Broom, Brush & Mop May/June 2018 by Rankin Publishing

May/June 2018

Features

Brooms Still Important Business In The U.S.

Broom, Brush & Mop Magazine

SERVING THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1912

Spotlight On Squeegees Marketing To Multiple Generations

Broom, Brush & Mop A RANKIN PUBLISHING PUBLICATION

May/June 2018

Volume 108, Number 3

Features

Calendar Of Events

BBM Interviews Manufacturers Brooms Still Important Business In U.S.__ 8

JULY 26, 2018

Spotlight On Squeegees Manufacturers Talk About Their Products & Their Plans For Growth ______________ 20

2018 Suppliers Directory_______24

Magazine

44th Annual Wisconsin Brush Manufacturers Golf Outing & Dinner Western Lakes Golf Club – Pewaukee, WI • 262-345-1981

SEPTEMBER 27-29, 2018 European Brushware Federation (FEIBP) 60th Congress – Bordeaux, France • www.eurobrush.com

OCTOBER 7-11, 2018 West Coast Brush Manufacturers Assoc. - 40th Convention Monterey, CA • 916-624-9127

OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2018

Understanding Multiple Generations

Successful Key To Hiring, Training, & Marketing To Each__________________ 62 Industry News________________________ 66

Staff

CO-PUBLISHERS Don Rankin drankin@consolidated.net

Linda Rankin lrankin@consolidated.net

EDITOR Harrell Kerkhoff rankinmag@consolidated.net

ISSA Convention – Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center Dallas, TX • 847-982-0800

NOVEMBER 15-16, 2018 National Broom, Mop & Brush Meeting Renaissance St. Louis, MO, Airport Hotel • 573-897-3672

MARCH 2-5, 2019 International Home & Housewares Show McCormick Place – Chicago, IL • 847-292-4200

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rick Mullen rankinmag@consolidated.net GRAPHICS/PRODUCTION Kris Bott David Opdyke RECEPTION Mary Jo Dunn

MARCH 20-23, 2019 ABMA 102nd Annual Convention Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas • 720-392-2262

Rankin Publishing, Inc. 204 E. Main St., P.O. Box 130 • Arcola, IL 61910-0130, USA Phone: (217) 268-4959 • www.rankinpublishing.com

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS ABMA................................................................. 67 American Select Tubing.......................................... 7 Bizzotto Giovanni................................................. 21 Borghi USA............................................. Back Cover Boucherie Borghi Group........................................15 Brush Fibers..........................................................9 Charles E. Green.................................................. 33 Distribuidora Perfect, S.A..................................... 36 DKSH Switzerland Ltd.......................................... 13 DuPont Filaments................................................ 25 Ebser.................................................................. 14 Filkemp.............................................................. 41 G.D.F.................................................................. 29 Garelick.............................................................. 22 Gordon Brush Mfg. Co. Inc................................... 37 H. Arnold Wood Turning, Inc................................... 3 Himesa................................................... 43, 45, 47 Jones Companies..................................... Front Cover

PG 4

Loos & Co. Inc.....................................................22 Mill-Rose............................................................ 35 Milliken.............................................................. 39 Monahan Partners................................................ 17 Mr. LongArm........................................................26 PelRay International............................................... 2 Perfex................................................................. 27 Perlon................................................................. 23 PMM...................................................................16 Royal Paint Roller................................................ 34 Shanghai Jiasheng Products..................................28 St. Nick Brush Co................................................ 18 Stainless Steel Products....................................... 31 Unimac............................................................... 19 Wöhler Brush Tech GmbH..................................... 12 Wolf Filaments.......................................................5 Zahoransky.......................................................... 11 Zelazoski............................................................. 10

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY ABCO Products Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Abtex Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ACS Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Algoma Mop Manufacturers . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 American Brush Manufacturers Assoc. . . . . . 24 American Select Tubing/AST Filaments . . . . 24 Birdwell Cleaning Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 26 Bizzotto Giovanni Automation srl . . . . . . . . . 26 Bo-Buck Mills, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Bodam International Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Borghi s.p.a. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Boucherie USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 G.B. Boucherie N.V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Briarwood Products Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Brosses Lacasse Inc. / Norman Brush Inc. . . 32 Bruin Plastics Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Brush Fibers, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Brush Technology Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Brushes Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Bruske Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Canwil Textiles, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Carlisle FoodService Products . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Carolina Mop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Charles E. Green & Son, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Chongqing Global Bristles Mfg., Co., Ltd. . . .34 Corona Brushes, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Creative Poly, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Crystal Lake Mfg., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Culicover & Shapiro, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 CWP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Deco Products Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Delamo Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Deligh Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Distribuidora Perfect S.A. de C.V. . . . . . . . . 36 DKSH Switzerland, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Don Leventhal Group, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Dorden & Company, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Draper Knitting Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 DuPont Filaments — Americas, LLC . . . . . . 38 Ebser Mechanical Engineering e.K. . . . . . . . 38 Epic Resins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Evansville Association For The Blind . . . . . .38 F.M. Brush Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Felton, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Fibratexsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Fili & Forme SRL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Filkemp - Industria de Filamentos, S.A. . . . . 40 Filmop USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 FIMM Italia S.p.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Fuller Brush Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Fuller Industries LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 G.D.F. di De Franceschi Gabriella & Co. . . . . 40 Garelick Mfg. Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Gator Cleaning Products, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Gift Sales Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Golden Star Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Gordon Brush Mfg. Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 E. Gornell & Sons, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Gover, Horowitz & Blunt Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . .42 PG 6

2018 Greenwood Mop & Broom, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 42 GSC Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Gunn Brush Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 H. Arnold Wood Turning, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Ha-Ste Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Hahl Inc. (Perlon). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Haviland Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Hayco Manufacturing Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Hebei Founder Int. Trading Corp., Ltd. . . . . .42 Hill Brush Company, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 HIMESA Hilos Y Mechas S.A. de C.V. . . . . . 44 Hoge Brush Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Hoge Lumber Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Indian Bristle Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Industrial Brush Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The InterWire Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Jason Mills, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Jieda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Jones Companies Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Keystone Plastics Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 La Crosse Brush, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Lafitte Mop Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Lambskin Specialties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Lanoco Specialty Wire Products, Inc. . . . . . .46 Leistner Weruzeug GMBH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Lemieux Spinning Mill, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Lessmann GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Libman Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Loos & Co., Inc. Jewel Wire Division . . . . . . 46 M2 Professional Cleaning Products LTD . . . . 48 Magni Giovanni snc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Magnolia Brush Mfrs., Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Malish Corporation, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Marco Kracht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Paul Marsh LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Maryland Brush Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 M-B Companies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 MBK Maschinenbau GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 MFC, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Michigan Brush Mfg. Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 49 Mill-Rose Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Milliken Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Milwaukee Dustless Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Monahan Filaments, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Monahan Partners, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Thomas Monahan Co., The . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Monterey Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Moonsoft International, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Mount Joy Wire Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Mr. LongArm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Nation/Ruskin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 National Wire & Metal Technologies, Inc. . . . 50 Newell & Sons Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Nexstep Commercial Products . . . . . . . . . . .50 Norshel Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Northeast Ltda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Northern Wood Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Nyco Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 O’Dell Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

INDEX Osborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Padco Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Paint Brush Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Patrick Yarn Mills, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Paul Brothers & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 PelRay International, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Pennellificio 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Perfex Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 PFERD INC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Plasticfibre S.P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Pogliani SRL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Precision Brush Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Premier Mop & Broom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 PMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Purdy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Quickie Manufacturing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Reit Price Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Remco Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rol-Brush Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Royal Paint Roller Mfg. Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Inc. . . . . 53 Sanderson MacLeod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Schaefer Brush Mfg., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Schlesinger Maschinenbau GmbH . . . . . . . . 53 SDI Wholesale, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Shanghai Jiasheng Products Co., LTD . . . . . 54 Shanghai Yi Heng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Shurhold Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 SIBO Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Sieko Brushware (India) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 S.M. Arnold, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Spiral Brushes Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 St. Nick Brush Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Stainless Steel Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Sunlarge Industries Private Limited . . . . . . . 54 Super Sweep Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Tai Hing Nylon Filament Products Co., Ltd. . 55 Tanis Incorporated (Tanis Brush) . . . . . . . . . 55 Thomas Textile Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Tucel Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Unimac S.r.l. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 United Rotary Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Vonco Products, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Weiler Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Whitley Monahan Handle Co. . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Wöhler Brush Tech GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Wolf Filaments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 WOMA (Wood Machinery Daniel Koehler) . . . 56 WOMAtec Maschinenbau GmbH . . . . . . . . . 56 Wool Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Wooster Brush Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Worldwide Integrated Resources . . . . . . . . . 56 Young & Swartz, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Zahoransky AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Zahoransky USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Zelazoski Wood Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .57 Zephyr Manufacturing Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Str troon onge nger Th han an nA Any nyy O Obst Ob bssta tac tta aclle acl le IIn nO Our urr Path Path ah

Handle Stocking Progr o am For Im mmediate Shhipment Short OOrder Lead Times Low w Order Minimum s

MET M ETAL AL HA HAN H AND ND DLLLE D LES EESS m

1 1/8â&#x20AC;?

ALLU A UMINUM UM INUM IN NU UM MH HAND HA AN A ND N DL DLEESS 5 6 d

rd e s

EN EN ND D FIT F TM MEN ME M EN NTS NT N TTSS

d o

P gs gs Me l

Looki okinngg ffoor te teel ele l ssccopppiing ngg hhaan aandle ndlees ees?? Cu Cust stooom m lleenggths gtths up up ttoo 11000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Sto tock pprooddu tock d ctts fo duc forr iimmedia mmediiaate ship shipm p eent. t.

N Z H E LY D L SU I

L \ I \ H V O

LOD D (

R P

WEB WE B: A Asstu ub biing g. g com m EE--M Maaiil: DustttinM M@ @assttub t bing ng..com m Sa S less@ @asstu ubiing.co ng. om m P Ph hon nee: 2 217.2 23 3 .7 34. 730 00 0 Fax:: 2 21 217.234.7033 7.23 34 4.7 70 033 3

BBM INTERVIEWS MANUFACTURERS

BROOMS STILL

IN U.S. By Rick Mullen | Broom, Brush & Mop Associate Editor

For more than 200 years, brooms have been a staple in American households. According to www.broom-shop.com, in 1797, Levi Dickenson, a farmer in Hadley, MA, made a broom for his wife, using the tassels of a variety of sorghum (Sorghum vulgere), which worked very well. In the early 1800s, the sorghum became known as “broom corn.” While broom corn is no longer grown commercially in the United States, there are still U.S. broom manufacturers making broom corn brooms. Broom, Brush & Mop spoke with executives from two Midwest broom manufacturers who discussed the venerable art of making broom corn brooms, as well as other issues pertaining to doing business in today’s marketplace.

ith the recent acquisition of the assets of Little Rock Broom Works, also known as Chickasaw Broom, located in Little Rock, AR, Zephyr Manufacturing Company, of Sedalia, MO, is back in the broom corn broom manufacturing business. Zephyr was founded in 1927 by Harry E. Lindstrom in Kansas City, MO, then known as the Acme Broom Company. In 1932, the growing company relocated to Sedalia. The company started as strictly a broom making operation, and manufactured broom corn brooms until 1998. As stated on Zephyr’s website, www.zephyrmfg.com: “By 1998, it became obvious the combination of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), increased production costs and low unemployment were making it difficult to continue the production of broom corn brooms in the United States. In December 1998, the company closed its Deshler Broom Facility (located in Deshler, NE). … All broom products were then manufactured in Mexico, a trend that had started three years earlier.”

PG 8

Following the closing of the Deshler Broom factory until the acquisition of Little Rock Broom Works, Zephyr had been selling only imported broom corn brooms. “Last October (2017), we purchased the assets of Little Rock Broom Works and moved all of its equipment and inventory to our facility in Sedalia,” said Zephyr President/CEO R.J. Lindstrom. “The driving force behind the acquisition was the good fit between Zephyr Manufacturing and Little Rock Broom. The company’s entire product line fit inside of our product line. On top of that, they had a pretty good presence in a channel of distribution we R.J. Lindstrom were not in — hardware stores. “Little Rock also manufactured a broom called the Airlight corn broom. It is a specialty retail item, where the broom, rather than being wound on the handle, is glued into a plastic cone. It is a very lightweight, high-end, all broom corn broom. Because they were still making it, it was interesting to us, so we brought all the equip-ment to Sedalia and started making that broom. We have a new unique product that we can manufacture in house, as well as a new channel of distribution. All the other brooms that we sell are imported from Mexico.” At the time of the acquisition, Lindstrom said: “The addition of Little Rock’s broad line of deck mops and brooms, including the Airlight, will help strengthen Zephyr’s position in the marketplace as a source for high quality hard floor care products. We will continue our push for ‘Made in America’ as we add Airlight Broom production into our Missouri plant.” Zephyr’s product offerings include wet and dust mops, brooms, brushes, handles, mopsticks, sponges, frames and squeegees. The company’s products are sold worldwide to distributors and redistribution wholesalers. BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Lindstrom reported that business has been “pretty good.” He chalks up some of the company’s recent growth to Airlight corn broom sales. “The Airlight broom has driven a lot of the increase in sales,” he said. “Broom corn brooms in the hardware store channel are selling very well, including the Airlight broom. We have seen a pretty big increase in sales in that category.” Nearly all of the broom corn raw material that U.S. and Mexican broom makers use is grown in Mexico. The tonnage of broom corn coming from Mexico has been reduced dramatically in recent years. Likewise, broom corn pricing has been on the rise. “For us, buying the raw material is relatively new; however, we have been plugged into pricing out of Mexico for a long time, because we buy a lot of product from there,” Lindstrom said. “We like to understand what the driving force is if we are having to pay a higher price for a finished product. There are a lot of factors to consider. A big factor is an insect issue with the Mexican broom corn crop last year (an aphid infestation) that severely diminished supply. This year, I understand they are spraying the crop quite a bit more, which adds cost to the raw material. “The broom corn market in the United States has been decreasing, as a whole, for quite a few years. If you put all of those things together, to get good No. 1 broom corn, you have to pay quite a bit, relative to just a year ago, and especially a couple of years ago.” As talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are underway, Lindstrom doesn’t expect the outcome will affect the broom industry directly. One of the advantages of NAFTA was the reduction or full

PG 10

elimination of taxes on imported goods between the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to news reports. Since 2008, all tariffs on agricultural exports between the United States and Mexico no longer exist, and many have been eliminated between Canada and Mexico.

“A key to doing business with millennials is to reply to them quickly... People want an answer quickly, and we have really tried to adapt to meet their expectations.”

~R.J. Lindstrom

According to www.naftanow.org, “On January 1, 2008, the last remaining tariffs were removed within North America. When implemented, NAFTA immediately lifted tariffs on the majority of goods produced by the NAFTA partners and called for the phased elimination, over 15 years, of most remaining barriers to cross-border investment and to the movement of goods and services between the three countries.” “I don’t think they are going change the tariffs or do anything that has to do with broom corn,” Lindstrom said. “I don’t think that is the intent of what they are doing right now. It is more of a holistic approach to renegotiating. “On the flip side, if they do reinstate tariffs from the 1990s, we

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

As broom corn prices are rising, manufacturers are seeking less expensive materials to make corn brooms, Lindstrom said. “Some companies are using more and more filler material that is less expensive to make brooms to the point where there may not be any broom corn in their brooms,” Lindstrom said. Today’s market is also demanding smaller and lighter brooms. “To stay competitive, it is harder to sell a larger, high quality, 100 percent broom corn broom,” Lindstrom said. “In the past, we used to offer a couple of hundred different kinds of brooms. Now, we are down to around 25. Nobody wants the really heavy, 40-pound warehouse brooms anymore. We offer the products people want. They are not necessarily low quality, but, as a whole, they are lighter in weight. We sell a lot more of the mixed fiber brooms than we do 100 percent broom corn brooms. “Nonetheless, as a company, we try to offer a high-quality 100 percent broom corn broom product. We still offer our signature 100 percent broom corn Streamline broom, and we sell quite a few, but the market is going toward smaller and less expensive brooms.” One hot topic in today’s marketplace, no MINIA matter the industry, is the significant impact of millennials, who are now the largest demographic in the workplace. Much of the conversation has to do with how they differ in work habits, lifestyle wants and needs and priorities, pertaining to their jobs. www.wohlerbrushtech.com om Millennials have also been locked into computer technologies their entire lives, which gives them the edge over their older counterparts when it comes to using electronic devices. They also tend to understand such topics as the internet of things (IoT), big data and thingalytics more completely than baby boomers. “Understanding and doing business with millennials is a relatively complicated topic,” Lindstrom said. “Zephyr sells mostly to the janitorial/sanitary industry through distributors and wholesalers. That industry is still tending to do things the oldfashioned way, as far as placing orders, etc.” As the top leadership in many companies is still comprised of baby boomers, Lindstrom said he has found millennial employees tend Make you r machine to fall in line with the systems their older demonstra managers have put in place. tion “Where we have seen some change is appointme nt for more on the sales and customer service May/June side of things — mostly in the area of 2018 communication,” Lindstrom said. “It used to be you called somebody, asked him/her a question and you got an answer. Then email became more and more prevalent, and that became a good way to Wöhler Brush Tech Gmb bH communicate. Now, we get text messages, chat apps, Facebook messages, email, Wöhler-Pllatz 2 | 33181 Bad Wünnenbe erg | GERMANY phone calls — pretty much any way you Tell: +49 2953 73 300 | bt@woeh hler.com can communicate on a device. We adapt to

wisted Brush h Machines

are manufacturing at least one broom corn broom here, so we are positioned to pick up some demand if it becomes more cost effective, but I don’t see it going that way.” Another recent controversial development is the hike of tariffs on steel and aluminum by the current administration in Washington, D.C. Zephyr offers steel handles, but Lindstrom said the company has not seen a price increase or a supply problem as a result of the steel tariff situation. Lindstrom said the biggest overall trend in the industry has been the decrease in corn broom sales, caused, in part, by the growing popularity of plastic angle brooms. “Plastic angle brooms are a little more cost effective, and people like them,” he said. “They look good, and there are lots of different designs and color schemes versus corn brooms.”

the W

Save the date

PG 12

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Natural bristles brought to you by DKSH Switzerland Ltd. US Distributor: Brush Fibers Arcola Please contact us for further information, specifications and offers: Reinhold Hoerz Senior Sales Manager, Brush Industry Phone +41 44 386 7901 Mobile +41 79 785 4657 reinhold.hoerz@dksh.com www.dksh.ch/brush

Think Asia. Think DKSH.

any way people want to communicate with us, so we can keep in contact and help them order our products.” A key to doing business with millennials is to reply to them quickly, Lindstrom said. “We can’t sit on something. If we receive a text message, or an email or a voice mail, the expectation of the sender is a much shorter timeframe to receive a reply,” Lindstrom said. “People want an answer quickly, and we have really tried to adapt to meet their expectations.” When it comes to business-to-business sales and selling online, Lindstrom said, “I don’t feel it is something that we are really being pushed into doing. It is more important to have information on the internet about your company, products and marketing materials, etc.

“If either customers or potential customers want to know something about us, they don’t call our sales force or our office, they go to our website. So, if the information is not there that people are looking for, that can be a problem for us. We try to make sure we have good information about our products, as well as general information about the business, our history and other ways to contact us.” When a person contacts Zephyr by phone, he/she will talk to a live person, a customer service concept that is important to Lindstrom. “When someone calls us, they will get a live person who can get the caller an answer very quickly,” Lindstrom said. “I think this has been a great customer service asset for our business.” Lindstrom said the company values personal relationships with customers’ personnel in all levels of their organ-izations, whether they are in purchasing, sales, corporate leadership, etc. “We make personal connections in customers’ organizations, and we do that by conducting a lot of in-person sales calls,” Lindstrom said. “We also ride along and work with a lot of our customers’ sales reps to help them grow sales in our category. We teach them more about brooms and mops, and that helps them sell more product. It also creates a stronger relationship with customers. “Part of the process we have found to be critical, is making it very easy to get samples of our products. A lot of times people aren’t quite sure if they want to add a product or switch to a different color or size or type, etc. By offering samples, we give customers the opportunity to touch and feel a product, and maybe test it and run it through the wringer a couple of times. We make it very easy to get those samples and conduct their analysis. We have a pretty high conversion rate whenever people get samples of our products.” Missouri, like other states, is experiencing low unemployment rates. While, on the up side, more people are working, the downside is there is a smaller pool of workers looking for jobs. To make up for the shortfall in workers and to improve efficiencies, automation plays a role in some aspects of Zephyr’s manufacturing processes. “The cost of manufacturing and doing business in general has increased. Furthermore, the pretty dramatically low unemployment rate is driving up wages,” Lindstrom said. “Putting that all together, automation is more and more important to look at, because it is a way to save costs within the manufacturing process. We are always open to looking for ways to become www.ebser.de

macchines for the brush ind n ustry

Made in Germany since 1920 PG 14

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

more efficient with our time, energy and expenses. “Unfortunately, there is no way to really automate making broom corn brooms. Nobody figured out a way to do it 20 or 30 years ago when the industry was much bigger. It is not going to happen now either, with most of the production being in Mexico. There is very little you can do to become automated in broom manufacturing.

