Rob Saltiel 

Winsupply acquires Allegheny Pipe & Supply

Winsupply purchased the assets of Allegheny Pipe & Supply, a distributor of industrial pipe, valves and fittings located in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

The company, Winsupply noted, is regarded as a prime distributor of carbon and stainless steel pipe, valves, fittings and related products with onsite cutting, grooving and threading capabilities for the Pittsburgh area and beyond to the Tri-State region of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Third generation owners Jim Morse, president of Allegheny Pipe & Supply, and his brother, Tom Morse, vice president, plan to reinvest in substantial ownership in the company with Winsupply as the majority owner. Jim Morse will remain president and Tom will be second in command. The location will continue to do business as Allegheny Pipe & Supply, with the legal name Winsupply Coraopolis PA Co.

“The Winsupply business model is perfect for owners like Jim and Tom Morse who wanted a succession plan that allowed them to stay in the business,” said Monte Salsman, president of Winsupply Acquisitions Group. “Jim and Tom are great people, and we are thrilled to be partners with them. They are true entrepreneurs who are deeply respected by their customers, vendors and community. We are excited about growing with them and expanding the Winsupply opportunity in the Pittsburgh area. They will continue to have local decision-making as owners, but now with the major support of Winsupply. They have a strong inside and outside sales team with a combined 200-plus years of experience, are customer-focused and they want to continue to grow.”

Winsupply acquires waterworks distributor

Winsupply also has completed the purchase of Discount Drainage Supplies, a waterworks distributor with three locations in Ohio. Based in Akron, Discount Drainage is the largest stocking distributor of drainage pipe and related products in Ohio, including culvert pipe, PVC pipe and septic supplies. Details of the purchase were not disclosed.

Each of the three Discount Drainage locations in Akron, Columbus and Reading are renamed effective immediately: Winwater of Akron, Winsupply of N.E. Columbus and Winsupply of Reading.

Matt Huebner, CEO of Discount Drainage Supplies, becomes president of Winwater of Akron and plans to invest in substantial ownership of the location. Larry Gorman, who manages the Reading location, plans to invest in Winsupply of Reading. Its ownership of their respective local companies follows the Winsupply business model in which each location has a co-owner along with the parent company, Winsupply Inc., which is the majority owner.

“Discount Drainage has developed an excellent reputation since it was founded in 1986 for sales and service in their three regional markets,” Salsman said. “They are known for maintaining a large inventory of pipe, fittings and accessories for on-time delivery to their customers’ job sites.”

In the Winsupply business model, Winsupply is the majority owner of its companies, reflecting its shared-ownership business model in which local entrepreneurs have autonomy to decide how best to serve their customers, and to share in the financial risks and rewards of ownership.

Anvil International/Smith-Cooper International announces company name change

Following the 2019 merger of Anvil International and Smith-Cooper International, the unified company has relaunched as ASC Engineered Solutions.

“Unifying the corporate brand enhances our presence in the market and reinforces that we are one company, drawing on the best of both legacy companies to create something greater than the sum of its parts,” said Jason Hild, CEO of ASC Engineered Solutions. “It signals that we are committed to a way of doing business that extends beyond precision-engineered, category-leading products by leveraging technology, service and support to help our customers meet the challenges they face every day.”

ASC Engineered Solutions noted the new company logo communicates precision and quality, while the interlocking lines represent the connection to customers — much like a handshake. The typeface is strong and structural, while also being clean, easy to read and modern. The foundational black and grey references the company’s strength and commitment, while the vibrant blue captures the passion of its people, the company added.

The ASC portion of the new name communicates unity and reinforces that the company is a single organization that combines the best of both legacy companies, it said. Additionally, “Engineered Solutions” expresses that the company is a problem solver, the company stated.

The company’s tagline “Building connections that last,” comes from the legacy Anvil business. It is a nod to that heritage and a guarantee that the newly united company will bring forward the elements its customers appreciate, ASC Engineered Solutions said. The tagline captures the essence of the brand, referring to both its products as well as the strong and lasting relationships vital to the organization, it added.

AD wins top workplace honor

For a third straight year, AD has been recognized as a top workplace in the greater Philadelphia region based on feedback from its annual employee engagement survey.

The anonymous survey measures drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization, including how well employees are aligned with company goals and objectives, feel they belong and are valued, get support and attention from their manager, and believe the organization operates effectively. AD partners with employee engagement technology partner Energage to administer the survey.

“Earning this distinction is deeply meaningful, and even more so in a pandemic year that brought added stresses, uncertainty and distance between us,” AD Chairman and CEO Bill Weisberg said. “Achieving three straight years of this award is only possible because our executive committee, leadership team, HR team, managers, associates and Great Place to Work Committee are all dedicated to constantly improving and learning from one another.”

Weisberg points to “The AD Way” as a major driver of the company’s award-winning culture.

“Practicing our 34 fundamentals, the foundational behaviors that guide our interactions, creates a healthy environment that allows us to attract and retain amazing talent, and deliver unparalleled service to the organization’s community of members and supplier partners,” Weisberg said. “Our associates put in the extra effort.”

Senior Vice President Neil Cohen, who leads AD’s HR effort, said: “This award is special because it’s based purely on our associates’ feedback. It’s a strong signal that they are engaged, willing to share their perspectives, and have skin in the game to help us celebrate our strengths and make continuous improvements.”

In other AD news, the buying and marketing group announced Marty McLaughlin has joined the group as its first chief marketing officer effective April 1. McLaughlin is charged with collaborating with AD’s members and boards to identify new areas of added value for its community, beyond the core functions of a buying and marketing group.

“We’re making an investment in this new leadership position to drive the collective imagination and strategy of AD’s next generation of offerings, all aimed at helping our independent members and supplier partners win and grow,” Weisberg said. “AD has a long, successful track record of delivering value-added program innovations, such as eCommerce Solutions, HR Services, market planning and private label brands. Our CMO will help us introduce new offerings and evolve existing programs even further, ensuring we’re keenly attuned to the voice of stakeholders in the process.”

McLaughlin most recently served as founder and owner of Mosaic Partners, a growth marketing and strategy consulting firm he started 20 years ago. He has acted as CMO and provided counsel to a range of organizations. Prior to founding Mosaic Partners, he worked for accounting firm Andersen doing business consulting for 15 years. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and MBA from Widener University in the Philadelphia region.

Compiled by Mike Miazga miazgam@bnpmeda.com