers and the communities we’ve served for the last 67 years. PACE Supply is that company. We couldn’t have done it without Brad Williams of the BERINGER Group, who provided guidance and expertise as we worked tirelessly to complete this transaction.” 

AD announces two mergers

The AD buying and marketing group announced it has completed mergers with SafetyNetwork and Delta Distributors, the group’s 11th and 12th mergers since it started in 1981, and its fourth and fifth in the last two years. Both mergers were effective Jan. 1.

AD CEO and Chairman Bill Weisberg attributes the strong trend of buying group mergers to groups seeking increased scale to cost-effectively deliver traditional and value-added services to their members.

“We’re grateful to welcome to our community the exceptional companies that comprised SafetyNetwork and Delta,” Weisberg said. “Growing our membership across and within industries benefits existing members and new ones. The increased scale coming from our multi-divisional platform allows us to field a dynamic team of professionals with expertise in a wide range of industries, disciplines and functional areas. The programs and services they develop and oversee accelerate AD member and supplier success.”

Tampa-based SafetyNetwork’s members and suppliers are centered on growth in the safety specialty market, and will form AD’s newest division, the AD Safety Network Division.

Delta’s members and suppliers are focused on serving the industrial and commercial pipe, valves and fittings industry. Delta’s merger with AD creates the only unified community of independents with a primary focus on PVF.

Together, members from SafetyNetwork and Delta represent more than $3 billion in total annual sales, adding to AD members’ total annual sales of more than $45 billion.

“The ability to create more scale, networking opportunities and stronger partnerships with suppliers will benefit all of us going forward,” said Bill Vail, Deacon Industrial Supply CEO and Delta’s board director.

Because of AD’s multidivisional offering, the buying group explained these new members will have a chance to participate in other divisions in markets they serve. Weisberg said AD has evolved its model to not only being an exceptional buying group, but also a vibrant community of growth-oriented independents that can customize the way they leverage AD’s programs and services based on each organization’s goals.   

“AD is proud to be a community of intensely independent members and supplier partners that engage with one another to learn, innovate, grow and succeed, individually and together by using innovative programs and services that fit their personal vision,” Weisberg said.

Obituary: Arnold Weinstein

Arnold “Arnie” Weinstein, 92, founder and president of Max-Arnold Co., and later Arnold Sales Co., passed away peacefully with his family at his side in his home near Philadelphia. Weinstein was remembered as the consummate salesperson and entrepreneur, while his companies were always at the pinnacle of sales for brands that his agency represented throughout the Mid-Atlantic, making lifelong friends with many of his customers and principals. Weinstein is survived by his wife of 73 years, June, three children, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Weinstein Family Team (jdrf.org).

Bradford White completes Keltech purchase 

Bradford White Corp. has concluded its asset purchase of Keltech from Bradley Corp. Keltech is a manufacturer of commercial and industrial tankless electric water heaters. The acquisition expands Bradford White’s portfolio of commercial and industrial electric products to help satisfy the needs of a broader customer base and better positions it for the ongoing adoption of electrification initiatives in communities throughout North America, Bradford White explained.

The Keltech acquisition also begins a new partnership between Bradford White and Bradley Corp. Bradford White will supply Bradley with the electric commercial tankless water heaters that complement their safety products, such as emergency eyewash and emergency safety shower stations.

“Initially, Bradford White’s Laars Heating Systems subsidiary will have primary responsibility for the sales and marketing of the Keltech electric tankless water heater line,” said Carl Pinto Jr., senior director of marketing communications. “Bradford White Water Heaters and Niles Steel Tank customers interested in the Keltech products can reach out to their representatives regarding product availability.”

Until further notice, current Keltech customers should continue to use their existing Keltech contacts for sales and service support, Bradford White added.

IMARK Plumbing and LPG announce Fitbit partnership

IMARK Plumbing and the Luxury Products Group buying groups have launched a partnership with Fitbit to promote health and wellness for its members, and encourage networking through the platform with the help of key sponsors.

“I am excited to enter 2021 with a new purpose in helping members stay healthy,” said Jeff MacDowell, executive director of LPG. “Today, we are now so much more than a buying group, and we need to be able to continue to do things that no other group would even consider. Our parent vertical, IMARK Plumbing, has joined on as well to promote competitive challenges in fitness between independent wholesale locations and showrooms. This should make 2021 something to look forward to.”

“IMARK and LPG have an aggressive growth strategy and this offering fits the culture we have of caring for the personal well-being of each and every member,” said John Aykroyd, president of IMARK Plumbing. “We have so many great things coming in 2021, and this is the first of its kind.”

IMARK and LPG will have sponsor-driven challenges every quarter, and look forward to involving Bradford White water heaters, Blanco sinks, Oatey and Elkay Mfg. Co. to engage the members as well. 

IMARK and LPG noted it is the first partnership of its kind for Fitbit in the industry. The partnership will allow for virtual networking beyond just fitness challenges, which opens up opportunities for business best-practice sharing, which is the foundation of our groups, IMARK Plumbing and LPG added.

Oatey acquires Contact Industries

Oatey Co. announced the acquisition of Contact Industries, S.A. de C.V., based in Guadalajara, Mexico. Contact is a leading manufacturer and distributor of products serving the plumbing markets in Mexico.

Contact Industries was founded more than 25 years ago and manufactures an extensive line of products that are sold under the “Contact” brand name throughout Mexico to the plumbing and retail channels. Product categories include solvent cements, solder and flux, and other plumbing chemicals and accessories.

“The Contact brand is highly respected and a great addition to Oatey’s market leading family of brands,” Oatey CEO Neal Restivo said. “We are excited about this transaction as it significantly enhances our ability to serve customers in the Mexican and Latin American markets.”