“Part of the process we have found to be critical, is making it very easy to get samples of our products... we give customers the opportunity to touch and feel a product, and maybe test it and run it through the wringer a couple of times.” ~R.J. Lindstrom “With mop manufacturing, on the other hand, there have been quite a few advancements in the last couple of years. Technology is available to make the specific types of products that we offer with fully automatic equipment. There are definitely technologies on the horizon to help us battle low unemployment, rising wages, health insurance, all the other costs that are involved.” As was mentioned before, low unemployment rates, among other factors, are making it a challenge for companies in many industries to find employees. “Finding reliable, quality employees to work and fuel our future growth and sales successes has been very difficult,” Lindstrom said. “Low unemployment is great for the overall economy, but it makes it difficult to fill jobs. Zephyr is a family-run company that has been around for a long time and we tend to have long-tenured employees. We are dealing with an aging workforce right now. A lot of the experience and productivity in the factory is going to be retiring in the near future.” Other challenges in doing business in the broom, mop and brush segment are consolidation, acquisitions and dealing with imports, Lindstrom said. “On the sales side, especially this year, there has been a great deal of merger and acquisition activity,” Lindstrom said. “Some companies and distributors in our industry are dramatically changing their corporate structures or selling parts of their businesses, etc., which changes the supply channels and distribution within our business. “Additionally, for a long time, we have been dealing with the continued price pressure brought on from foreign manufacturers and imported products that are keeping prices lower than domestic manufacturing. “Again, all the merger and acquisition activity is changing the landscape, but I think it will work out for a lot of people in the long run.” Still another challenge is non-traditional companies, such as large box stores and retailers, getting into the jan/san channel to supplement their primary business. “Our industry has challenges, but, for Zephyr, we are very excited about what the future holds,” Lindstrom said. “With the acquisition of Little Rock Broom Works, we are growing and branching into new channels of distribution. We will continue to look for new opportunities, while expanding the hardware store channel.” Contact: Zephyr Manufacturing Company Inc., 200 Mitchell Road, Sedalia, MO 65301-2114. Phone: 800-821-7197. Website: www.zephyrmfg.com. PG 16

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

He ereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The S oop or Easy Storage om

MADE IN N USA Competitive ely Priced Lightweight & Durable Patented Lock king Feature Teeth T To o Keep Broom Free Of Particle es Catch-All Rubb ber Ramp

k e vin@monaha anpar tners .c om 200 N. O ak, A r c ola, IL 61910 | 217-268-5757

ocated in a part of Illinois that was once known as the “Broom Corn Capital of America,” Newton Broom & Brush Company has been making brooms since 1914. While broom corn broom manufacturers once flourished in Central Illinois, the Newton, IL-based company is one of the few remaining. Among the company’s offerings are broom corn brooms, railroad switch brooms, angle brooms, soft sweep brooms, cobweb and fan dusters, a com-plete line of push brooms and floor brushes, as well as bowl brushes, kitchen and scrub brushes. Newton Broom & Brush’s broom corn brooms are both wound and nailed. It sources handles domestically, as well as from Brazil. Brazilian tauari hardwood handles are used in Don Leventhal the production of the company’s heavy industrial broom products. Staple set brooms and brushes are typically made from polypropylene, PET and PVC. “Business is up a little from last year,” said owner Don Leventhal. “We do manufacture broom corn brooms, but it is more of a niche item.” One iconic and popular broom corn broom brand, The “Original” Kitchenette™ broom, is now a part of Newton’s product lineup.

PG 18

“We purchased the Kitchenette broom from Quinn Broom Works, which closed last year,” Leventhal said. “We are selling the Kitchenette, which is a 100 percent broom corn broom, on our website. That business seems to be growing as demand has picked up.”

“It is necessary to continually look at upgrading equipment, although, as a smaller manufacturer, we are not going to be totally robotic. Flexibility is more important to us than being totally automated.”

~Don Leventhal According to the company’s website, www.newtonbroom.com, the history of the Kitchenette broom dates to 1936. As stated on the website: “In 1936, the Joseph Lay Company of Portland, IN, began the manufacturing the Kitchenette, and soon after patented the trademark. In 1948, Kenny Quinn, of Quinn Broom Works, began manufacturing the Kitchenette and acquired all rights for the trademark. The Kitchenette has been shipped to over 5,000 customers. The Kitchenette has been purchased by individuals for personal use and gifts, as well as by groups and clubs for fundraising.” Continued on page 58

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Spotlight On Squeegees

MANUFACTURERS TALK ABOUT THEIR PRODUCTS & THEIR PLANS FOR GROWTH By Rick Mullen | Broom, Brush & Mop Associate Editor

Broom, Brush & Mop recently spoke with three executives from companies that manufacture squeegees, who all pointed out there is much more to this widely-used cleaning tool than first meets the eye. They also discussed how their respective companies view some of the hot topics of the day, as they pertain to their businesses.

Haviland Corporation manufactures more than 76 types of floor and window squeegees. Floor squeegee sizes range from 6 to 72 inches, which includes straight and curved style frames. Squeegees are manufactured for the janitorial, industrial, paving, machine repair and consumer industries. “We manufacture industrial-grade floor squeegees,” Jan Haviland said. “We also sell refill blades for automatic scrubbers ounded in 1946 by Warren and Van Haviland in St. and for paving equipment. In addition, we offer handles.” Louis, MO, Haviland Corporation has enjoyed Perhaps the most important squeegee component is the blade, sustained growth, while offering high quality floor and which is made with different materials, depending on the window squeegees. In 1974, having outgrown several facilities application for which it is designed. along the way, the company moved to its current manufacturing Most of Haviland Corporation’s floor machine blades are made location in Linn, MO. with OEM material, but other specialty materials are also offered at More than 40 years ago, Haviland Corporation was the first to an additional cost, including neoprene, red gum, tan gum and begin manufacturing aftermarket replacement blades, gaskets urethanes, varying in flexibility, color and thickness. One type of blade material, exclusively sold by Haviland “There are some differences in the way Corporation, is AQUALIR Pro millennials view the workplace than the older rubber. This material was specially compounded and formulated with a generations. We have noticed how they proprietary natural rubber com-pound communicate. They are not necessarily going system that was developed for to call you on the phone. They will just drop applications where heavy-duty impact and wear resistance in harsh you a quick email or a text.” real world environments are required, according to the company. ~ Alice Andrews Another innovative product now offered by Haviland Corporation is its and splash guards for floor machines, according to the company. new Quick Flip floor squeegee. The paving and roofing hand tools division was added over 30 “We recently introduced our Quick Flip floor squeegee that has a years ago, offering waterbrooms, serrated squeegees, V-shaped blade on either side,” Andrews said. “There is no downtime for the crack fillers and more. end-user, because if a different blade is needed for a particular type of Warren and Van Haviland’s son, the late Randy Haviland, flooring or detergent, the user can just ‘flip’ it over. became president of the company in the mid-1980s. His wife, Jan “The Quick Flip is just getting off the ground. We have been Haviland, is now president and owner of Haviland Corporation. focusing on this product, because it is so versatile. Customers Their daughter, Alice Andrews, is the company’s executive vice can customize this tool by choosing from a plethora of rubbers. president, who reported that business has been up for the year. We are focusing on getting the word out, and giving people the Proud to be a U.S. manufacturer, the company also seeks to opportunity see the benefits of the Quick Flip floor squeegee.” source raw materials in the United States, in an effort to keep While designing new and innovative products is a staple of many jobs in America. successful, long-running companies, including Haviland Corp-

PG 20

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

TOUCH THE

SKY

oration, one new change in the marketplace in recent years involves people, i.e., the millennials becoming the largest demo-graphic in the workforce. “There are some differences in the way millennials view the workplace versus the older generations,” Andrews said. “We have noticed how they communicate. They are not necessarily going to call you on the phone. They will just drop you a quick email or a text. This way of communicating is easy for us, as we have simply adapted.” Jan Haviland added: “It has been very interesting talking about generational differences and needs of millennials as they have joined the workforce.” Speaking of communicating, Haviland Corporation places a strong emphasis on customer service, including having a live person answering the phone. If the customer service person cannot answer a customer’s question or immediately solve a problem, he/she will make sure to direct to caller to the Haviland rep who can help. In discussing challenges and the future, Jan Haviland said, “Foreign products are always an interesting proposition. We manufacture top quality products here in the United States that will work consistently for a long period of time. “Looking ahead, there is still going to be a great need for squeegees, and we are looking forward to being part of the future of the squeegee market. We are a 72-year-old company, and we are excited about continuing to progress and grow.” Contact: Haviland Corporation, 200 S. Highway U, Linn, MO 65051. Phone: 573-897-3672 or 800-325-3915. Website: www.havilandcorp.com. Continued on page 59

GARELICK

TELESCOPIC POLES Our Multipurpose Telescopic Extension Poles are ideal for use with Brushes, Brooms, Bulb Changers, Paint Rollers, Squeegees, Strip Washers, and countless other tools.

QUALITY FEATURES - REAL VALUE • Lightweight High Tensile Drawn Aluminum • Twist Lock Cams Securely Lock Pole at Any Length • Rolled Tube Edges for Added Hand Comfort • Clear Satin Anodized Finish • ¾” Acme size Universal Screw Head • Premium Vinyl Black Hand Grip • Five Standard Sizes: 6’, 8’, 12’, 18’, 24’ • Custom Lengths available • Made in the U. S. A.

LEARN MORE AT WWW.GARELICK.COM/POLES TOLL FREE : 1.800.457.9795 644 SECOND STREET, P.O. BOX 8, ST. PAUL PARK, MN 55071

PG 22

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

High-Quality Filaments Engineered in Germany

BR U S H UP your pro od duc uctt www.perlon.com

2018

SUPPLIERSS DIRECTORY SUPPLIER BROOM, BRUSH & MOP MAGAZINE

ABCO Products Corp. 6800 N.W. 36th Ave. Miami, FL 33147 USA Phone: 305-694-2226 Website: www.abcoproducts.com Products: ABCO Products is a vertically integrated, minority-owned business enterprise that manufactures and markets cleaning products as well as HACCP compliant colorcoded tools into the professional cleaning, food service, industrial, QSR floor safety and food processing market segments. 18 Abtex Corporation 89 Main St. Dresden, NY 14441 USA Phone: 315-536-7403 Email: sales@abtex.com Website: www.abtex.com Company Officers: Mark Fultz, President; Jason Saner, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Products: Abrasive filament brushes and deburring equipment. 18 ACS Industries, Inc. One New England Way Lincoln, RI 02865 USA Toll Free: 800-222-2880 Email: rbeaudette@acsind.com Website: www.acs-cp.com Company Officers: Steven Buckler, President; Rory Beaudette, Vice President Sales & COO; Peter Botvin, Executive Vice President Products: From the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beginnings in 1939 as a wire sponge manufacturer in Rhode Island, ACS has grown its product offerings. It is a global organization with corporate and R&D functions in the USA and manufacturing operations in Mexico and China. Vertical integration has taken the company to five facilities with almost 4,000 employees. Its Cleaning Products Division includes hand PG 24

pads, stainless scrubbers, sponges, soap pads, grill screens and grill bricks. It produces a full range of mops, brooms and brushes. Its floor maintenance line includes non woven floor pads, steel wool floor pads, sand screens and many specialty floor pads. ACS has achieved UL validation regarding 100 percent recycled material in all of its non woven hand and floor pads from post-consumer to post-industrial. In 2017, ACS acquired ETC of Henderson and Treleoni, in South Carolina. Both of these acquisitions are focused on the jan/san portion of the business. 18 Algoma Mop Manufacturers 813 Rabas St. Algoma, WI 54201 USA Toll Free: 800-216-3478 Email: sales@algomamop.com Website: www.algomamop.com Products: Wet mops, dust mops, microfiber products. Mops manufactured are made by people with disabilities in Algoma, WI. The company offers a full line of mops and microfiber products. Custom manufacturing capabilities are available. Most of the products can be private labeled with company infor-mation. Algoma Mop serves wholesalers, distributors, schools, universities, hospitals, laundry and linen services, janitorial contractors, restaurants, correctional and governmental facil-ities. Purchases help train and employ people in obtaining their personal independence and employment goals. 13 American Brush Manufacturers Assoc. (ABMA) 736 Main Ave., Suite 7 Durango, CO 81301-5479 USA Phone: 720-392-2262 Email: info@abma.org Website: www.abma.org Company Officers: David C. Parr, Executive Director

Products: Founded in 1917 to assist North American brush manufacturers and their suppliers by enhancing industry knowledge, providing a variety of networking opportunities, and promoting profitability for its members. ABMA strives to promote and strengthen value for its members to be the preferred and innovative source for broom, brush and mop products worldwide. ABMA provides an industry freight and transportation guide and newsletter, industry statistics, ANSI safety standards, ASTM packaging standards, leads generation, the ABMA Annual Convention including the Suppliers Display, classifieds on the association Website (www.abma.org), discounted freight program, employees screening program and merchant services program. ABMA also serves the industry as its voice in Washington, D.C., and provides member services to a common group that individual members of the group may find difficult or impossible to manage alone. Comprised of manufacturers and suppliers who seek to constantly expand and improve the North American broom, brush, mop and roller industry. Membership is open to brush making manufacturers and component, machinery and service suppliers worldwide. 16 American Select Tubing/AST Filaments 4005 DeWitt Ave. Mattoon, IL 61938 USA Phone: 217-234-7300 Email: dustinm@astubing.com Website: www.astubing.com Company Officers: Mark Maninfior, General Manager Products: Metal handles for brooms, brushes, mops, snow shovels, rakes and other tools. Diameters - 21mm, 22mm, 23.5mm, 25mm, 28.5mm. Extension handles in steel, aluminum and fiberglass. Abrasive and nonBBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

YOUR BRUSH DESERVES THE BEST FILAMENTS

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY abrasive filaments for many brush and industrial applications using PP, PVC, PE, PS, RPET, PBT, PET, nylon 6, nylon 6.6, nylon 6.10, nylon 6.12, SIC, AO, ceramic, diamond grit, and SAN. 18 Birdwell Cleaning Products, Inc. P. O. Box 1388 Burleson, TX 76097 USA Toll Free: 800-722-8006 Website: www.birdwellcleaning.com Products: Manufactures a complete line of push brooms, angle brooms, concrete finishing brooms, deck brushes, acid brushes, roof brushes, counter dusters, dish brushes, bowl brushes, nail brushes, animal care brushes and bar-b-que grill brushes. 14 Bizzotto Giovanni Automation srl Via Buonarroti, 67 35010 Paviola di S.Giorgio in Bosco (Padova) ITALY Phone: +39 049 9451067 Email: info@bizzottoautomation.com Website: www.bizzottoautomation.com Products: Bizzotto is a supplier of totally customized machinery for different industrial sectors. It focuses on a complete partnership with the customer, that expresses itself in the

PG 26

capacity to understand the needs of the customer and provide that customer with â&#x20AC;&#x153;made-to-measureâ&#x20AC;? solutions. The Bizzotto Company supplies automatic and semiautomatic machines (totally controlled by programmable logics on PC or on numerical control centers, with man-machine interactive and supervision systems) for the handle, broom and brush industry, as well as complex automations for the assembly of particular products. Bizzotto is specialized in three main sectors: Handle Machinery Sector: Sanders, chucking machinery (i.e. doming, tapering, tenoning, threading, end-boring, cross-boring, etc.), painting machinery (lacquering), labeling systems and packing machinery for the production of wooden handles. Complete machinery lines for the production of metal handles, starting from the flat steel or aluminum band coil, including painting lines, machines for assembling the various plastic inserts (hanger tips, thread inserts, mop inserts, tapered inserts, etc.), boring, deforming and cutting, as well as labeling systems and machines for packaging with the use of different systems, even robotized; Woodworking Machinery Sector: Profiling and shaping machines, boring and

tapping machines, sanders for the production of broom and brush blocks, paintbrush handles and similar items; and; Industrial Automation Sector: Customized machinery for the preparation, positioning and assembly of particular products and accessories for the cleaning industry (mops, floor scrubbers, detergent dispensers, velvet lint brushes for clothes cleaning, adhesive lint brushes for clothes cleaning, toothbrush/accessories, etc.), automotive industry and the kitchen appliance industry. 18 Bo-Buck Mills, Inc. P. O. Box 692 921 E. Blvd. Chesterfield, SC 29709 USA Phone: 843-623-2158 Website: www.bobuckmills.com Products: Narrow fabrics (polyester and cotton). The company was founded in the early 1950s, and has been continuously operating as a manufacturer of narrow fabrics. It has supplied trim/binding to the mop industry as well as other specialty industries for many years. Capable of manufacturing a wide variety of colors, finishes, and patterns. Features include instock programs for immediate releases. 11

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

G¼ Ó ªÆ

|¼¯ÀÀĮ|¯ªÆp© ªpÆ ¯ªĺ ªĺ ¯¯ ĺÀp ÆÚĺ ªÓ ¼¯ª© ªÆÀĺ

¯£¯¼Į ¯ ĺ {¼ÊÀ ĺã{ ¼Àĺ À¯£pÆ ĺp¼ pÀĺ¯ ĺÊÀ

" pÆĮ ÊÀ

©¹p|Æĺ¼ À ÀÆpªÆĺ ¹ ¯ £ Ú © ¼ ĺ À Æ ¼ Ê | Æ Ê ¼ ĺ ĺÔ ££ĺª¯Æĺp{À¯¼{ĺ{p|Æ ¼ pĝ

Hygienic Material Handling Tools

Ėĺĺ © |p££ÚĺJ À ÀÆpªÆ Ėĺĺ8¯ªĮN¹p¼ ª

À ª ĺ ¯ ¼ ĺ N © p £ £ ĺ ¼ p ĺ £ p ª ª ĺ p ª ĺ À ª | Æ ª Confidently isolate contaminants with TruCLEAN 2’s bucket-in-bucket design. Hundreds of release apertures channel debris from w ringer into waste collection bucket. Durable, lightweight construction allows for easier cleaning of f loors, walls and ceilings. Consistent results in a compact design for easy storage.

Compatible ompatible with gamma, ethylene ethylene oxide and autoclave sterilization.

Customer Ser vice: 1-800-848-8483

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Bodam International Ltd. 903 Cirelli Court Aberdeen, MD 21001 USA Phone: 410-272-9797 Email: bodam@bodam.com Website: www.bodam.com Company Officer: Carlos Petzold, President Products: Borghi broom and brush manufacturing equipment – staple-set, anchor-set, twisted-in-wire, manufacturing machinery for all types of brooms and brushes. Also, trimmers, flaggers, cutters, strip brush machinery, mop manufacturing machinery and injection molds are available from Borghi (www.borghi.com); Boucherie broom and brush manufacturing equipment – staple-set, anchor-set, twisted-inwire, manufacturing machinery for all types of brooms and brushes. Also, trimmers, flaggers, cutters, and injection molds are available from Boucherie (www.boucherie.com); Carnevali Dino trimming units – Motorized clipper heads, monofilament hank cutters, metal wire hank cutters, rotary cutters, and specialty cutters for abrasive materials such as grit brushes (www.carnevalidino.com); Sima monofilament extrusion lines – equipment and know-how to produce broom and brush monofilaments for PP, PET, PS, PBT, SAN and many other types of

PG 28

polymers. Sima also produces lines for manufacturing PET strapping and for concrete reinforcement monofilaments (www.sima-ds.com); and, Unimac power brush manufacturing equipment and metal handle manufacturing equipment – Unimac produces machinery and technology used to manufacture twisted knot power brushes, wheel brushes, cup brushes, wafer brushes as well as quality control equipment for power brushes, machinery to convert wire from spools to cut-to-length bundles as well as equipment for crimping wire into spools with multiple ends to be fed into power brush machinery. Unimac also specializes in complete production lines or specificuse machinery to produce fixed metal handles that are either powder coated or plastic coated, as well as equipment for extension handles (telescopic handles). Unimac’s tube-mill can also be used in other applications to produce tubes for other products (www.unimac.it). 18 Borghi s.p.a. Via Cristoforo Colombo, 12 Loc. Cavazzona Castelfranco Emilia (Modena) 41013 ITALY Phone: +39-059-953-3911 Email: info@borghi.it

Website: www.borghi.com Company Officers: Paolo Roversi, President Borghi is partners with Boucherie of Belgium (www.boucherie.com), forming the Boucherie Borghi Group. Products: Staple-set/anchor-set brush manufacturing machines of all types; trimmers, flaggers and finishing machinery for brooms and brushes; twisted-in-wire brush manufacturing machinery; strip brush manufacturing machinery; mop manufacturing machinery; injection molds; and, specialty machinery for automation, packaging, etc., of brooms, brushes and mops. Borghi is known as a leader in staple-set and anchor-set brush manufacturing machinery, sometimes referred to in the brush industry as “drilling and filling” machinery. Borghi also has many decades of experience in producing equip-ment for the production of twisted-in-wire brushes. Borghi also offers production solutions for mop manufacturing and various types of injection molds. Borghi not only provides the mold itself, but also helps with product design, prototyping and testing the injection molds for plastic parts. Understanding that customers need a continuous renewal of their product lines, and that this takes time between the various phases of engineering and development, Borghi is able to offer a

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

7J B .B[ [ J OJ PD BM J U Ã&#x192; #B[ [ BOP 7"4".0((* " #0 * 5

1 * 7" 7"5 645 * % /3 57" * 5

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY prompt response to these needs. Borghi is a strong partner with the know-how to help customers to develop new ideas for injectionmolded products, in absolute privacy. Borghi not only provides technology for brooms and brushes, but with Borghi’s engineering capacity and technical manufacturing strength, requests for automation have been met with the realization of machinery for special types of paintbrushes, paintroller assembly, and many types of mops. Further-more, Borghi has been producing machinery for manufacturing strip brushes since 2004. Borghi also goes beyond just providing equipment to produce “the product.” It provides specialty machinery, macro- and microassembly equipment and machinery to automate packaging and other requirements that a given product may require before it is completely finished and ready to go into the warehouse or out the door. Borghi’s flexibility in offering custom solutions is what keeps its level of technology fresh and cutting-edge. Contact Borghi s.p.a. or one of its agents. For machinery sales in the USA and Canada, contact: Bodam Int. Ltd., 903 Cirelli Court, Aberdeen, MD 21001, USA. Telephone: 410-272-9797; Fax: 410-2720799; Email: bodam@bodam.com; Website: www.bodam.com; Contact: Carlos Petzold, President. For technical support and spare parts in the USA and Canada, contact: Borghi USA, Inc., 903 Cirelli Court, Aberdeen, MD 21001, USA. Phone: 410-272-9797, Fax: 410-2720799, Email: usatec@ borghiusa.com (technical support) and usaparts@borghiusa.com (spare parts). Contacts: Matt Tompkins, Eric Juarez, Leo Juarez and Miguel Medrano. Moreover, Borghi S.p.A. collaborates with two partners, Unimac s.r.l. and Sima. Unimac produces machinery and technology used to manufacture twisted knot power brushes, wheel brushes, cup brushes, wafer brushes as well as quality control equipment for power brushes, machinery to convert wire from spools to cutto-length bundles as well as equipment for crimping wire to be fed into power brush machinery. Furthermore, Unimac also specializes in complete production lines of specificuse machinery to produce fixed metal handles that are, either: powder coated or plastic coated, as well as equipment for extension handles (telescopic handles). Unimac’s tube-mill can also be used in other applications to produce tubes for other products (www.unimac.it). Sima offers equipment and know-how to produce broom and brush monofilaments for PP, PET, PS, PBT, SAN and other types of polymers. PG 30

Sima also produces lines for manufacturing PET strapping and for concrete reinforcement monofilaments (www.sima-ds.com). 18 Boucherie USA Inc. 8748 Gleason Rd. Knoxville, TN 37923 USA Phone: 865-247-6091 Email: sales@boucherie.com Website: www.boucherie.com G.B. Boucherie N.V. Stuivenbergstraat 106 8870 Izegem, Belgium Phone: ++32 51 31 21 41 Email: info@boucherie.be Company Officers: John Williams, President Boucherie is partners with Borghi of Italy (www.borghi.com), forming the Boucherie Borghi Group. Boucherie USA Inc., has been selling Boucherie brush machines, sophisticated multi-component injection molds and packaging equipment in North, Central and South America for more than 30 years. In May 2014, G.B. Boucherie and Borghi Spa (www.borghi.com) merged into the Boucherie-Borghi Group. The joint programs of these two companies cover a large scope of brush making, and the sales and service network gives worldwide coverage. In addition to Boucherie USA, Borghi USA and its team support Boucherie customers for household and technical brush machines. Boucherie Products: Tufting machines for brooms; household, industrial and personal care brushes; and toothbrushes. Boucherie’s Anchor Free Technology has now been re-engineered to allow for the production of household and industrial brushes without the use of anchors or staples. The filament and block can be of different materials, and triple fiber-boxes for three different fiber colors are available. With two filling heads running continuously at 630 RPM (1,260 tufts per minute), the output is increased. In many indoor broom models, the block requires a mere 50 percent of the weight in polypropylene of a regular brush block. Additionally, there are savings in filament waste since no trimming is needed, and there is no wire. In this world of high energy costs and petroleum-based materials, such savings cannot be considered trivial. The TCU-CNC machines are capable of handling brushes from nailbrushes to 24-inch brooms with special modifications possible to run 36-inch brooms in two operations. The modular concept, which permits a machine to be reconfigured for vastly different brushes, has

now been well demonstrated. Moreover, these machines are available from being manually loaded all the way to fully automated production cells, equipped with fully automatic handle feeders and industrial robots. The TCU-CNC range of machines has been further extended by the introduction of the TCU-T/CNC and the TCA-CNC. The TCU-T/CNC machine, with long stroke filling tools that are lined with a carbide and sturdy carousel with heavy-duty support in the drilling and filling stations, is designed for arduous applications with drill sizes up to 12 mm, and the use of heavy vegetable fibers. The TCA-CNC machine has short-stroke anchor filling tools, and will make smaller brushware like dish brushes at a speed of up to 1,400 tufts per minute. The newest refinements to the TCU line of machines are a faster indexing of the turret, higher speeds and a wider range of automation options. The single-header SCU will handle disk brushes as well as plate brushes, and can be converted to a household brush machine in a matter of minutes. Toothbrush Production Lines and Work Centers: Boucherie has developed a variety of toothbrush manufacturing equipment. Production machines range from the very affordable TB3-A/CNC, through the TB3-TS and TB3-FS, which are economically priced, full production lines for less demanding applications, to the highly automated and sophisticated TB3-FM and TB3-FM/L. All of these single header machines now run at continuous speeds up to 1,000 tufts per minute. For the highest production, Boucherie offers the double-headed TB32-Flexi cell, which can make up to 70 brushes per minute when the two filling tools run in parallel, or for complex brushes with two different hole sizes when the filling tools run sequentially. This flexibility is built into the concept of the machine, and can be used effortlessly. Since the introduction of the Flexi concept, TB35Flexi cells with up to five filling tools have been built and delivered for a total output of up to 5,000 tufts per minute. Anchorless Toothbrush Production Lines and Work Centers: In the field of machinery for the oral care industry, with the introduction of the AFT/CNC machine, Boucherie clearly established a leadership position in anchorless technology. With the new AMR machine, however, Boucherie is making a giant step to bring anchorless toothbrush production to more toothbrush makers. The AFT/CNC is the first machine for tufting toothbrushes without using anchors. Block tufts, strip tufts and various combBBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY inations of tuft angles widen the range of design options for the toothbrush heads. The AFT/CNC features automatic handle feeding, Windows-based CNC controls, and pre-endrounding of bristles. No trimming is required. AFT technology may now be used to manufacture toothbrushes with tapered filaments. Available too is a less automated version of this machine: the AFT/SD line, in which the handle and bristle infeed are accomplished manually. The AMR machine also features Boucherie’s in-line pre-end-rounding system, and will make the brushes that are now manufactured on complex anchor-set production cells at a reduced cost, with a higher end-rounding quality, and at least at the same speed. The AFT-IMT is the world’s first commercially available in-mold technology for the production of toothbrushes, according to Boucherie. Pre-end-rounded filaments are picked and arranged in their final configuration prior to being transferred into a mold, where the brush head and handle are over-molded to produce the finished product. IDM Machine: The IDM is a compact carousel machine for the high-speed production of inter-dental and mascara brushes. It is now possible to produce up to 65 high quality brushes per minute, even while using the smallest wire sizes, since the brush remains in the same clamp throughout the whole production process. The IDM is available in versions with spool feed of the nylon, or with fiber boxes for pre-cut filaments. An integrated vision system for the automatic inspection of finished brushes is also available. Injection Molds: Boucherie produces single- component molds, multi-component molds with manual or automatic transfer, and multi-component, high cavitation, valve gated, hot runner stack molds. Boucherie molds are used to produce a wide range of consumer, medical and engineering products. Packaging Machines: Form, fill and seal blister packaging machines are available in heat seal and high frequency seal versions for toothbrush and personal care brushes. They may be operated as stand-alone machines or integrated into one or two tufting machines. 18 Briarwood Products Co. 2900 Bradwell Ave. Cleveland, OH 44109 USA Phone: 216-398-1107 Website: www.BriarwoodProducts.com Products: Briarwood Products has added to its extensive cleaning tool product line. The PG 32

new Orange Shank-Free and Metal-Free product line is ideal for use in all correctional facilities. It was designed to be safe for all to use within each facility. These tools are made from a special rubbery plastic that virtually eliminates the ability to form or reform a shank or shank handle. The unique polymer that is used will not melt like standard hard plastics, disabling inmates from creating weapons. 17 Brosses Lacasse Inc. / Norman Brush Inc. 107 Authier St. St-Alphonse-de-Granby, QC J0E 2A0 CANADA Toll Free: 800-940-2829 Website: www.brosseslacasse.com Products: For over 50 years, Brosses Lacasse Inc./Norman Brush Inc. has specialized in the manufacturing and refurbishing of custommade industrial brushes. The company’s customers cover a wide range of industries. Some specialities include cylinder brushes, twisted wire brushes, block and belt brushes, strip brushes, rotary brushes, maple product brushes, spiral wound brushes, and track and switch brooms. 15 Bruin Plastics Co., Inc. 61 Joslin Rd. P. O. Box 700 Glendale, RI 02826 USA Phone: 401-568-3081 Toll Free: 800-556-7764 Email: sales@bruinplastics.com Website: www.bruinplastics.com Products: Since 1964, Bruin Plastics Company has been a producer of industrial textiles. Bruin provides mildew and rot resistant VCM® (vinyl coated mesh) for wet mop head bands in a variety of colors, slit to a customer’s specific width requirements. 18 Brush Fibers, Inc. 202 North Oak St. Arcola, IL 61910 USA Phone: 217-268-3012 Email: chris@brushfibers.com Company Officers: Chris Monahan, President; Jaye Roberts, Customer Service Manager; Ian Moss, Bristle Trading Manager Products: Vegetable fibers: Tampico fiber (natural white, black, grey, bleached, patent, union), palmyra fiber, palmyra stalks, bassine, sherbro piassava, coco fiber and arenga fiber. Also offered are hog hair, horse hair, mixtures, staple wire, foam and solid plastic brush blocks. Established in 1979, Brush Fibers, Inc. is a supplier of a full range of brush filling materials to brush manufacturers around the world. Brush Fibers offers customers a comprehensive line, serviced from its Arcola

warehouse, supported by warehousing facilities in New Jersey and Montreal. 18 Brush Technology Ltd 3 Throckley Ind Estate New Castle, Tyne & Wear NE159EW ENGLAND Phone: +44 01912291666 Email: info@brushtec.com Website: www.brushtec.com Products: Manufacturer of brushware and large injection moldings for industrial and municipal applications. 17 Brushes Corp. 5400 Smith Rd. Brook Park, OH 44142 USA Phone: 216-267-9080 Website: www.brushescorp.com Products: Twisted-in-wire brushes of all materials and sizes for industrial, medical, automotive, plumbing, bottle, textile and government. The company supplies both standard and custom engineered brushes and can accommodate any size order. 14 Bruske Products 7447 Duvan Dr. Tinley Park, IL 60477 USA Phone: 708-532-3800 Email: bruskeproducts@ameritech.net Website: www.bruskeproducts.com Company Officers: Steve Schafer, President; Priscilla Bruske, Treasurer Products: Metal-backed floor brushes, power sweeping brushes, power scrubbing brushes, knob scrubs, washing brushes, deck scrubs, street sweeps, floor squeegees, sponges, upright brooms, metal cap upright brooms, counter dusters, lobby brooms, corn brooms, floor scrapers, concentrated soap, block floor brushes, and replacement squeegees for power scrubbing machines. 18 Canwil Textiles, Inc. 1520 University Dr. Auburn, GA 30011 USA Phone: 678-985-5434 Email: sales@canwiltextiles.com Website: www.canwiltextiles.com Products: Fabrics: 9x9 vinyl mesh, poly knit mesh, nonwovens, polyester twill. All fabrics available for dust and wet mop manufacturing. Custom slitting available. 14 Carlisle FoodService Products 4711 E. Hefner Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73131 USA Toll Free: 800-654-8210 Email: customerservice@carlislefsp.com Website: www.carlislefsp.com BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Paint Brush Ferrules, Brush Pins, Wood Handles, Plastic Handles, Milliken Machines, Metal Stamp, Wire Forming

MADE IN THE USA SINCE 1876

WWW.CHARLESEGREEN.COM

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Products: Sparta brush and brush access-ories, wet and dry mopping products, EZ Snap Floor Care, waste and material handling products. 15 Carolina Mop 819 Whitehall Rd., P. O. Box 5072 Anderson, SC 29623 USA Toll Free: 800-845-9725 Email: info@carolinamop.com Website: www.carolinamop.com Products: Mop buckets, wet floor signs, squeegees, dust pans, and carpet bonnets. Carolina Mop also carries a full line of wet mops, dust mops, brooms, brushes, and handles. 05 Charles E. Green & Son, Inc. 625 3rd St. Newark, NJ 07107 USA Phone: 973-485-3630 Email: sales@charlesegreen.com Website: www.charlesegreen.com Products: Paint brush ferrules, roller components, Milliken Machines, Milliken spare parts, brush pins, plastic handles, wood handles, steel stamps, industrial knits, and general metal stamping. 16 Chongqing Global Bristles Mfg., Co., Ltd. No. 17 Fuxing Road, Bafu Town, Jiulongpo Dist.

PG 34

Chongqing 401329 CHINA Phone: +86+23+67600529 Website: www.ckbristle.com Products: Semi-finished products, cut bristles, natural white/black/brown boiled/unboiled bristles, bleached white bristles, mixed bristles, dyed bristles, PET/PBT solid/mini-hollow tapered filaments. 17 Corona Brushes, Inc. 5065 Savarese Cir. Tampa, FL 33634 USA Phone: 813-885-2525 Email: info@coronabrushes.com Website: www.coronabrushes.com Company Officers: Benjamin Waksman, President; Albert Waksman, Vice President Products: Corona Brushes, Inc. is a fourthgeneration family company. Corona designs and constructs contractor tools to give optimum performance and durability. Its brushes and rollers are handmade to exacting standards to ensure this built-in quality. The primary goal of the company is to manufacture quality painting products. 18 Creative Poly, Inc. 620 W. Lincoln Ave. Rochelle, IL 61068 USA Phone: 815-562-9002

Email: sales@creativepoly.com Website: www.creativepoly.com Products: A manufacturer and printer of crown top (rounded corners), straight-edge, and custom shaped broom sleeves. Other items manufactured include mop and brush bags, reclosable zipper bags and wicketed bags. Creativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s printing department has the capabilities to print both line print and process print items to the customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specs. Printed rollstock can also be supplied for automatic packaging machines. 08 Crystal Lake Mfg., Inc. 2225 Hwy. 14 West Autaugaville, AL 36003 USA Toll-Free: 800-633-8720 Email: broomman99@aol.com Company Officers: Edward Pearson, President; Theresa P. Dunn, CEO Products: Corn brooms, angle brooms, cut end and loop end wet mop heads, dry mop heads, microfiber mop heads, microfiber cloths, mop handles, brush handles, push brooms, brushes, buckets, wringers, wet floor signs, dust pans, and dust mop frames. 17 Culicover & Shapiro, Inc. 270K Duffy Ave. Hicksville, NY 11801 USA

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Phone: 516-597-4888 Email: culicover-brush@aol.com Website: www.culicover-brushes.com Products: Floor brushes, garage brushes, counter dusters, radiator and window brushes, truck brushes, street brooms, corn brooms, baseboard and bi-level brushes, deck scrubs, hand scrubs, masonry brushes, wet and dry mops, broom and mop handles, dust pans, squeegees, hand set boars hair brushes. 14 CWP 3871 West 150th St. Cleveland, OH 44111 USA Phone: 216-252-1190 Email: info@cwptechnologies.com Website: www.cwptechnologies.com Products: All kinds of floor brushes. Primarily vacuum cleaner brushes and attachments, floor machine brushes and janitorial cleaning brushes for tile and grout as well as hard floors and carpet. 14 Deco Products Co. 506 Sanford St. Decorah, IA 52101 USA

PG 36

Phone: 563-387-9097 Email: sales@decoprod.com Website: www.decoprod.com Company Officers: Chris Storlie, General Manager; Randy Tanger, Operation Manager; Mike Murphy, Engineer Manager; and Dave Magner, Director of Sales & Marketing Products: Custom die cast, broom tips and handle ends. 18 Delamo Mfg. 7171 Telegraph Rd. Montebello, CA 90640 USA Toll Free: 888-711-8011 Email: delamo@delamo-mfg.com Website: www.delamo-mfg.com Products: Cleaning tools, including trash/ utility cans, pails, wringer buckets, dust pans, mop sticks and more. 10 Deligh Industries, Inc. P. O. Box 310-154 255 Conover St. Brooklyn, NY 11231 USA Phone: 718-875-1511 Website: www.deligh.com Products: Tinned broom wire; galvanized

mop and broom bands; galvanized and stainless steel brush stapling wire; galvanized stainless steel and plastic coated twisting wire; oil tempered and stainless steel scratch brush wire; brass and phosphor bronze brush filling wire; oil tempered, hard drawn and stainless steel power brush wire; wood brush blocks and broom handles. 11 Distribuidora Perfect S.A. de C.V. Calle Cuatro No. 32 Naucalpan Edo de MEXICO 53370 Phone: 011 52 55 53 87 04 00 Email: rrk@brochasperfect.com.mx Website: www.brochasperfect.com.mx Products: The company offers tampico fiber, cup brushes, solvents, paintbrushes, end brushes, artist brushes, clothes brushes, paint rollers, shoe brushes, kits and trays, washing brushes, wire brushes, Loosen Up WE-60, paint pads (square brushes), color sprays, circular wire brushes, and painter complementary items. Perfect has been in business for over 60 years in Mexico. The company first started selling paintbrushes and all sorts of brushes for domestic uses and industrial applications. The company later started distributing

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY tooling for the construction industry, as well as tampico fiber all over the world. The company now offers lamb’s wool paint rollers, rollers that eliminate bubbles when applying varnish, and abrasive circular wire brushes. 10 DKSH Switzerland, Ltd. Wiesenstrasse 8 8034 Zurich, SWITZERLAND Phone: +41 44 386 7900 Website: www.dksh.ch Products: Various types of bristle, fiber and hair for the brush industry. DKSH is a global leader in Market Expansion Services, employing 22,000 specialists in 560 business locations all over the world. The exclusive North American agent is Brush Fibers, Inc., of Arcola, IL. Contact Ian Moss at jaye@brushfibers.com or call 217268-5760. 17

With an onsite paint roller lab, full coating/finishing department, and a custom dye house, Draper can create any blend, pile height, density, color, and texture that is required. The company has years of experience working with wool blends, recycled and synthetic fibers. Draper Knitting has been a “Made in the USA” family run business for over 160 years, creating fabrics for a variety of technical, sustainable and protective applications. 14

Don Leventhal Group, LLC 1508 W. Jourdan St. Newton, IL 62448 USA Phone: 618-783-4424 Email: sales@newtonbroom.com Website: www.newtonbroom.com Products: Broom corn brooms, railroad switch brooms, angle brooms, soft sweep brooms, cob web and fan dusters, push brooms and floor brushes, bowl brushes, kitchen and scrub brushes. 14

DuPont Filaments — Americas, LLC Washington Works Plant 8480 DuPont Road, Bldg. 158 Washington, WV 26181 USA Toll Free: 800-635-9695 Phone: 304-863-4908 Email: dupont.filaments@usa.dupont.com Website: www.filaments.dupont.com Products: DuPont™Tynex® 612 nylon level filaments for toothbrushes; DuPont™ Tynex® 612 nylon fine filaments for cosmetic brushes; DuPont™Tynex® 612 nylon tapered filaments for paintbrushes; DuPont™ Tynex® A 612 nylon abrasive filaments for floor care and industrial brushes; DuPont™Chinex® 612 nylon synthetic bristle for paintbrushes; DuPont™ Herox® 610 nylon level filaments for toothbrushes; DuPont™Natrafil® polyester filaments for cosmetic brushes; and, DuPont™ Orel® polyester tapered filaments for paintbrushes. 18

Dorden & Company, Inc. 7446 Central Ave., P. O. Box 10247 Detroit, MI 48210 USA Phone: 313-834-7910 Email: mmfgcoinc@aol.com Website: www.dordensqueegee.com Products: Offering “The World’s Finest Squeegees,” with items made in the USA, Dorden & Company is a contract manufacturer of floor and window squeegees. Dorden offers distribution of Belgian Moss squeegees from its centrally located Detroit, MI, warehouse. The company is also a contract importer of Belgian and new German-quality window squeegees. 18

Ebser Mechanical Engineering e.K. Schönauer Str. 34 D-79674 Todtnau, GERMANY Phone: +49 7671 992308-0 Email: info@ebser.de Website: www.ebser.de Products: The company began in 1920 in Todtnau, Germany, with the production of hand machinery for the brush industry. Over the years, Ebser has expanded to include semiautomatic and fully-automatic cleaning, drilling and filling, stamping, labelling and trimming equipment. Automation systems and second-hand machines are also available. 18

Draper Knitting Company 28 Draper Lane Canton, MA 02021 USA Phone: 781-828-0029 Email: kdraper@draperknitting.com Website: www.draperknitting.com Products: Develops and manufactures quality paint roller materials. It offers a broad spectrum of paint roller cover fabrics from the mainstream economical quality to contractor grade materials for some of the most wellknown national suppliers.

Epic Resins 600 Industrial Blvd. Palmyra, WI 53156 USA Phone: 262-495-3400 Email: sales@epicresins.com Website: www.epicresins.com Products: Offering paintbrush and paint roller adhesives. These adhesives offer adhesion to natural bristles, nylon, polyester and olefin filaments, as well as vinyl substrates. Epic Resins provides both two component epoxy resin adhesives as well as

PG 38

one component polyurethane moisture cure adhesives to serve the paintbrush and paint roller markets. Epic Resins is a custom formulator of epoxy resin and polyurethane compounds for original equipment manufacturers (OEM). In business since 1958, Epic Resins specializes in custom manufacturing and formulating materials. 11 Evansville Association For The Blind - EAB Industries P. O. Box 6445 500 N. Second Ave. Evansville, IN 47719 USA Phone: 812-422-1181 Email: danleraris@aol.com Website: www.evansvilleblind.org Company Officers: Karla Horrell, Executive Director & Controller; Dan Leraris, Sales & Marketing; Tony Goebel, Plant Manager Products: Deck mops: cotton and rayon; mop heads: cotton and rayon. Traditional and custom sizes available. Made in the USA. Manufacturing time available for mop production due to expanded capacity. 18 F.M. Brush Co., Inc. 70-02 72nd Place Glendale, NY 11385 USA Phone: 718-821-5939 Email: info@fmbrush.com Website: www.fmbrush.com Products: Artist brushes, from professional to student, all levels. Industrial affiliations, marking, stencil, and parts cleaning available. Camel hair to red sable plus a full range of synthetics. Painted and unpainted handles. Assembled in the United States and Thailand. Large quantities for bids at all price ranges. Name brand and private label with quick delivery. The company was founded in 1929, and has over 80 years experience in creating highquality brushes that feature both form and function. F.M. Brush offers brush styles in both natural hair and synthetics. It is environmentally sensitive and supports the fight against animal testing. Handles come from managed wood reformed station programs. 11 Felton, Inc. 7 Burton Dr. Londonderry, NH 03053 USA Phone: 603-425-0200 Website: www.feltoninc.com Products: Custom brushes and technical assemblies. 14 Fibratexsa P. O. Box 118 San Pedro Sula, HONDURAS BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

MILLIKEN MACHINES FAST, ACCURATE, RELIABLE. THREE MODELS AVAILABLE

MADE IN THE USA SINCE 1910

WWW.MILLIKENMACHINE.COM

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY

Website: www.fibratexsa.com Products: Mop making machinery including loop end and deck mop machines, sewing stations, automatic cutters and more. 12

Fili & Forme SRL Via del Lavoro, 10 41018 San Cesareo sul Panaro (MO) ITALY Phone: ++39059921462 Export: ++39031856986 Email: export@filieforme.com Website: www.filieforme.com Products: Product line includes: Monofilaments in PVC that can be produced as UV resistant for long lasting under sun exposure, and antibacterial to reduce and avoid the formation of offensive odors; mono-filaments in polypropylene, PS and SAN. For more than 20 years, Fili & Forme has produced monofilaments for various markets like home, personal care, industrial, technical and sports. It offers a completely automated manufacturing process, with cutting edge technology and machines, quality control, efficiency and competitive prices. 10 Filkemp - Industria de Filamentos, S.A. Rua Francisco Lyon de Castro 28 Mem Martins 2725-397 PORTUGAL Phone: +351 21 922 6416 Email: info@filkemp.com Website: www.filkemp.com Products: Custom-made abrasive filaments based on PA6, Pa 6.10 and PA 6.12, used in polishing and deburring tool accessories worldwide. Great variety of grits available. Filkemp also produces polyamide and polyester mono-filaments for fishing, technical applications, 3D printing and agricultural appliances. 18 Filmop USA, LLC 13410 Hwy 105 West Conroe, TX 77304 USA Phone: 936-588-8942 Email: info@filmopusa.com Website: www.filmopusa.com Products: Designs, manufactures and distributes: buckets; carts - hospital, janitorial and maid; dusters; dusting cloths; dustpans; floor finish applicators; handles - mop, broom, brush and telescopic; microfiber products; mopping equipment; mops - dust and wet; plastic containers; safety products - equipment and signs; squeegees - floor and window; wall washing equipment; waste receptacles; window cleaning accessories; wringers. 11 FIMM Italia S.p.A. via della Repubblica 153 50050 STABBIA (Firenze), ITALY PG 40

Phone: +39-0571-956124 Website: www.spinelli-group.com Products: Manufacturer of metal broom handles, telescopic handles, extension poles, multipiece handles, mop handles. The history of FIMM ITALIA S.p.A. dates to the 1890s, and is part of the Spinelli Group, a machinery and molds manufacturer. Companies are located in Italy, the United States, Mexico and China. 13

Eugene, OR 97402 USA Website: www.groutgator.com Products: The Grout Gator: clean grout 2 to 8 times faster with the multi-brush head Grout Gator. Featuring an award-winning and patented design, the Grout Gator is saving time for both home owners and professional cleaners in the United States, Canada, Australia, Dubai, and the United Kingdom. 17

Fuller Brush Company 860 Kaiser Rd., Suite D Napa, CA 94558 USA Phone: 707-266-5500 Website: www.fuller.com Products: Brooms, mops, floor cleaners, carpet sweepers, bathroom cleaners, all house cleaners, kitchen cleaners and scrub brushes, stainless steel cleaners, laundry detergents, stain removers, scented moth block case, home scents, personal scents, spa products, personal care products, premium quality hair brushes, and NutriSelect. 14

Gift Sales Co. P. O. Box 17082 513 S. St. Francis Wichita, KS 67217 USA Phone: 316-267-0671 Toll Free: 800-992-0181 Email: gscjansplymfr@juno.com Website: www.giftsalescompany.net Products: Bowl block, urinal para and nonparablock, 20-pound sewer block, non-para dumpster system, bowl caddy, mint absorbent, urinal screens (all kinds), putty knives, dust pans (metal and plastic), and other supplies. 16

Fuller Industries LLC 1 Fuller Way Great Bend, KS 67530 USA Toll Free: 800-848-4901 Website: www.fullercommercial.com Products: FullPro, Franklin Cleaning Technology, Trumix DC2 and Masury Columbia. 16

Golden Star Inc. 6445 Metcalf Ave. Overland Park, KS 66202 USA Toll Free: 800-821-2792 Phone: 816-645-9031 Email: goldenstar@goldenstar.com Website: www.goldenstar.com Products: Brooms, wet mops, dust mops, hardware, accessories and microfiber. 14

G.D.F. di De Franceschi Gabriella & Co. Via Mazzini 27 Bazzano 40053 Valsamoggia ITALY Phone: +39 051830189 Email: gdf@gdfsrl.eu Website: www.gdfsrl.eu Company Officer: Gabriella De Franceschi Products: Foamed and solid plastic blocks, metal handles, telescopic poles, buckets, mops and other cleaning tools. 18 Garelick Mfg. Co. P. O. Box 8 644 Second St. St. Paul Park, MN 55071 USA Phone: 651-459-9795 Email: mail@garelick.com Website: www.garelick.com Products: Telescopic extension poles in 6, 8, 12, 18 and 24-foot lengths. Garelick Mfg. Co. began in 1952. Offering lightweight anodized aluminum, twist lock cams that allow handles to be locked at any length, rolled tube edges, universal size screw adapter, five standard sizes. 18 Gator Cleaning Products, LLC 725 McKinley St.

Gordon Brush Mfg. Co., Inc. 3737 Capitol Ave. City of Industry, CA 90601 USA Phone: 323-724-7777 Email: sales@gordonbrush.com Website: www.gordonbrush.com Company Officer: Kenneth L. Rakusin, President and CEO Products: Hand-held brushes, scratch brushes, platersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; brushes, medical brushes, instrument cleaning brushes, applicator brushes, detail brushes, parts cleaning brushes, military brushes, block brushes, upright brushes, paintbrushes, flow-thru brushes, high-pressure brushes, strip brushes, micro-spiral brushes, abrasive brushes, spiral brushes, twisted-inwire brushes, vacuum brushes, condenser tube brushes, paddle brushes, bore brushes, radiator brushes, spoke brushes, refrigeration and plumbing brushes, tube-fitting brushes, bowl brushes, vat brushes, janitorial brushes, brooms, squeegees, polycorn uprights, truck wash brushes, lobby brooms, dusters, cylinder brushes, bonded disc brushes, bonded flap brushes, abrasive nylon brushes, spiral round coil brushes, rotary brushes, fine filament BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

ZZZ ILONHPS FRP

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY brushes, Thunderon® brushes, dome brushes, acid brushes, power brushes, specialty brushes, hygienic brushes, mops, buffs, dressing sheets and handpads. 18 E. Gornell & Sons, Inc. 2241 N. Knox Ave. Chicago, IL 60639 USA Phone: 773-489-2330 Email: sales@gornellbrush.com Website: www.gornellbrush.com Products: Gornell built its reputation as a custom designer and manufacturer of quality brushes for industry and maintenance. Gornell is a supplier of scratch, platers and welder brushes, staple set on the latest CNC-controlled machinery. It offers custom-design and manufactures staple set and wire-drawn brushes for industry, using all types of wire, synthetic and natural fill materials. E. Gornell & Sons, Inc., was founded in 1892 by Edward Gornell. It continues to grow, producing brushes with the latest state-of-the-art CNC machinery. Will imprint and private label brushes for the brush industry. CAD/CAM design available. Special packaging is offered to meet specific requirements. 18 Gover, Horowitz & Blunt Ltd. 15 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PS UNITED KINGDOM Phone: +44 207 838-7000 Email: mr@ghb.co.uk Website: www.ghb.co.uk Products: Synthetic monofilaments (PVC, PPN, PET, nylon, etc), bassine, palmyra, coco, tampico and cotton mop yarn. 16 Greenwood Mop & Broom, Inc. 109 Palmer St. Greenwood, SC 29646 USA Phone: 864-227-8411 Website: www.greenwoodmopandbroom.com Products: Full line of cleaning tools for foodservice, jan/san and hardware applications. These products include mop heads, wet and dry; brooms, handles; squeegees; brushes; and assorted safety and maintenance items. 17 GSC Manufacturing, Inc. 510 Merritt Ave. Nashville, TN 37203 USA Phone: 615-248-6556 Email: info@gscmanufacturing.com Website: www.gscmanufacturing.com Products: Manufacturer of premium wet mops available in cut-end, loop-end, finish mops and T-bar construction. The company offers a full line of launderable and disposable dust mops and frames. It assembles handles for both wet PG 42

and dust mops. All mops are available in a variety of natural and synthetic yarns to meet every customer’s special needs. Natural and plastic brooms, push brooms and industrial brushes complete a full janitorial and commercial line of cleaning products. GSC Manufacturing was incorporated in 2000 to become an industry leader in the production and development of cleaning products. It offers OEM programs, private labeling, custom packs and short lead times from receipt of order to delivery. 14

66, nylon 612, nylon 610, polyester PBT, polypropylene. Abrasive fibers in diameters ranging from .010” - .070” nylon 6, nylon 612, nylon 610 with abrasive grit types silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, ceramic and diamond. Specialty fibers are a big part of Hahl’s product offering: nylon 6 flaggeable, nylon 6 UL94VO, nylon 6 “anti-static”, nylon 6 “conductive”, nylon “HT”, polyester “metal detectable”, PEEK, PPS, HT-150, HT-250 and a full range of toothbrush filaments. 17

Gunn Brush Co., Inc. 948 Church St. Baldwin, NY 11510 USA Toll Free: 800-834-6035 Email: gunnbrush@aol.com Website: www.gunnbrush.com Products: All types/styles and sizes of floormachine rotary brushes and pad holder assemblies. Custom work, as well as custom diamond drivers made to specifications. Large inventory allows same day shipping on most orders. 04

Haviland Corporation P. O. Box 769 200 S. Hwy. U Linn, MO 65051 USA Phone: 573-897-3672 Email: squeegees@havilandcorp.com Website: www.havilandcorp.com Products: Since 1946, Haviland Corporation continues to manufacture premium floor and window squeegees; waterbrooms; replace-ment blades for sweeper scrubbers; and paving tools in the United States. The newest addition to Haviland’s floor squeegee selection is the Quick Flip. This versatile squeegee features a blade on each side of the frame. Choose the same type of blade on both sides and increase the life of the unit, or choose different blades to be used on different surfaces. The product saves time, money, and provides more options. 18

H. Arnold Wood Turning, Inc. 220 White Plains Rd., Suite 245 Tarrytown, NY 10591 USA Phone: 914-381-0801 Email: staff@arnoldwood.com Website: www.arnoldwood.com Products: All wood products including broom and mop handles; lawn, garden, agricultural and shovel handles; turned and shaped handles; brush blocks; dowels and CNC parts. 17 Ha-Ste Manufacturing, Inc. P. O. Box 168 Union City, IN 47390 USA Phone: 800-228-6677 (MOPS) or, 937-968-4858 Email: service@hastemops.com Website: www.hastemops.com Products: Manufacturer of quality (Made in the USA) mopping products. Specializing in janitorial and industrial hard floor care. Quality product line of wet mops, dust mops, microfiber products, hardware and no-lint monofilament finish mops. Includes custom factory and private labeling as well as construction modifications to suit customers’ needs. 14 Hahl Inc., a Div. of Perlon The Filament Co. 126 Glassmaster Rd. Lexington, SC 29072 USA Phone: 803-359-0706 Email: customerservice@perlon.com Website: www.perlon.com Products: Synthetic bristle in diameters ranging from .003” - .120” nylon 6, nylon

Hayco Manufacturing Ltd. 3002, Citicorp Centre, 18 Whitfield Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong CHINA Phone: +852-2168-9200 Email: info@hayco.com Website: www.hayco.com Products: Household brushes, brooms, mops, dusters, squeegees, automotive cleaning, window cleaning, extension poles, floor sweepers, industrial brushes and squeegees, power toothbrushes, facial brushes, water filtration, liquid delivery systems. 14 Hebei Founder Int. Trading Corp., Ltd. No. 345, Youyi North St. Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050071 CHINA Phone: 0086-311-85271256 Email: hairs88@hotmail.com Website: www.brushhairs.com Company Officers: Li Xiaojun, Director; Cui Guoqing, General Manager; Jia Hairan, Sales Manager Products: Various types of animal hair for brush making including hog bristle, horse tail hair and horse mane hair, goat hair, horse body hair, etc. Also available are synthetic filament and natural hair mixed with synthetic filament, under customers’ special requirements. The BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY company also provides shaving brush heads, finished shaving brushes, artist brushes and cosmetic brushes. 18 Hill Brush Company, Ltd. 811 Rolyn Ave. Baltimore, MD 21237 USA Phone: 410-325-7000 Email: info@hillbrush.com Website: www.hillbrush.com Products: Wooden brooms, paintbrushes, brushware, dust pans and brushes, mops, hygienic cleaning tools, Resin-Set DRS®, anti-microbial brushware and hygienic tools, metal and x-ray detectable brushware and hygienic tools. 16 HIMESA Hilos Y Mechas S.A. de C.V. P. O. Box 118 San Pedro Sula HONDURAS Phone (USA): 954-323-8692 Phone: ++504-2558-8141 Email: himesa@himesa.com Website: www.himesa.com Products: HIMESA is a Latin American textile producer. Its textiles spin a wide array of cotton, rayon blends, Acrylex®, synthetics, antimicrobial yarns, 100 percent recycled, etc. The various styles that HIMESA uses for spinning yarns are ring, open end/friction and core spun. These different methods enable HIMESA to produce an array of titles, colors and form options. HIMESA also produces various types of mops (loop end, cut end, deckmops, dustmops and disposables). It also offers an assortment of custom mops such as lay flat style, double tailbanded mops, wire/connector mops, quik on, etc. All these mops are custom designed to customers’ specs, such as for retail, industrial, foodservice, healthcare, janitorial, etc. The company also offers twine, sewing threads, industrial threads, agricultural threads/twines and more. Its facilities include complete weaving operations for a variety of products like canvas, sheeting, tarpaulins, towels, cleaning and grill cloths, diapers, mop tape, etc. HIMESA has ventured into plastics with success in making a variety of products for the industry. 15 Hoge Brush Company P. O. Box 189 202 E. South St. New Knoxville, OH 45871 USA Phone: 419-753-2351 Website: www.hoge.com Products: Traditional, classic, time-tested staple set brushes; push brooms; maintenance and utility brushes. Serving distributors and supply companies, co-manufacturers, dealers and stores since 1939. Special features include North PG 44

American hardwood blocks. Top quality natural and synthetic fibers. Experienced workmanship. Emphasis is placed on performance, durability and value. 12 Hoge Lumber Co. P. O. Box 159 701 S. Main St. New Knoxville, OH 45871 USA Phone: 419-753-2263 Email: info@hoge.com Website: www.hoge.com Products: Brush blocks - made of North American hardwoods, in a variety of sizes, shapes, holes, finishes. Also: architectural millwork and moldings, commercial and insti-tutional cabinetry, custom casework; materials for post-frame metal buildings and residential construction; hardwoods green and kiln dried manufactured for industrial, commercial, agricultural uses, including brush blocks and bowling lane components; sales office and warehouse in China. Staple set brush manufacturing. 16 Indian Bristle Company unit of Sieko Brushware (India) Sieko House, 4/15, Bagichi St. Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara, Dehli - 110032 INDIA Phone: +91 11 45645617 Email: siekobrush@hotmail.com, siekobrush@yahoo.com, siekobrush@gmail.com Products: Exporter of Indian bristles. 17 Industrial Brush Corporation 763 E. Commerce Dr. St. George, UT 84790 USA Phone: 435-673-7500 Email: ibcsales@industrialbrush.com Website: www.industrialbrush.com Products: Custom designs and prototypes. Designs and manufactures thousands of different brushes to satisfy a wide variety of industrial and food processing applications. Also offered are standard and custom design staple set, metal channel strip and other brush constructions including straight and formed strip, coil, cylinder cup, inside and outside disc, twisted-in-wire, wire scratch, wheel cup and stem brushes, acid, paint and artist brushes. All types of fill materials are provided including synthetic, natural, hair and wire. Common applications include brushes for washing, drying, waxing, polishing, peeling and harvesting various fruits and vegetables. Other applications include scrubbing and deburring printed circuit boards; washing silicon chips; finishing and deburring metal; sanding, de-nibbling, staining and dusting wood

products; glass and mirror washing; egg washing; static elimination; trommel cleaning; conveyor cleaning; mold cleaning and vehicle washing. Products are marketed throughout North America, Western Europe and Asia. 09 The InterWire Group 355 Main St. Armonk, NY 10504 USA Toll Free: 800-699-6633 Website: www.interwiregroup.com Products: National distributor of wire for the brush, broom, mop and other industries. 17 Jason Mills, LLC 440 S. Main St. Milltown, NJ 08850 USA Phone: 732-651-7200 Email: info@jasonmills.com Website: www.jasonmills.com Products: Jason Mills manufactures textile fabrics for industrial, commercial, military and personal safety end-users. Specific industries include automotive, aeronautical, healthcare and law enforcement. It has an extensive stock program which includes fire retardant, Berry compliant, MIL-SPEC and NAFTA-certified fabrics. 16 Jieda (Cixi Jieda Nanometer Compound Materials Co., Ltd.) Kandun Industrial Zone, Cixi City, Zhejiang Province, CHINA Phone: 86-574-2363 9669 or 86-574-2363 9608 Email: jiedaglobal@cn-jieda.com Website: www.global-jieda.com Products: Filaments for toothbrushes, tapered filaments, abrasive filaments and industrial filaments. 13 Jones Companies Ltd. 312 S. 14th Ave. Humboldt, TN 38343 USA Phone: 800-238-8334; 731-784-2832 Email: jraines@jonesyarn.com Website: www.jonesyarn.com Company Officers: William Ralph Jones III, Executive Chairman; Richard Ayers, Chief Executive Officer; Steve Tonkel, Chief Financial Officer; Jeremy Raines, Vice President; Scott Butler, Vice President of Operations; Jim Thomas, Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics Products: Jones Yarn offers USA-produced yarns specifically designed to meet the cleaning requirements of the floor care industry no matter what the market: healthcare, hospitality, food service, retail or jan/san. Yarns are made from blends consisting of: cotton/polyester, rayon/polyester, cotton/ BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY polyester/rayon, anti-microbial/cotton, antimicrobial/rayon and microfiber blends. Trademarked yarns include RF-Yarns™- Recycled Fiber Yarns, Enviro-Color™ Yarns, AMYarns™ - Anti-microbial, and nWET™ - nonwoven edge trim. In addition to the variety of yarns, Jones offers mop tape, mesh and sewing thread. The Jones Next Generation product line includes microfiber tube mops, microfiber towels, microfiber carpet bonnets, synthetic carpet bonnets and cotton carpet bonnets. Also available are yarn for wet mops, dust mops and finishing mops. Jones Yarn’s other services include: product testing, customer exclusive product development, sales training and market intelligence. 18 Keystone Plastics Inc. 3451 S. Clinton Ave. South Plainfield, NJ 07080 USA Phone: 908-561-1300; 800-635-1300 Website: www.keystonesweepersbrushes.com Products: Extruded polypropylene filaments (custom color match) will meet exact specifications. Call Keystone for specific brush applications. 06 La Crosse Brush, Inc. 606 Meadow Ct. La Crosse, WI 54603 USA Toll Free: 888-683-7491 Email: derekpeterson@lacrossebrush.com Website: www.lacrossebrush.com Company Officer: Derek Peterson, Vice President-General Manager; Kathy Otto, Office Manager Products: Manufacturer of brooms and brushes for various industries: color-coded products for food processing, including brooms, brushes, squeegees, fiberglass handles, shovels, scoops and scrapers; industrial/maintenance brooms and brushes, including floor sweeps, scrub brushes, counter brushes, etc.; and, various brooms and brushes for the dairy industry, including tank brushes, barn brooms, scrub brushes, etc. 18 Lafitte Mop Co., Inc. P. O. Box 577 Villa Rica, GA 30180 USA Phone: 770-459-5966 Email: lmc@lafittemop.com Website: www.lafittemop.com Company Officers: John Lafitte, President; Cathy Lafitte, Secretary Products: USA-made products include: Looped-end and conventional cut-end mopheads in rayon, cotton and blended yarnsPG 46

white and colors; stick mops, all sizes and yarn types; green environmental dust mops and mopheads; and specialty mops including nonwoven mops and dust mops in cotton, synthetic and launderable. Additional products: brooms, brushes, handles, microfiber products and industrial roofing items. 18 Lambskin Specialties 250 Dufferin Ave. Winnipeg, MB R2W 5J1 CANADA Toll Free: 800-665-0202 Website: www.lambskin.com Products: Supplier in the duster category: dust wand wool and feather dusters; synthetic and microfiber dusters; high dusting and floor dusting. Also, floor finish applicators, window care accessories, automotive care accessories. The company can also help design and manufacture exclusive products. 08 Lanoco Specialty Wire Products, Inc. 7 John Rd. Sutton, MA 01590 USA Phone: 508-865-1500 Website: www.lanoco.com Products: Manufacturer of stainless steel wire for the power brush industry. Wire includes pin crimped, gear crimped, or straight in multiple strands, hanks, coils, cut to lengths, or bobbin form. 09 Leistner Weruzeug GMBH Auerbacher Str. 15 Stuetzengruen 08328 GERMANY Phone: +49-37462-288150 Email: info@leistner-gmbh.de Website: www.leistner-gmbh.de Products: High performance drill bits for the brush making industry. Leistner drills are engineered and manufactured as customized CNC cutting tools for processing steel, plastic and wooden materials. 14 Lemieux Spinning Mill, Inc. 125 Route 108 Est., C.P. 2039 St. Ephrem, Beauce QC G0M 1R0 CANADA Phone: 418-484-2169 Email: sergel@lemieuxspinning.com Website: www.lemieuxspinning.com Products: Rayon blend white and colored mop yarn, Price-Wise economy synthetic white and colored mop yarn, dust control synthetic white and colored dust mop yarn. Rayon blend mop yarn treated with UltraFresh (antibacterial), cotton blend mop yarn, and exclusive and custom mop yarn. Greentex mop yarn is an environmentally friendly blend of recycled PET and postconsumer fiber.

Lemieux Spinning Mill’s history dates to 1906 when J.A. Lemieux founded his business on first-rate service and top quality products. With well-established experience, Lemieux’s vision is constantly focused on the future. No matter what the specific requirements or needs are, Lemieux Spinning Mills, Inc., has the team and resources to meet them. 15 Lessmann GmbH The German Brush Company Lucas-Schultes-Str. 2 Oettingen 86732 GERMANY Phone: 0049 9082 707 0 Email: info@lessmann.com Website: www.lessmann.com Products: Brushes made in Germany: technical brushes, industrial brushes, wire brushes, wheel brushes, bevel brushes, hand brushes, interior brushes, shank brushes, end brushes, disc brushes and others. Lessmann provides a wide product range of standard and special brushes. The brushes are used for cleaning, deburring, polishing and surface finishing in the metal working industry, tube and pipeline industry, wood working industry, automotive industry, aircraft industry and others. 16 Libman Company, The 220 N. Sheldon St. Arcola, IL 61910 USA Phone: 217-268-4200 Toll-Free: 800-646-6262 Email: info@libmanpro.com Website: www.libmanpro.com Products: Complete line of brooms, brushes, wet and dust mops, specialty mops and related equipment such as dust pans and buckets. Virtually all products are manufactured in the USA for all commercial/industrial needs. 10 Loos & Co., Inc. Jewel Wire Division P. O. Box 282 Pomfret, CT 06258 USA Phone: 860-928-7981 Email:sales@loosco.com Website: www.loosco.com Products: Stainless steel, high fatigue power brush wire, scratch brush wire, and draw wire; also available, stainless steel and nickel silver staple wire along with stem wire. Jewel Wire offers a full line of wire products in the following materials and alloys: brass alloy 260, phosphor bronze alloy 510, nickel silver alloy 745, untempered high carbon steel, and galvanized low carbon steel. All alloys are available straight (level), pin or gear crimped. Standard packaging available: hanks, coils, precision cut to length, single strand and multiBBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY stranded on spools and cores. Jewel Wire also offers packaging to customer specifications. 18 M2 Professional Cleaning Products LTD 59 Talman Ct. Concord, ON L4K 4L5 CANADA Phone: 905-738-2007 Website: www.m2mfg.com Products: M2 Professional Cleaning Products Ltd., is a manufacturer of buckets and wringers, along with a complete line of professional cleaning products including wet mops, dust mops, as well as assorted brushes and push brooms. M2 has over 40 years of manufacturing experience in the cleaning industry. 16 Magni Giovanni snc Via Lecco, 20/B 22036 Erba CO ITALY Phone: 0039-031-643224 Email: info@maiertools.com Website: www.maiertools.com Company Officers: Alberto Magni; Francesco Magni Products: Manufacturer of drill bits for brushmakers, selling products all around the world for over 60 years. The company produces CNC-machined bits in HSS 8-solid carbide in all sizes and types. 18 Magnolia Brush Mfrs., Ltd. 1001 N. Cedar St. Clarksville, TX 75426 USA Phone: 903-427-2261 Email: sales@magnoliabrush.com Website: www.magnoliabrush.com Company Officers: Ken Backus, President; Scott Adams, General Manager; Gary Townes, Director of Purchasing/Sales; Glenn Guyette, National Sales Manager Products: Floor, garage and street brooms; squeegees; galvanized buckets; dust mops and frames; wet mops; wash brushes and scrub brushes; paintbrushes and chip brushes; roller covers; concrete finishing brushes; masonry brushes and janitorial items. 18 Malish Corporation, The 7333 Corporate Blvd. Mentor, OH 44060 USA Phone: 440-951-5356 Email: info@malish.com Website: www.malish.com Products: Manufacturer of commercial and industrial floor machine brushes, including a full range of rotary brushes, foodservice/colorcoded brushes, as well as janitorial brushes. Most recently, the company introduced the Diama-brush™ byMalish Floor Preparation PG 48

System that features products for concrete prep and polishing as well as products for wood and mastic removal. Malish also offers custom thermoplastic extrusions through its Malish Plastics division. 16 Marco Kracht Via L Biagi, 55/C15 20099 Sesto San Giovanni, MI ITALY Phone: 0039-02-24416854 Email: info@marcokracht.com Website: www.marcokracht.com Company Officer: Marco Kracht, General Manager Products: Flagging knives for Borghi, Boucherie and Zahoransky. Machines-needles for corn broom sewing machines (Dal Maschio and other producers); trimming blades; blades for cutting metal pipes of broom handles. 18 Paul Marsh LLC 654 Madison Ave., Suite #1405 New York, NY 10065 USA Phone: 212-759-9060 Email: paulmarshllc@earthlink.net Products: China bristles, horse hair, fine hair, synthetic tapered filaments (all colors), mixtures for paintbrushes (synthetic filaments and natural bristles), machinery new and reconditioned, parts and service, paint roller winding, cutting and finishing machines, roller frames, paint roller fabrics, phenolic paper, adhesives, covers, extension poles, handles, ferrules, brush pins, epoxy resins, etc. Founded in 1959 by Paul S. Marsh, the firm has grown steadily. Paul Marsh LLC is an international supplier to the brush and broom trade, serving manufacturers in over 40 countries. Diversified departments within the company now supply manufacturing and trading concerns in a wide range of industries. 14 Maryland Brush Company - A Div. of MBC Ventures, Inc. 3221 Frederick Ave. Baltimore, MD 21229 USA Toll Free: 800-654-0774 Email: sales@marylandbrush.com Website: www.marylandbrush.com Company Officers: Stephen Mullan, President; Timothy Hartman, Vice President Products: Power-driven and hand-held brushes of wire, synthetic, and abrasive filaments; maintenance brushes and paint applicators; and custom-engineered brush products. 18 M-B Companies, Inc. P. O. Box 200 1615 Wisconsin Ave.

New Holstein, WI 54915 USA Toll Free: 800-558-5800 Email: sales@m-bco.com Website: www.m-bco.com Products: Tube brooms, gutter brooms, runway wafers, strip brooms, poly wafers, wire wafers, poly/wire wafers. Brushes for all makes and models of attachment brooms, runway snow removal equipment, and street sweepers. 12 MBK Maschinenbau GmbH Friedrich-List-Str. 19 88353 Kisslegg Bad.-Wuertt. GERMANY Phone: 0049-75 63-91 31-0 Website: www.mbk-kisslegg.de Products: Machines for the production of paint rollers made of foam – Drilling machine MBO, drill grinding machine, gluing machine MKL also available with Corona, splitting machine MSP, ejecting machine MAS, round off machine MAR, frame bending automat BBM, automated assembly machine for roller cores KMA, foam gluing machine MKE, roller supply RZ, supply hopper BF, peahole burning machine ERB. Machines for the production of paint rollers made of plush and lambskin – Strip cutting machine STM and STM-R, plush cutting device PSE, turn over equipment SUV, tandem-turn-over-machine SUM, drawing device SAV, roller winding automat RWA, roller assembly machine RMA, roller treating automat RBA, radiator plush roller winding automat HWA, radiator plush roller assembly automat HMA, production automat for radiator rollers HFA, roller supply RZ and supply hopper BF. Machines for the production of flat and round paintbrushes – Flat paintbrush automat with automated adhesive dispenser FPA, automated cleaning and trimming machine for flat paintbrushes ABM-K and ABM-L also for synthetic fiber, inserting and stapling machine EHM extendible with printing device and packing unit, paintbrush packing automat PEA, tuft dividing machine BAM, bristle vibrator BAG, shearing and trimming machine ZSM, wall brush assembly device FME, round paintbrush automat RPA, production equipment for round paintbrushes RFA, round paintbrush assembling machine RPM, and cleaning and trimming machine for round paintbrushes RSA. Mixing, metering and dispensing machines – Automated adhesive dispenser VGA; mixing, metering and dispensing machine for two and more component resin systems MUD and MUD-R with adjustable mixing ratio. MBK is a state-of-the-art, medium-sized BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY engineering company located in Kisslegg in the Allgaeu (approx. 35 km northeast of Lindau on the Lake of Constance, Germany). Maintenance and service for all types of machines, conversion and extension of machinery in stock available. 11 MFC, Ltd. 1904 Freight St. Laredo, TX 78041 USA Phone: 956-724-5191 Email: info@mfc-usa.com Website: www.mfc-usa.com Products: Tampico fibers, union mix, semipatent fiber, palmyra, bassine, horsehair, horsehair mixtures with tampico fiber and/or synthetic. Boar bristle mixtures (natural and/or with synthetics), paintbrush mixtures of synthetic and natural bristles. Tipping, flagging, mixing and dyeing of taper synthetic fiber for paintbrush industry. Also rice (broom) root and metal handles. 16 Michigan Brush Mfg. Co., Inc. P. O. Box 10247 7446 Central Ave. Detroit, MI 48210-0247 USA Phone: 313-834-1070 Toll-Free: 800-642-7874 Website: www.mi-brush.com Products: Specializing in all types of brooms, brushes, mops, squeegees, paint rollers and related products. Special order products for machinery and equipment including oversize paint rollers, brushes, and squeegees are available. Prototypes and long or short runs invited. 10 Mill-Rose Company, The 7995 Tyler Blvd. Mentor, OH 44060 USA Phone: 440-255-9171 Email: info@millrose.com Website: www.millrose.com Products: U.S. manufacturer of twisted-wire brushes and a market leader for brushes of all uses. The company designs, engineers, manufactures, and delivers brushes in small, as well as large quantities catering to a customer’s specific needs. Mill-Rose brushes are used in virtually every industry around the world, including, but not limited to, aerospace, agriculture, automotive, defense, energy, manufacturing, medical, technology, and telecommunications. Customers can choose from “standard” and “not-so-standard” sizes and shapes of brushes that deburr, polish, finish, sort, auger, conduct, dissipate, collect, move and BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

protect materials. Mill-Rose brushes are often used in non-brushing applications to solve engineering, design, and production problems. Mill-Rose has designed more than 100,000 special brushes with unique configurations for unique applications. Strong demand for Mill-Rose brushes by the plumbing, heating and cooling industry led to the formation of Clean-Fit Products serving professional contractors, hardware wholesalers and Do-It-Yourself home centers. Clean-Fit Products offers contractors a complete line of brushes, abrasives, PTFE sealants and specialty tools, including the line of Blue Monster® professional-grade products. Mill-Rose Laboratories manufactures a complete line of disposable and reusable brushes, snares and baskets used throughout the medical industry. It’s a leading source for laboratory and scientific brushes, biopsy and micro brushes, and stainless steel wire forms used in a broad range of applications. 14 Milliken Machine 625 3rd St. Newark, NJ 07107 USA Phone: 973-485-3630 Email: info@millikenmachine.com Website: www.millikenmachine.com Products: Brush nailing equipment including brush pins/nails. 16 Milwaukee Dustless Brush 3737 Capitol Ave. City of Industry, CA 90601 USA Phone: 323-724-7777 Email: sales@milwaukeedustless.com Website: www.milwaukeedustless.com Products: Floor brooms, handles, polycorn upright brooms, corn brooms, lobby brooms, dust pans, bench/counter dusters, squeegees (floor), truck wash brushes, sponge mops, bucketless mops, utility brushes, window, bowl and feather dusters, commercial kitchen brushes, valve brushes, dish brushes, detail brushes, scoops and shovels, wire brushes, scratch brushes, stencil, acid and parts wash brushes, paintbrushes, specialty brushes, power brushes, block brushes, nail brushes, bowl brushes, scrub brushes, and tank brushes. 16 Monahan Filaments, LLC 215 Egyptian Trail Arcola, IL 61910 USA Phone: 217-268-4957 Customer Service: 888-833-1097 Email: info@monahanfilaments.com Website: www.monahanfilaments.com

Company Officers: Matt Monahan, President; Tom Vichich, Vice President Sales & Marketing Products: Broad selection of synthetic filaments in a wide range of diameters for the brush and monofilament industries. Nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene fibers for applications in industrial, construction, automotive, personal care, paint, cosmetic, and janitorial markets. Founded in early 2007 with the acquisition of Specialty Filaments, the company has consolidated operations into a new facility in Arcola, IL. Centrally located in the Midwest, MFI is well positioned to meet the challenging needs of all customers. Sister company Brush Fibers, Inc., is also located in Arcola and able to ship all items together with Monahan Filaments, further saving on freight. Now offering high performance filaments such as PPS for demanding applications and V0 grade nylon. The company has recently updated its website. 18 Monahan Partners, Inc. 202 N. Oak St. Arcola, IL 61910 USA Phone: 217-268-5771 Website: www.monahanpartners.com Company Officers: Kevin Monahan, President; Pat Monahan, Ambassador Products: Monahan Partners assembles wood, metal and fiberglass mopsticks. It offers a full range of metal and plastic attachments for both wet and dry mops, and sells the component parts for self-assembly. Monahan Partners offers popular plastic and metal janitor quick changes/stirrups, gripper (jaws), household and janitor springs and levers. And for dust mops, the company offers nylon slide connectors and a patented flexible connector. Other popular products are dust mop frames and cotton heads as well as wedge mop heads and frames. Monahan Partners also sells broom braces; broom twine; industrial T-bars; plastic/wire connectors for layflat mops; twist mops made with either cotton yarn or non-woven strips; microfiber yarn wet mops; and fiberglass handles with swivel cap and thread. Monahan Partners now also sells competitively-priced wet floor signs; dust pans; large and small angle brooms; and a popular, made in USA, economical, patented lobby dust pan. The company is also a leading producer of fiberglass handle mopsticks. In addition, Monahan Partners is offering a patentpending, stainless steel, multi-piece “Freight Buster” handle. PG 49

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Monahan Partners was spun out of The Thomas Monahan Company, in December 2010. Formerly, a division of the family business, Monahan Partners continues a long history of great service. 18 Thomas Monahan Co., The 202 N. Oak St. Arcola, IL 61910 USA Phone: 217-268-4955 Email: tim@thomasmonahan.com Website: www.thomasmonahan.com Company Officers: Jim, Tim, Jon, and Chris Monahan. Pat Monahan owns and runs a sister company, Monahan Partners Products: The Thomas Monahan Company is the parent of the Monahan family of companies – Brush Fibers, Inc. (natural filaments); Monahan Filaments (synthetic filaments); and Whitley Monahan Handles Company (wood handles). See separate listings for these companies in this issue. The Thomas Monahan Company manufactures and sells component parts for the manufacture of brooms and mops. It has proven sources in the USA, China, Mexico and around the world. Through its Whitley Monahan Handles Company, Monahan offers quality handles in pine and hardwoods in clear lacquer, painted or plain sanded, with tapers, tennons or threads, in all standard diameters and lengths. The company is the exclusive distributor of Bamwood – a manufactured wood made from bamboo. Through its Brush Fibers and Monahan Filament companies, Monahan manu-factures synthetic filaments and sells them along with imported natural fibers to the brush industry. The Thomas Monahan Company sells broomcorn and natural filler fibers, plastic angle brooms, and broom twine. The company also offers products from foreign sources on a container load basis for direct shipment at nice savings. The company has been a family business since 1922, now managed by its fourth generation of Monahans. The Thomas Monahan Co. stands behind everything it sells. The company prides itself on fast, courteous service. 18 Monterey Mills P. O. Box 790 Janesville, WI 53547 USA Phone: 608-754-2866 Website: www.montereymills.com Products: Monterey Mills has been a premier Sliver Knitter since 1946, and the oldest sliver knitter in North America. The company carries hundreds of years of PG 50

collective experience. In addition to being North America’s largest paint roller fabric supplier, Monterey supplies superior roller products due to less shedding and superior pick up and release. Further paint applications and filtration fabric can be found with the supplier exclusive and patented FIBERLOCK™ technology, which enhances paint performance while minimizing shedding. Monterey Mills supplies most paint roller manufacturers in the United States, and exports paint roller fabric to over a dozen countries. The company can create custom designs and colors, coupled with the flexibility to alter any aspect of its knit fabric. It can also service made-to orders including apparel, pet bed fabrics, air and water filtration, medical pads, buffing pads, case liners, and stuffing. 16 Moonsoft International, Inc. 3808 N. Sullivan Rd., Bldg. 12, Suite Q Spokane, WA 99216 USA Toll Free: 877-892-9360 Website: www.moonsoftcorp.com Products: Microfiber mop pads and dusters, related hardware. 12 Mount Joy Wire Corp. 1000 E. Main St. Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA Phone: 717-653-1461 Toll Free: 800-321-2305 Email: sales@mjwire.com Website: www.mjwire.com Products: Wide range of brush wire products – carbon steel, stainless steel, brass plated, galvanized, tinned, flats. All sizes of tempered and hard drawn brush wire with full capabilities in crimping, bunching, and cutting in hanks. 11 Mr. LongArm 400 Walnut Greenwood, MO 64034 USA Toll Free: 800-821-3508 Email: info@mrlongarm.com Website: www.mrlongarm.com Company Officer: Barbara Dere Newman, President Products: A large selection of lengths and styles of fiberglass and aluminum telescoping extension handles with the universal size 3/4inch threaded ends, and adaptors available for yoke style attachment tools (paint roller frames, squeegees, etc.). Also available are attachment tools such as roller frames, squeegees, flow-through cleaning brushes, solor panel cleaning tools, etc. OEM projects welcome. 18

Nation/Ruskin 206 Progress Dr. Montgomeryville, PA 18936 USA Toll Free: 800-523-2489 Email: nationruskin@nationruskin.com Website: www.nationruskin.com Products: Sponges, cheesecloth, tack cloths, towels, rags, microfiber towels, drop cloths, coveralls, paint strainers. 13 National Wire & Metal Technologies, Inc. 22 Carolina St. Jamestown, NY 14701 USA Phone: 716-661-9180 Email: info@nationalwire.us Website: www.homemaid.us Company Officers: Bump Hedman, Tammy Snyder, Lucienne Hedman Products: Broom braces, roller mops, hinge mops, butterfly mops, dust mops and heads, quick change mops, stirrups mops, furniture hardware, oval bands, rivets and squeegees. 18 Newell & Sons Inc. P. O. Box 1098 Roxboro, NC 27573 USA Toll Free: 800-467-8996 Email: newell@esinc.net Website: www.newellandsons.com Products: Industrial/janitorial wet mop manufacturer and broom, brush and janitorial supplier. 13 Nexstep Commercial Products 1450 W. Ottawa Rd. Paxton, IL 60957 USA Toll Free: 800-252-7666 Email: customerservice@ocedarcommercial.com Website: www.ocedarcommercial.com Company Officers: Todd Leventhal, President; Joel Hastings, General Manager Products: A complete line of cleaning products including brooms, sweeps, brushes, wet mops, dust mops, microfiber, squeegees, scrapers, dusters, sponges, pads, rotary brushes, carts, buckets and wringers, bathroom accessories, mopsticks and handles, dust pans, waste containers and cleaning equipment. 18 Norshel Industries, Inc. 2933 River Rd. Croydon, PA 19021 USA Toll Free: 800-355-MOPS Email: sales@norshel.com Website: www.norshel.com Products: Wet mops, handles, dust mops, brushes, dust pans, poly and corn brooms. 06 BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Northeast Ltda. Rua Lisboa, 453 Sao Paulo S.P. 05413-000 BRAZIL Phone (U.S.): 917-842-5062 Phone: 55 11 3085 4955 Email: michaelg@northeast-brazil.com Website: www.northeast-brazil.com Products: FSC and non-FSC wooden handles; softwood and hardwood, all finishing available: sanded, lacquered or painted; all accessories such as metal threaded tips, thread on wood, tenon, domed, plastic caps, etc. available, as are bar codes and private labels. All packing available, including strip pack, box pack, etc. Metal handles and angle brooms are also available. The company has developed into a prime resource for quality and legally logged wooden handles from Brazil. Reliability, consistent quality and timeliness of shipping have become synonymous with Northeast and the Malinski factory. Multi-annual logging contracts will guarantee its raw material for years to come. 16 Northern Wood Products, Inc. 1504 Lauderdale Pl. La Crosse, WI 54603 USA Phone: 608-783-1112 Website: www.northernwoodproductsinc.com Products: Wood handles and wood brush blocks manufactured for the broom, brush and mop industries. 10 Nyco Products Company 5332 Dansher Rd. Countryside, IL 60525 USA Toll Free: 800-752-4754 Email: customerservice@nycoproducts.com Website: www.nycoproducts.com Products: Carpet cleaners, spotters and stain removers; upholstery cleaners; floor strippers; floor cleaners; floor finish chemicals; floor sealers; floor preparation chemicals; ice film neutralizer; dust mop treatment; and liquids, aerosols, powders. 14 O’Dell Corporation P.O. Box 540 Ware Shoals, SC 29646 USA Toll Free: 800-342-2843 Email: orders@odellcorp.com Website: www.odellcorp.com Products: Wet mops, dust mops, handles, brushes, janitor carts, microfiber, echoMop, The Edge Mop, The Patriot Mop, frames, janitorial accessories. 12 Osborn 1100 Resource Dr., Suite 1 BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Brooklyn Heights, OH 44131 USA Toll Free: 800-720-3358 Phone: 216-361-1900 Email: marketsupport@osborn.com Website: www.osborn.com Products: Push brooms, upright brooms, handles, squeegees, angle brooms, whisk brushes, counter dusters, bowl brushes, fountain brushes, car wash brushes, tire cleaning brushes, nail brushes, scrub brushes, scratch brushes, paintbrushes, artists brushes, paint rollers and roller frames. 14 Padco Inc. 3501 Broadway St., N.E. Minneapolis, MN 55413 USA Phone: 612-378-7270 Toll Free: 800-328-5513 Email: info@padco.com Website: www.padco.com Company Officers: Anna MacCormick, CEO; Edward Goldstein, President Products: Paint pads, paint rollers, floor finish applicators, painting accessories and trays. 18 Paint Brush Corporation P. O. Box 371 27 W. Cherry St. Vermillion, SD 57069 USA Phone: 605-624-8601 Email: info@paintbrushcorp.com Website: www.paintbrushcorp.com Products: Natural and synthetic bristle paintbrushes, and automotive parts cleaning brushes. 15 Patrick Yarn Mills, Inc. 501 York Rd. Kings Mountain, NC 28086 USA Phone: 704-739-4119 Email: sales@patrickyarns.com Website: www.patrickyarns.com Products: Patrick Yarn Mills offers a complete product line of high quality yarns for wet mops, dust mops and finish mops. The company’s modern manufacturing facilities produce cotton yarns, synthetic blends, and specialty mop yarns, including anti-microbial and microfiber products. 06 Paul Brothers & Co. Bros India Group, Muhamma Alappuzha, Kerala 688525 INDIA Phone: 91 478 2862344 / 2863593 Email: brosindia@brosindia.com Website: www.brosindia.com Company Officers: John Paul, Managing Director; John Jose, Export Director Products: Natural palmyra fiber; oiled palmyra

fiber; bassine (dyed palmyra fiber); extra fine palmyra stalks (natural and dyed); regular natural stalks (RNS); mixture of palmyra fiber and stalks (50/50, 60/40, 70/30); union mixture of poly and palmyra fiber (50/50, 60/40, 80/20); natural floor furnishing of coir, jute, rubber, cotton (mats, matting rolls, rugs and carpets); erosion control products; agricultural and horticultural products. 18 PelRay International, LLC 4511 Macro San Antonio, TX 78218 USA Phone: 210-757-4640 Email: info@PelRay.com Website: www.PelRay.com Company Officers: Michael McKenzie, CEO; Ron Cherryholmes, COO; Bart Pelton, President; Rigoberto D’Leon, CFO Products: With over 100 years of combined experience in the industry, PelRay’s sales team, Ron Cherryholmes, David McGee, Bart Pelton, and Katie Pelton, has been meeting the needs of manufacturers of brooms, mops and brushes worldwide. From raw materials such as natural fibers (broomcorn, African grass, palmyra and Tampico) to mop yarn (blended, cotton, rayon, natural or dyed) to OEM products made to customer specifications (angle broom heads, corn brooms, mops) to handles (wood or metal), PelRay has it available and can ship in mixed loads to help customers manage inventories better. PelRay can also ship items with their bar codes already on the box or product to meet customer specifications. For those customers looking for products “made in the USA,” PelRay can supply poplar and pine handles. The company also stocks an extensive inventory for artisans and crafters who need unprocessed broomcorn, wire, stitching needles, twine and more. 18 Pennellificio 2000 Via Biagi 10 46019 Viadana, MN ITALY Phone: +39 328 0096893 Email: export@pennellificio2000.com Website: www.pennellificio2000.com Company Officers: Silvia Orlandini, Owner and Export Manager Products: Paintbrushes: flat brushes and block brushes; radiator brushes; spalter/ decoration brushes; paint rollers: acrylic, polyester, polyamide, velour and microfiber, 7- and 9-inches plus other sizes, with many kinds of fibers and with plastic ergonomic handles or rubber handles/grips; decorative accessories including tampons, rollers and sponges. 18 PG 51

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Perfex Corporation 32 Case St. Poland, NY 13431 USA Phone: 315-826-3600 Email: perfex@perfexonline.com Website: www.perfexonline.com Company Officers: Michael Kubick, President; Irene Gauthier, Sales Manager; Michael Dougherty, Marketing Director Products: Cleanroom mopping systems, cleanroom mops, color-coded brooms and brushes, hygienic material handling tools, laboratory brushes, natural fiber brooms and chisel brooms. 18 PFERD INC. 9201 W. Heather Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53224 USA Toll Free: 800-342-9015 Email: sales@pferdusa.com Website: www.pferd.com Company Officers: Gene Huegin, President Products: Brooms, floor sweeps, squeegees, paintbrushes and accessories, scratch and chip brushes, utility and deck scrub brushes, power wire brushes and abrasive filament nylon brushes (M-BRAD®). 17 Plasticfibre S.P.A. Via Emilia 309A 40011 Anzola Emilia (BO) ITALY Phone: +39-051-739762 Website: www.plasticfibre.com Products: Synthetic monofilaments: Plasticrin (PVC), Emilen (PP), Ecoclean (PBT), Ecoster (PET), Politex (PE), Ultrapaintex (hollow PBT), Paintex (hollow PET), Ecostil (PS), Ecosan (PS/SAN), Plastinyl (PA). Also offered are vegetable fibers (tampico/broomroot/palmyra). Manufacturers of quality synthetic fibers for the broom and brush industry since 1959. The company extrudes filaments made of PVC, PP, PET, PBT, PS, SAN, PE and PA. Plasticfibre can offer a complete range of synthetic filaments to manufacturers of all brush products in every sector. Its filaments vary in application throughout the industrial and manufacturing sectors in more than 50 countries worldwide. 11 Pogliani SRL Via Volta 7/A 23845 Costa Masnaga (LC) ITALY Phone: 0039 031856986 Email: info@poglianisrl.com Website: www.poglianisrl.com Company Officers: Giovanni Antonio Pogliani, Managing Director; Carlo Pogliani, Member of the Board; Mara Viganó, Sales PG 52

Manager; Claudia Rigamonti, Customer Service; Daniela Proserpio, Customer Service; Maria Pogliani, Customer Service; Laura Cappelletti, Accountant Products: All kinds of raw materials for the brush, broom and paintbrush industries. This includes wires, synthetic filaments, and natural fibers. 18 Precision Brush Company 6700 Parkland Blvd. Solon, OH 44124 USA Phone: 440-542-9600 Website: www.precisionbrush.com Products: The technology, expertise and experience to satisfy industrial brush requirements. The company can customize nearly every aspect of a brush, including brush length, bristle length, stiffness, density, coarseness, fill material and base materials. These custom brushes can be constructed out of materials that resist certain harsh chemicals, temperature extremes, or both. Conversely, Precision’s industrial brushes can be gentle and soft enough to spread confectioner’s sugar on doughnuts. From food processing, steel processing, glass manufacturing, pharmaceutical production and data cable management—Precision is a provider of custom industrial brushes that can handle the demands of nearly any industry. The manufacturing capabilities of Precision Brush Company have allowed it to offer clients customized bristle tools for an almost infinite number of brush applications, including, but not limited to: metal channel strip brushes, plastic channel strip brushes, twisted wire brushes, brush seals and specialty brushes. 13 Premier Mop & Broom 2395 Railroad St. Corona, CA 92880 USA Toll Free: 800-959-3402 Email: premiermop@premiermop.com Website: www.premiermop.com Company Officer: Tom Buckles, President Products: Premier Mop & Broom is a full-line manufacturer of wet mops, dust mops, corn brooms and related products. It specializes in manufacturing custom private label products made to customer specifications. The company has been manufacturing products in the USA for over 65 years. 18 Proveedora Mexicana de Monofilamentos, S.A. de C.V. (PMM) Oriente 217 No. 190 Agricola Oriental 08500 Mexico City MEXICO

Phone: 00 5255 5763 86 63 Email: pmm@pmm-mex.com Website: www.pmmbrightline.com Company Officers: Enrique Mejia, General Manager; Dennise Silva, Sales Manager Products: PMM produces synthetic engineered monofilaments for the brush industry. It offers nylon 6.12, nylon 6, nylon 6.6, nylon 6 plus, polyester PBT, polyethylene and polypropylene filaments in a wide range of calipers and colors. It specializes in critical applications, where consistency and quality are a must. 18 Purdy 101 Prospect Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115 USA Toll Free: 800-547-0780 Email: info@purdycorp.com Website: www.purdy.com Products: Purdy offers a broad assortment of brushes, roller covers, faux finishing tools and painting accessories. The company began in 1925 when S. Desmond Purdy began building paintbrushes in a converted two-car garage in Portland, OR. Purdy painting tools offer finish appearance, which forms a smooth, even layoff of the paint on the surface. Smoother “no drag” brush strokes and better paint flow and release are also qualities found in its brushes, and help to make faster and better production on big jobs. Purdy brushes also provide cutting-in capabilities for corners and sash work because of the individual craftsmanship put into the chiseling, shaping and finishing of all Purdy brushes. The brushes are also light-weight and balanced. Purdy’s premium adjustable roller frame fits all standard roller covers from 12 to 18-inches. This design works with a cam latch system for quick adjustment. Purdy also launched a jumbo mini-roller system. This cageless jumbo miniroller frame features a “dog bone” design which provides the smooth rolling action for a perfect finish. The 3/4-inch jumbo core cover holds more paint, giving professionals the desired look in less time. The lightweight frame is available in 14- and 26 1/2-inch lengths, as well as a complete assortment of 4 1/2- and 6 1/2inch jumbo mini-roller replacement covers. 11 Quickie Manufacturing Corp. 1150 Taylors Lane Cinnaminson, NJ 08077 USA Phone: 856-829-7900 Website: www.quickie.com Products: Brooms, mops, sponges, buckets, dusters, brushes, plungers, and microfiber towels. 14 BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Reit Price Company 522 W. Chestnut St. Union City, IN 47390 USA Phone: 765-964-3252 Email: sales@reitprice.com Website: www.reitprice.com Products: Wet mops, dust mops, handles, corn brooms, microfiber mopping pads, and microfiber cleaning towels. 13 Remco Products 4735 W. 106th St. Zionsville, IN 46077 USA Phone: 317-876-9856 Website: www.remcoproducts.com Products: Designers and manufacturers of quality plastic products. Color-coded polypropylene one- and two-piece shovels, mixing paddles, scoops, scrapers, metal detectable tools, HDPE tubs, lids, pallets, and steel undercarriages. Remco also offers the Vikan hygiene system® line of color-coded hand brushes, floor and wall brushes, squeegees, pails, pad holder system, paddle/floor scrapers, tube and valve brushes, handles (regular and specialized), wall brackets and waterfed brushes and handles. Remco Products started in 1985 by Richard L. Garrison in Zionsville, IN. The company offers a large range of products and serves a number of markets, including the food processing, food service, jan/san, material handling, and safety markets. Remco offers Vikan hygiene system® color-coded hygienic brooms, brushes and squeegees. The brooms and brushes feature a solid polypropylene block and polyester bristles that are held in place with stainless steel staples. With block and bristle of the same color, they are autoclavable, sterilizable and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and bristle types. In addition to fixed head and swivel neck squeegees, an ultra hygiene squeegee is also available. The single-blade design of this squeegee discourages bacterial growth. These products can be purchased with Remco’s selection of European-thread handles that are of varying lengths, materials and colors. Remco also offers a complete line of helically wound stainless steel tube and valve brushes as well as several special application brushes. 11 Rol-Brush Mfg., Division of Michigan Brush Mfg. Co. Inc. P. O. Box 10247 7446 Central Ave. Detroit, MI 48210-0247 USA BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Phone: 313-834-1070 Toll-Free: 800-642-7874 Website: www.mi-brush.com Products: Company offers paint rollers, covers and trays. Private label is the company’s specialty. Rol-Brush is a prime manufacturer, an OEM source and is a member of the American Brush Manufacturers Association. 10 Royal Paint Roller Mfg. Corp. 248 Wyandanch Ave. West Babylon, NY 11704 USA Phone: 631-643-8012 Email: royalpaintroller@aol.com Products: Paint roller covers made of lambskin, microfiber, kodel, lambswool, synthetic blends, “Lint Free” woven fabrics. All sizes available. Jumbo 2-1/4” ID to Slim Jim covers, plus roller frames, trays, paintbrushes and a full line of painting accessories for the professional and do-ityourself markets. Providing top quality paint rollers and painting accessories for the professional and do-it-yourself markets for over 50 years. It takes pride in the reputation it has established over the years of being more than simply a supplier, but rather a “business partner” to customers. Along with the many items offered in its catalog, the company has increased the number of items it manufactures according to customer specifications. Offers private labeling to many volume purchasers. 18 Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Inc. 8900 Northpointe Executive Dr. Huntersville, NC 28078-4857 USA Phone: 704-987-4777 Website: www.rubbermaidcommercial.com Products: A manufacturer serving worldwide commercial and institutional markets. The company is involved with such product categories as foodservice, sanitary maintenance, waste handling, material transport, washroom and safety. 14 Sanderson MacLeod 1199 South Main St. Palmer, MA 01069 USA Phone: 866-522-3481; 413-283-3481 Website: www.sandersonmacleod.com Products: Specializing solely in twistedwire brushes. It is a large volume contract manufacturer of medical and dental brushes, firearm brushes, cleaning brushes and cosmetic brushes. It is also the inventor of the Z-Tip, which puts a protective tip on a twisted-wire brush that is smoother, safer and stronger than traditional tipping methods. The Z-Tip is

manufactured using high energy fusion welding technologies to melt a pre-constructed core wire section of a twisted-wire brush into a consistent, smooth and inseparable protective tip. Manufactures twisted-wire brushes including: medical endoscope cleaning, medical cytology, interdental, shotgun cleaning, rifle cleaning, pistol cleaning, general cleaning, deburring, polishing, and mascara. Sanderson MacLeod operates out of a 137,000-square-foot facility with an FDA-compliant quality control lab. Engineering custom brushes is the company’s specialty. 11 Schaefer Brush Mfg., LLC 1101 S. Prairie Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186 USA Phone: 262-547-3500 Website: www.schaeferbrush.com Products: Experts in twisted-in-wire, staple set and hand drawn brushes since 1905. Custom or specialty brushes, exclusively designed and made for many Schaefer customers, represents a growing part of the company’s business. It offers a full line catalog of standard in stock items as well. Schaefer works with customers in the development of a brush perfectly suited to a specific application. The company’s SVECO Linear Cleaning units fit well in many applications, from woodworking to conveyor cleaning. S-VECO units are unique with their ultra-high linear brush speed, creating a centrifugal force which, combined with the opening of the brush pattern as the brush courses around the sheaves, aids in throwing off all the particulate it has swept across the object being cleaned. The debris captured can be released to a specific collection point, such as a dumpster or vacuum chute. 16 Schlesinger Maschinenbau GmbH ForststraBe 3 Burgwald, Hessen 35099 GERMANY Phone: 0049-6451-719180 Email: info@schlesinger.de Website: www.schlesinger.de Products: Brush production machinery; automatic cleaning and trimming machinery; high performance and special machinery; appliances for brush production; performance, modern and versatile machine constructions; powerful technics and reliable service. 10 SDI Wholesale, Inc. 7880 Airway Rd. B-10 San Diego, CA 92154 USA Toll Free: 888-751-2481 Website: www.microfibertech.com Products: EPA-certified silver impregnated PG 53

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY microfiber towels. Kills bacteria on contact. Hi-end microfiber mop hardware, mop pads, string mops, and tube mops also offered as well as detergents, EPA products, and low cost microfiber towels. Direct importer. 16 Shanghai Jiasheng Products Co., LTD 33 Lane, Huanqiao Rd., Pudong Shanghai Shanghai 201315 CHINA Phone: +86-21-50890438 Website: www.jiashengco.com Products: Shanghai Jiasheng Products is a onestop source for high quality professional cleaning products with competitive prices and good service. The company offers a variety of dust mops and wet mops, covering the full range of yarns, styles and prices. Also offered are floor squeegees, window squeegees, mop wringer buckets, janitor carts, service carts, trash bins, floor signs, mop and broom accessories, mop sticks, sponge mops, microfiber mops and cloths, trash pickers, wool dusters, dust pans and brooms, brushes, etc. The company also offers OEM and R&D services. 15 Shanghai Yi Heng Daily-Use Products Co., Ltd. No. 27 Si Cheng Rd. Ma Lu Town, Jia Ding District Shanghai, P.R. 201208 CHINA Phone: 86-21-69158000, Ext. 8077 Website: www.sh-yiyuan.com Products: Cleaning products, daily-use products, brooms, brushes, mops, mop buckets, squeegees, dusters, etc. Also offered are machinery such as broom stitchers, cutting machines, binding machines, as well as furniture. Founded in 1996, headquartered in Shanghai. Manufactured products come in various kinds and are kept updated. Primary items cover cleaning products and daily-use products involving over 400 kinds, and are exported to the United States, Australia, Europe, Japan and Southeast Asia. Since the establishment of the company, both Yi Heng representatives and customers have witnessed a rapid development that comes from the company’s management team. Innovation in management, research and development, especially in sales, enable the company to accommodate further growth. Offers American long fiber corn brooms to the U.S. market with over 40 styles. It offers direct sales for American nationwide supermarkets through U.S. partners. 11 Shurhold Industries, Inc. 3119 SW 42nd Ave. Palm City, FL 34990 USA PG 54

Phone: 772-287-1313 Website: www.shurhold.com Products: Brushes, mops, brooms, handles, and cleaning chemicals. 09 SIBO Engineering Via A. Di Dio, 215 28877 Ornavasso (VB) ITALY Phone: +39 0323 837205 Email: commerciale@sibo.it Website: www.sibo.it Company Officers: Graziano Brusa Antonini; Alberto Brusa Antonini Products: Customized machines for the production of paintbrushes, hair brushes, brooms, broom sticks and other wooden articles. 18 Sieko Brushware (India) Sieko House, 4/15, Bagichi St. Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara, Dehli - 110032 INDIA Phone: +91 11 45645617 Email: siekobrush@hotmail.com, siekobrush@yahoo.com, siekobrush@gmail.com Products: Manufacturer, exporter, trader and importer of brushware and related items. 17 S.M. Arnold, Inc. 7901 Michigan Ave. St. Louis, MO 63111 USA Toll Free: 800-325-7865 Website: www.smarnoldinc.com Products: Car and truck wash brushes, scrub brushes, detail scratch brushes, tire and spoke brushes, push brooms, chamois, sponges, wash mitts, polishing cloths and applicators, microfiber cloths and towels. 13 Spiral Brushes Inc. 1355 Commerce Dr. Stow, OH 44224 USA Toll Free: 800-888-2861 Phone: 330-686-2861 Email: sales@spiralbrushes.com Website: www.spiralbrushes.com Products: Industrial brushes, standard power brushes and custom brushes; metal back strip and cylinder brushes. Fibers include: steel wire, stainless steel wire, brass wire, bronze wire; synthetic fiber including nylon, polypropylene, abrasive nylon; and natural fiber including tampico and horsehair. 14 St. Nick Brush Co. P. O. Box 15 Burton, OH 44021 USA Toll Free: 800-798-1269 Website: www.hardwood-lumber.com

Products: For over 30 years, the St. Nick Brush Company (a division of the Hardwood Lumber Company) has been a start-to-finish business that produces a complete line of consumer and industrial brushes, brooms and brush blocks. Every stage of the manufacturing process is overseen by experienced brush makers who are dedicated to creating the highest quality products. In 2005, the company doubled the size of its warehouse and inventory, decreasing the average lead time to two days. Products listed as brushes and brooms: street brooms, floor sweeps, scrub brushes and concrete finishing brushes, specializing in African Bass Street Brooms. Products listed as hardwood brush and broom blocks: shoe handle, scratch brush, bagel block, floor sweep, street broom, deck scrub and all types of scrub brush blocks. 14 Stainless Steel Products 561-T Acorn St. Deer Park, NY 11729 USA Phone: 631-243-1500 Email: sales@stainlesswires.com Website: www.stainlesswires.com Company Officers: Ralph Rosenbaum, Melissa Rosenbaum Products: Serving the brush industry with high value wire since 1997. Offering crimped, straight, cut-to-length, stranded, coiled, and spooled wire on specialty packages as needed. Most ferrous and non-ferrous alloys offered. Manufacturing capabilities include—stocking round wire: 0.0020”-0.375”; drawing round wire: 0.0080”-0.3125”; roll flat wire thickness x width: 0.0040”-0.250” x 0.0060”-0.250”; and, straighten and cut: diameter 0.003” to 0.500”, lengths: 0.020” to 12 ft. 18 Sunlarge Industries Private Limited 282/1/C Bommasandra Jigani Link Rd. Kiad Industrial Area Bengaluru, Karnataka 560105 INDIA Phone: +91 80 29795139 Website: www.sunlargeindustries.com Products: Polyester, polyamide, polybutyleneterephthalate, polypropylene, and specialty polymer. 17 Super Sweep Inc. 20 Railroad St. Huntington Station, NY 11746 USA Phone: 631-223-8205 Email: sales@supersweep.com Website: www.supersweep.com Products: Super Sweep all aluminum broom handle to accommodate 16”-48” brushes, and BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Super Sweep mini for 6”-12” brushes. Other products include 10” scrub brushes, 16”-18”24” street brushes, 18”-24”-30”-36”-48” brushes, maroon poly, black poly, brown poly, palmyra poly, palmyra, gray and orange flagged, tampico and horsehair brushes. Super Sweeper cement bracket (button or threaded) with 24”-36”-48” cement brush also available, as well as Super Squeegee in black neoprene or gray EPDM, straight blade or notched in 18”24”-30”-36”. 16 Tai Hing Nylon Filament Products Co., Ltd. Shop C, On Ying Mansion, G/F., 1138 Canton Rd. MongKok, Kowloon, Hong Kong CHINA Phone: +852 2494 0233 Email: marketing@taihingnylon.hk Website: www.taihingnylon.com Products: All kinds of filaments including PA filaments of nylon 6, 66, 46, 610 and 612; PBT filaments of normal and tapered; PE filaments of HDPE and LOPE; PET filaments of normal, tapered and recycled; PP; PS; PPS; PEEK; PLA; ABS and PMMA filaments for making brushes in various applications including industrial, cosmetic, oral care, cleaning, broom, paintbrushes, etc. 13 Tanis Incorporated (Tanis Brush) 3660 Kettle Ct. East Delafield, WI 53018 USA Phone: 262-646-9000 Email: sales@tanisinc.com Website: www.tanisbrush.com Products: Stock and custom brush products. Global customer base includes OEM, distributors and industrial end-users in industries such as aerospace, automotive, agriculture, construction equipment, food service equipment, medical, printing, packaging, and more. Technology platforms include staple set, metal back strip, twistedin-wire and composite brushes. 16 Thomas Textile Company P. O. Box 35697 Charlotte, NC 28235 USA Phone: 704-342-9200 Products: Cotton and rayon blend mop yarns on ball warps, cones, and large singleend wheels. 12 Tucel Industries, Inc. P. O. Box 146 2014 Forestdale Rd. Forestdale, VT 05745 USA Phone: 802-247-6824 Website: www.tucel.com BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

Products: Tucel produces brushes currently serving foodservice, janitorial and other industries. Tucel is 100 percent green, recyclable and fused. All products are polypropylene which does not absorb water, causing bacteria. Fused brushes are made using a manufacturing process whereby the bristle and block are “heat fused” together; thus no holes and no staple where bacteria can harbor and crosscontaminate. Tucel originated in 1970 gaining its first patent for “fusing” bristle to block. Tucel has held more than 38 patents worldwide. Tucel also develops a wide assortment of specialty brushes for other companies. Tucel has its brushes NSF tested for cleanability. All products are HACCP compatible. 12 Unimac S.r.l. Via C. Colombo, 22 41013 Castelfranco Emilia (MO) ITALY Phone: + 39.059.932664 Website: www.unimac.it Products: Unimac power brush manufacturing equipment and metal handle manufacturing equipment. Unimac produces machinery and technology used to manufacture twisted knot power brushes, wheel brushes, cup brushes, wafer brushes as well as quality control equipment for power brushes, machinery to convert wire from spools to cut-tolength bundles as well as equipment for crimping wire to be fed into power brush machinery. Unimac also specializes in complete production lines or specific-use machinery to produce fixed metal handles that are either powder coated or plastic coated, as well as equipment for extension handles (telescopic handles). Unimac’s tube-mill can also be used in other applications to produce tubes for other products (www.unimac.it). 15 United Rotary Brush 15607 W. 100th Ter. Lenexa, KS 66219 USA Toll Free: 800-851-5108 Email: d.morris@united-rotary.com Website: www.united-rotary.com Products: Street sweeper brooms, gutter brooms, wafers, cassettes, and sweeper parts. 18 Vonco Products, LLC. 10826 250th Ave. Trevor, WI 53179 USA Phone: 262-298-7201 Toll Free: 800-323-9077

Email: sales@vonco.com Website: www.vonco.com Products: Vonco designs and manufactures high-performance flexible packaging products. Since 1955, it has created customized solutions in materials, bag, pouch and sleeve design, seals and closures. The company moves from concept to production totally inhouse to satisfy end-customer goals and needs. These in-house services, which include tooling and die design, support speed to market and a one-stop process, facilitating ease of doing business. Packaging products include: liquid tight seals; fitments/spouts; customized pouches/ bags/sleeves; features compartments, steamer, perforation, closures (tape, glue, zipper); air pressure resistance; leak-proof seals; shapes; and rollstock. Vonco also provides speed to market—from concept to commercialization; low tooling and die costs and low minimums; flexo printing on unsupported or laminated structures; sustain-able packaging; and sample service. 16 Weiler Corporation One Weiler Dr. Cresco, PA 18326 USA Phone: 570-595-7495 Email: info@weilercorp.com Website: www.weilercorp.com Products: Sweeps; floor, garage, and street brushes; handles; upright and whisk brooms; dusters and dust pans; squeegees and window brushes; vehicle care brushes; scrub and utility brushes; mops and accessories; scratch brushes; flue brushes; tube fitting brushes; paintbrushes; rollers and accessories. 13 Whitley Monahan Handle Co. 3827 Whitley Rd. Midland, NC 28107 USA Phone: 704-888-2625 Email: patrick@whitleyhandle.com; jim@thomasmonahan.com Website: www.whitleyhandle.com Company Officers: Patrick Peebles, President; Jim Monahan, Sales Manager Products: Whitley Monahan Handle has complete finishing capabilities from its modern North Carolina plant. It processes both hardwoods and softwoods, and sources both domestically and from foreign suppliers. The company prides itself on providing best quality handles, on time, and with great customer service to meet different needs. Whitley Monahan Handle can meet specific wood handle requirements. Customers can deal direct with the manufacturer. 18 PG 55

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Wöhler Brush Tech GmbH Wöhler-Platz 2 33181 Bad Wünnenberg GERMANY Phone: 0049 2953 73 300 Email: bt@woehler.com Website: www.wohlerbrushtech.com Company Officers: Matthias Peveling, Dipl. - Ing., General Manager Products: Strip brush machines; roll brush machines; power brush machines; street sweeper brush machines; twisted-in-wire brush machines; dental and polishing brush machines; paintbrush and paintroller machines; brush trimming machines; machines for wire and filament crimping, cutting and bundling; brush assembly and mounting machines. 18 Wolf Filaments (Shenzhen Tidy-Feel Filaments Co., Ltd.) No. 255-1 Jintian Rd., Tiantou, Pingshan New District Shenzhen, 518118 CHINA Mobile: +86 (0)138 2520 3390 Email: sallylee@tidyfeel.com Skype: tidyfeel Website: www.tidyfeel.com Products: A supplier of industrial abrasive filaments, nylon filaments without abrasive, and other high-quality monofilaments. 13 WOMA (Wood Machinery Daniel Koehler) Am Langen Streif 8 Bad Salzungen 36433 GERMANY Phone: +49 (0) 3695 858450-0 Email: info@woma-brush.com Website: www.woma-brush.com Company Officers: Daniel Koehler, General Manager; Maria Koehler, Sales Manager Products: Second hand machines for brush industries; second hand wood working machines. 18

Products: Lambswool dusters, lambswool dust mops, 6.5 foot, 9 foot, 13 foot, and 25 foot lambswool telescopic angle dusters, lambswool ceiling fan dusters, and ostrich feather dusters. 16 Wooster Brush Company, The 604 Madison Ave. Wooster, OH 44691 USA Phone: 330-264-4440 Email: customerservice@woosterbrush.com Website: www.woosterbrush.com Products: The Wooster Brush Company celebrated its 165th anniversary in 2016 as a manufacturer in the paint applicator industry. Wooster is known for its tradition of innovation, and introduces new products each year for professional and DIY painters alike. Its catalog of over 2,000 products includes brand names such as Alpha™, Chinex® FTP™, and Ultra/Pro® paintbrushes; Super/Fab® and Pro/Doo-Z® roller covers; Sherlock® frames and extension poles; the JumboKoter® miniroller system; the Pelican® hand-held paint pail; and the Lock Jaw™ tool holder. 16 Worldwide Integrated Resources 7171 Telegraph Rd. Montibello, CA 90640 USA Toll Free: 800-441-6448 Email: info@wwir.com Website: www.wwir.com Products: Metal and plastic hardware, dust pans, self-wringing mops, wet mops, sponge mops, dust mops and frames, buckets, brooms, miscellaneous and specialty items. 10

WOMAtec Maschinenbau GmbH Am Langen Streif 8 Bad Salzungen 36433 GERMANY Phone: +49 (0) 3695 858450-0 Email: info@womatec.com Website: www.womatec.com Company Officers: Daniel Koehler, General Manager; Maria Koehler, Sales Manager Products: New brush machines. Special machines and strip brush machines. 18

Young & Swartz, Inc. 39 Cherry St. Buffalo, NY 14204 USA Phone: 716-852-2171 Email: info@youngandswartz.com Website: www.youngandswartz.com Products: Specialty brush manufacturing. Staple set, wheels, strip, cylinders, hand and machine brushes. All mediums–natural, synthetic, and wire. Can work in wood, plastic, and leather back. Custom and contract runs invited. Company uses quick change, comput-erized equipment. 12

Wool Shop 21935 Hwy. E Grant City, MO 64456 USA Toll Free: 800-635-8921 Email: jeff@woolshop.com Website: www.woolshop.com

Zahoransky AG Anton-Zahoransky-Strasse 1 Todtnau 79674 GERMANY Phone: +49 7671 997 0 Email: info@zahoransky.com Website: www.zahoransky.com

PG 56

Products: As an internationally active, fullrange provider in engineering, automation, and injection molding technology, Zahoransky constructs machines for four different business areas: automation, mold construction, as well as packaging and brush machines. Molds–From design to production, Zahoransky offers everything under one roof. This includes technical consulting on usage as well as feasibility analysis. The company rounds off its range of services with product optimizations that are tailored to the needs of the client. This allows Zahoransky injection molds to reach optimal performance, precision, quality, and reliability. And these are vital parameters for seamless production, using a Zahoransky injection mold or complete production line. Automation–The integration of up- and downstream work steps is crucial to improving efficiency in injection mold-related manufacturing processes. Therefore, Zahoransky worked out a very simple success formula: tool plus machine plus control equals greater efficiency. The intelligent (inter) connection of tools, machines, and control elements is key. With its solutions for the integrated automation of plastic and metal-processing manufacturing processes, Zahoransky offers customers a vital benefit in packaging, medical technology, and personal care. Oral Care–With top-innovations for the toothbrush industry, and a full-range provider of all technologies to produce interdental, hand, and electric toothbrushes, Zahoransky assumes a unique, leading position on the global market. From individual machines and tufts to final processing and interlinked production lines, the company’s range of machines offers a host of different options to produce electric and hand toothbrushes. Technical & Household Brushes–As strong as a Z. TIGER, smooth as a Z.PARD, industrious as a Z.WASP, mindful as a Z.LYNX, agile as a Z.SPIDER, fast as a Z.SAILFIN, and brave as a Z.LION, the Zahoransky broom and brush machines have the right traits to meet discerning demands. Whether drilling, tufting, or trimming, Zahoransky has the right machine to produce first-class brushes. Cosmetic–It’s quite probable that a beauty-conscious person from anywhere on the globe embellishes his or her daily life with Zahoransky-related products. Women in particular use many brushes for their daily beauty routines: seven brushes on average. Whether to brush BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2018 | SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY their teeth and hair, or to apply mascara or nail polish, Zahoransky develops and produces beautiful machines and units to manufacture these beauty products with quality and efficiency. Packaging–Whether deep drawing, sealing, or punching out, with its German brand of quality and precision, Zahoransky packaging machines simply offer “more” – more flexibility, more productivity, and more cost-efficient production. Easy sample changes offer the versatility customers need. Combine this with great output numbers and low tool costs, and the various models guarantee the efficient and safe packaging of products. 18 Zahoransky USA, Inc. 1601 Atlantic Dr., Suite 133 West Chicago, IL 60185 USA Phone: 630-507-9872 Email: steve.bellocchio@zahoransky.com Website: www.zahoransky.com Company Officers: Steve Bellocchio, Vice President of Sales and Service; Eva Rotolo, Chief Administrative Officer/Spare Parts Products: A full line supplier of injection molding tools, automated solutions, final

Sarita Dizik Gantz

packaging machines, and tufting and shearing machines for brushes and brooms in markets such as oral care, health care and beauty, industrial, household and consumer. 18 Zelazoski Wood Products, Inc. P. O. Box 506 835 Ninth Ave. Antigo, WI 54409 USA Phone: 715-627-4804 Website: www.zwpi.com Products: Complete line of wooden brush and broom blocks - molded, shaped, and/or turned, finished or plain, manufactured according to customers’ specifications. The company can also machine most plastics. Zelazoski Wood Products began in 1924 as the Thos. Zelazoski Mfg. Co. The company began making wooden blocks for the brush and broom industry in 1928. Over its existence, ZWPI has continued to update machinery, facilities, and processes to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. Zelazoski Wood Products’ modern facility enables it to manufacture a wide range of parts according to customers’ specifications, especially where close

Sarita Dizik Gantz died May 17, 2018, in Denver, CO. She was 94. She had been living in Denver with her daughter, Elaine, and son-in-law, Steve Berman, for the past 5 years. Prior to living in Denver, she lived in Palm Beach, CA, and Harrison, NY. She was married to Jack Gantz, former president of Empire Brushes, for 44 years, until his death in 1990. She was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. Her parents, the late Benzion and Anna Dizik, escaped the pogroms in the Ukraine in 1919. When they arrived in Eastern Europe, the Jewish agency assigned them to a ship traveling to Cuba, since at that time, there was a quota for Jews entering the U.S. She was born 5 years after her parents arrived in Havana, penniless and only speaking Yiddish and Russian. Mrs. Gantz’s father learned how to sew by borrowing a neighbor’s sewing machine and working through the night, while his neighbor slept. He taught himself how to make Cuban shirts, Guayaberas, eventually opening his own shirt factory. In addition to build-ing a successful business, he became a leader in the Cuban Jewish community. She spent her first 16 years in Cuba, and then left to attend Goucher College in Baltimore. When she was 21 years old, she married Jack Gantz and moved to Rye, NY. They are the parents of Joe Gantz of Harrison, NY, and Elaine Gantz Berman of Denver, CO. Mrs Gantz felt a strong allegiance to her Cuban heritage. She BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

tolerance and high quality are required. Unless imported wood is specifically requested, all brush and broom blocks are made using lumber harvested from managed North American forests. 14 Zephyr Manufacturing Co. 200 Mitchell Rd. Sedalia, MO 65301 USA Phone: 660-827-0352 Email: rjl@zephyrmfg.com Website: www.zephyrmfg.com Products: Zephyr offers a complete selection of wet mops and dry mops covering the full range of fibers, styles, and prices. Also offered are brooms, brushes and specialty products, handles, frames, dusters, mop sticks and many related items. 16

2019

DON’T BE LEFT OUT!

See the 2019 SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY form on page 61.

maintained her Cuban friends throughout her life, and was known for her annual Cuban parties, complete with men dressed in Guayaberas and Latin musicians. At home, a favorite meal was arroz con pollo, frijoles negros, platanos maduros and flan for dessert. She loved to sing in Spanish, English, and Yiddish. Her signature song was “Besame Mucho.” No family event was complete without her rendition of her favorite song. In addition to singing, she was known as a hostess, and accomplished dancer. She and her husband traveled extensively and were among early American tourists to visit Russia in 1959. She served on numerous community boards, working in the hospital gift shop, hosting young conductors at her home, as well as other charitable endeavors. A lifelong supporter of Israel and Federation, she dedicated her energy and resources to many Jewish causes and philanthropies. She was known as a generous, loving friend, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Mrs. Gantz is survived by her children, Joe Gantz and his wife Paula Blumenfeld, Elaine Gantz Berman and her husband Steve Berman; her grandchildren Seth Berman, Ben Berman and his wife Katherine Berman, Alesa Gantz DePerisia and her husband Brian DePersia, Ilana Blumenfeld Gantz and Cobi Blumenfeld Gantz; and her great-grandchildren, Isa, Sebastian and Luca; and her nephew Mark Dizik and his husband John Oden. She was fortunate to have two amazing caregivers, Ana Wahl and Maxine Parker. Memorial donations may be made to Project C.U.R.E., Hebrew University/Sarita Gantz Scholarship Fund or Mercy College/ Sarita Gantz Scholarship. PG 57

Many decades ago, broom corn was grown in Central Illinois, but, over the years, due to the inability to come up with a way to mechanize broom corn harvesting, the labor intensiveness and costs of harvesting the crop made it untenable for U.S. farmers. Thus, today, nearly all the broom corn used in the manufacture of broom corn brooms comes from Mexico.

Broom Manufacturers continued from page 18

“There are a lot of craft people making hand-made brooms, and that seems to be increasing.”

~Don Leventhal

“Getting the right quality broom corn has become very difficult, and broom corn has become expensive,” Leventhal said. Part of the reason Mexican broom corn prices are up is because the Mexican peso has strengthened against the U.S. dollar, Leventhal said. The exchange rate, as of mid-May, was 1 U.S. dollar equaled 19.70 pesos. Another factor in the rising cost of broom corn has been the infestation of aphids attacking the Mexican crop the past couple of years. As a result, farmers are having to spray for the insects, which is expensive, further driving up costs. As Newton Broom & Brush imports certain items for its manufacturing process, Leventhal is worried about what might come out of talks to renegotiate NAFTA, as well as planned hikes on steel and aluminum tariffs. According to news reports, the Trump administration has decided to hold off on imposing most of its tariffs on imported steel and aluminum until at least June 1. “I am very concerned about making changes to NAFTA,” he said. “I am also very opposed to tariffs. There is no tariff on the finished steel product coming into the U.S., but there is a tariff on the steel that U.S. manufacturers need to make their products and remain competitive. So, that is a concern. I wouldn’t like to see us get into a trade war, because, as a U.S. manufacturer, we still depend on importing materials.” One of the common challenges among manufacturers in many segments, including the cleaning industry, is finding quality employees to work on the factory floor. Studies have shown that millennials, in particular, tend to jump from job to job during their working lives, and many have eschewed the type of manual labor jobs that manufacturing often requires. Low unemployment rates in many areas of the country have also contributed to the problem. “Most of our employees are not millennials. It has been difficult to find and train younger people to do these kinds of factory jobs,” Leventhal said. “There are a lot of jobs out there, and we have noticed there are very few people looking for work. This has been a big change from a year or two ago, when people were coming in asking for applications.” One of Leventhal’s concerns is, if business picks up to the point more employees are needed, will the company be able to find them? “Most of our employees are still in their 50s, and they have been doing these kinds of jobs for a long time,” he said. “They come to work every day.” While broom corn brooms are almost entirely made by hand, PG 58

automation in other areas of the company helps to offset the need for as many employees as in the past. “We have updated some of our brush making equipment. The new computer technology is a big advantage,” Leventhal said. “It is necessary to continually look at upgrading equipment, although, as a smaller manufacturer, we are not going to be totally robotic. Flexibility is more important to us than being totally automated. We sell to a lot of different people and we don’t know what their requests are going to be. So, we need to have the capability to make many different types of brushes. “We specialize in contract OEM manufacturing, and we have been able to compete with some of the imports because of quality issues, and also flexibility in service with quick response times. Furthermore, we can ship smaller orders, where imports usually require container loads.” Another technology Newton Broom & Brush has taken advantage of is the internet. Leventhal explained the volumes of product large retailers require keeps his smaller company from selling in those channels. However, he sees selling online as an “opportunity” that has garnered some success. In addition, the internet has made it available to more easily source parts and equipment. “Even though we are located in a small town, we can find and access all kinds of parts and equipment on the internet,” Leventhal said. “We don’t need to depend on a distributor who might be 50 or 100 miles away.”

“Getting the right quality broom corn has become very difficult, and broom corn has become expensive.”

~Don Leventhal Looking ahead, one ongoing challenge is consolidation among manufacturers and at the retail level. “It becomes more difficult with consolidation, because there are fewer customers to call on, and fewer suppliers selling the materials we need,” Leventhal said. “While the big guys continue to get bigger, there are fewer manufacturers and suppliers serving the industry.” While the number of U.S. broom corn broom makers has steadily diminished over the years, Leventhal sees one area of growth. “There are a lot of craft people making hand-made brooms, and that seems to be increasing,” he said. Along those lines, a story in the March 2018 issue of “Illinois Country Living Magazine” titled, “Preserving Ancient Arts in Illinois,” featured Newton Broom & Brush’s broom corn broom making capabilities. The story can be found by visiting www.icl.coop/preserving-ancient-arts-illinois/. “We have received a lot of feedback from the article,” Leventhal said. Contact: Newton Broom and Brush Co., 1508 W Jourdan St., P.O. Box 358, Newton, IL 62448. Phone: 618-783-4424. Email: sales@Newtonbroom.com. Website: www.Newtonbroom.com.

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

The natural red rubber compound blade is also non-marking. This blade can be used for all smooth surfaces. It is used in usiness at Dorden Squeegee, a division of Michigan lighter industrial and commercial settings. The white nitrile blade is made with FDA-approved ingredients Brush Mfg. Group, located in Detroit, MI, is “terrific,” and is non-marking and non-toxic. It is resistant to vegetable oils, reported President/Managing Director Bruce Gale. “From Belgium, we brought in container loads of Belgian animal fats and animal and vegetable by-products. It is used in the moss squeegees, with which we have had some success,” Gale food service industry, restaurants, hotels and hospitals. “Our various styles of floor squeegees are one of our biggest said. “We have expanded our Belgian moss squeegee program. We have received a very good response on that product, and we selling points,” Gale said. “We have several different levels of continue to offer it to other manufacturers and distributors as squeegees, all the way up to professional tools. We are extremely competitive and very well respected in the industry. We produce a well. It is a very positive program for us. “We have also developed more competitive private label lines lot of OEM items for other manufacturers. Our products fit with our domestic American-made squeegees. Those are very well seemlessly within their lines. Customers just add them to their lines, accepted, and available for private label to other manufacturers and and they complement everything they sell.” In addition to floor squeegees, Dorden offers several series distributors. I have really found it to be a very strong market.” Gale explained the rubber for Belgian moss squeegees is open of industrial, professional-grade window squeegees: Industrial “C” Series — A premium, heavy-duty, one-piece cell and very soft and porous. aluminum channel frame holds a specially-extruded black rubber “What I have noticed in the workforce, is blade in place to create a window people don’t stay as long as in the past. wiping tool. The squeegees are designed for maintenance and Nonetheless, the younger generation has fresh ideas to bring to the table. Many people have been janitorial activities. They are also used on wet grinding machines doing things a certain way for years, and when and by tile contractors, among somebody else comes in, they often see things others; and, Professional “CP” Series — with different eyes, and that is refreshing.” Features a natural red rubber service blade, backed up by a firm ~ Bruce Gale black rubber compound cushion. They are used in stores, factories, “When you use that type of squeegee, you almost dry the warehouses and in general janitorial window cleaning. These floor,” Gale said. “The American squeegees are a harder squeegees are re-usable because the blades are replaceable. “The applications of our window squeegees go far beyond just durometer, as they are designed to move water and other fluids. In contrast, the Belgian almost dries the floor as you squeegee.” windows. They are also used to wipe off oils on equipment and Squeegee durometer is based on a two-digit number system. The machinery,” Gale said. “The fast food industry uses the ‘C’ lower the number, the softer the squeegee blade. For example, 65 series to wipe down friers.” Gale also discussed some issues pertaining to doing business durometer is softer and 95 durometer is harder. “Since we are warehousing Belgian moss squeegees in our Detroit in today’s marketplace, including millennials in the workforce, facility, anyone in the industry can use us as their warehouse. We have the internet, the impact of recently proposed tariffs and the offered incredible pricing for Belgian moss floor squeegees. We also future of the squeegee segment. Millennials are now the largest demographic in the workforce. have some modestly priced Belgian moss window squeegees available. If people want to bring in containers from overseas, for Gale said he has found nothing “negative” pertaining to millennials. “I have found them to be like any other worker,” he said. “What either the Belgian moss or Belgian window squeegees, we can arrange that for them. We also have an arrangement with a German I have noticed in the workforce, is people don’t stay as long as in manufacturer of high-end, professional-style window squeegees. the past. Nonetheless, the younger generation has fresh ideas to While we don’t stock those items, we can arrange a very competitive bring to the table. Many people have been doing things a certain way for years, and when somebody else comes in, they often see program to bring in container loads of those items.” According to the company, Dorden offers several other types things with different eyes, and that is refreshing.” Millennials, having been raised with modern technologies, bring of blades for its floor squeegee products. The gray vinyl blade is non-absorbent and can be used where markings from a certain savvy to the workplace regarding the use of electronic conventional rubber blades may pose a problem. Its non- devices that their older counterparts often do not possess. “Internet usage is growing. Young people are brought up with absorbing vinyl is not too soft, but highly flexible and extremely versatile. The gray vinyl blade is used by hospitals, clean rooms, computers. For baby boomers and older workers, computers are still a mystery to them in many ways,” Gale said. “As a processing plants, packing houses and restaurants. The company’s proprietary blended, long-lasting black rubber company, we are very involved with computers. We have compound blade is resistant to petroleum, paint, chemicals and customers with websites who are selling our products. We also animal fats. It works well for smooth floors, such as cement or have a website. The reach of the internet is amazing. We have linoleum. These blades are used by service stations, car washes, had people from all over the world contact Dorden.” Dorden’s website is set up to be a reference tool, rather than a auto dealers, factories, shops and stores.

Squeegee continued from page 22

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

PG 59

site where orders can be placed. Gale said if a customer researches a product on the “At Mr. LongArm, we have been focusing company’s website and wants to order that on working as a complete unit. Our team item, he/she can contact Dorden. “Our products are also sold by some major leaders are meeting more frequently to internet players that have websites where a ensure things go smoothly for existing customer can place an order,” Gale said. operations, as well as planning for growth.” When it comes to the current controversial tariffs the administration has placed on steel ~ Maureen Newman and aluminum, Gale said prices have gone up for those imported materials. “No one will escape the price hikes. They are going to affect some pretty cool products to everybody the same way,” Gale said. “We are all on the same market. We have several new products in the prototype playing field. Everybody will have to live with price increases.” development and testing stage — stay tuned.” In discussing challenges her company faces as it moves ahead, Looking ahead, Gale is optimistic the squeegee segment will Maureen Newman spoke of one that is not unique to Mr. LongArm. remain “strong.” “We have seen increased sales,” Gale said. “Squeegees are In fact, industries across the board are having the same issue. “In the coming years, our aging workforce is at the top of the ‘under the radar’ items that are used everywhere, which is the good news. On the other hand, we need to have fewer imports list of challenges,” she said. “We are honored that Mr. LongArm has been the principal employer for a large percentage of our and more domestic-made products. “We manufacture products that are made to order. We are people. But, as time marches on, we’ll be seeing them reach making them every day of the week. Our customers order pretty retirement age. The challenge will be to hire new employees large quantities, so they can have them on the shelves for quick who have the same philosophy as our veteran staff, which is to do their best day-in and day-out to produce quality products and delivery to their customers. “We have several product lines that seamlessly fit into other to ensure our customers are 100 percent satisfied.” When Mr. LongArm replaces a retiring employee, his/her manufacturers’ lines. We would be glad to work with anyone. We are mainly making non-rusting, aluminum frame squeegees that are also replacement will likely be a millennial. The company is well aware of this demographic and how they are changing the non-sparking. They are the highest quality products of their kind.” business landscape. Contact: Dorden Squeegees, 7446 Central Ave., “Our sales approach to better service millennials has been to Detroit, MI 48210. Phone: 313-834-7910. expand our online presence,” Maureen Newman said. “We’re Website: www.dordensqueegee.com. continually monitoring and updating our website and Facebook ounded in 1958 by the late Robert D. Newman, Mr. page, producing more ‘how to’ videos, writing blogs, etc. Because LongArm® Inc., of Greenwood, MO, offers a wide variety millennials are socially and environmentally conscious, another of professional and do-it-yourself (DIY) products, including way we reach out to them, via social media, is to show how our squeegees, extension handles, paint and exterior deck stain products are used to improve people’s lives and the environment.” Another hot topic in today’s news, especially among applicators, flow-through cleaning brushes, letter changers and more. Mr. LongArm products can be seen in a variety of industries, companies, such as Mr. LongArm, that do business with and/or including paint, RV, commercial and pleasure marine, window in Canada and Mexico, is the effort underway to renegotiate washing, solar cleaning, etc. The company also has a large OEM NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement). “We do have concerns about the effort to renegotiate NAFTA. customer base. As the company celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, Mr. We are monitoring reports as they come out,” Maureen Newman LongArm Vice President of Diversified Markets Maureen said. “Combined, Canada and Mexico represent an important part Newman, Robert Newman’s daughter, reported, “Year-to-date in 2018, of our export market. Because NAFTA eliminated tariffs, our domestic sales are consistent with last year. Our largest growth area ‘Made in the USA’ products are better able to compete with offfor squeegees the past two years and running is in the Middle East.” shore competitors. We’re also concerned with changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar, the Canadian dollar and the Maureen Newman’s sister, Dere Newman, is president. For window cleaning, Mr. LongArm offers its lines of Mexico peso. We certainly don’t want to see any devaluation.” Looking down the road, Maureen Newman thinks innovation will ProCurve® and ProDesign® products, which includes squeegees, be one of the keys to the ongoing success of the squeegee segment. window washers and handles. “I think the squeegee industry will continue to develop In discussing the current squeegee channel, Maureen Newman said, “The trend of water-fed systems is continuing to gain improvements in the ergonomics of the tools themselves, as well market share as they become more affordable; however, we as developing new materials that will provide easier application don’t view that as a threat, because there is still a widespread of products. “This year commemorates our 60th anniversary, and I see a need for traditional poles and squeegees. “At Mr. LongArm, we have been focusing on working as a bright future for the generations to come.” Contact: Mr. LongArm, Inc., complete unit. Our team leaders are meeting more frequently to 400 Walnut, Greenwood, MO 64034-0377. ensure things go smoothly for existing operations, as well as Phone: 816-537-6777. Email: info@mrlongarm.com. planning for growth. Website: www.mrlongarm.com. “Our new product development team is focused on bringing

PG 60

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

2019 DIRECTORY SUPPLIERS

BROOM, BRUSH & MOP MAGAZINE The following form will be used to compile a company profile to be included in Suppliers 2019, an international suppliers directory that will be read all year long by broom, brush and mop manufacturers.

COMPANY PROFILE SUBMITTED BY: COMPANY NAME: ADDRESS: CITY:

STATE:

ZIP:

COUNTRY:

TELEPHONE: EMAIL:

WEBSITE:

COMPANY OFFICERS:

PRODUCTS:

Understanding Multiple

SUCCESSFUL KEY TO HIRING, TRAINING, & MARKETING TO EACH By Harrell Kerkhoff | Broom, Brush & Mop Editor

ook around the office or other workplace settings and count the number of co-workers who represent different generations. Chances are, at least three, and maybe four generations are employed at the same company — something that is unprecedented for most of human history. In the near future, there may be as many as six generations of employees at the same place, as people are living and working longer. The question is, how can people who were born and raised in so many time periods not only get along and communicate, but thrive? This was the message presented by generations expert Ryan Jenkins, a guest speaker at the recent 101st American Brush Manufacturers Association (ABMA) Annual Convention, in Scottsdale, AZ. His presentation not only addressed Ryan Jenkins members of the millennial generation, who have received much attention over the past 10plus years, but other generations as well. Today’s interaction between generations crosses all types of businesses and industries, and will grow exponentially in the years and decades ahead. Jenkins listed six recognized U.S. generations whose members are alive today. Their names, ages and population are: n G.I., 91 and over, 60 million born; n Builders, 73 to 90, 56 million born; n Baby Boomers, 54 to 72, 75 million born; n Generation X, 38 to 53, 51 million born; n Millennials, 21 to 37, 76 million born; and, n Generation Z, 20 and younger, 50-plus million born. With so many generations represented today, it’s easy to understand how changes within the workplace can have ripple effects among various groups of people. This is both good and bad. Change often makes people uneasy. Once what is ‘new’ is fully understood, however, change is often welcomed. To make his point, Jenkins asked attendees to reflect on their first Uber trip. He said there were probably questions on how the system worked, if the car would show up and the best way to pay the driver. “If your first Uber trip was successful, you probably walked

PG 62

way from the experience thinking, ‘That was effortless. That was a seemless experience,’” Jenkins said. “Whether you know it or not, no matter your generation, that ‘effortless’ and ‘seemless’ experience becomes an expectation that ripples into every aspect of your work and personal life.” He added, however, that members of emerging generations are having more of these “effortless” and “seemless” experiences in their lives. These experiences are growing exponentially. In turn, they are influencing personal behaviors and expectations, including expectations of what work should be like. “My goal is to provide specific strategies used to engage members of these emerging generations who will not only be your future employees, but also customers and consumers,” Jenkins said. “It’s important to note that anytime you talk about generations, you have to remember that generations provide clues, not absolutes.

“Nevertheless, the better you understand members of each generation, the better you will become at connecting with, and influencing, these people.” RISING GENERATIONAL TENSIONS

e live in changing times. Part of this is due to so many people of different age groups living on the same planet. There is a good reason why this is taking place. Simply put, people are living longer. According to Jenkins, the global average life expectancy of humans in 1900 was 31. In 2018, it’s 72. “This is mind blowing. It shows a 41-year increase in just 118 years,” he said. “What is even more amazing, research tells us that the first person who will celebrate his/her 150th birthday has already been born. What will it feel like to have a mid-life crisis at 75? “Due to advances in medicine and technology, people are living longer, and because they are living longer, they are also working longer. This means more people, representing more generations, are finding themselves in the same work setting, and having to interact on a daily basis. Of course, this interaction can cause friction.” Part of this friction can be blamed on today’s advances in technology. Millennials and members of Generation Z have grown up with laptop computers, smartphones, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, Amazon, Google, Twitter, a thousand different kinds of apps ... the list seems to go on and on. This influx of technology can make members of older generations — people who remember when telephones came with cords and having a TV

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

remote was considered a luxury — both amazed and intimidated. “Today, we are seeing a seismic shift among generations. We have an emerging workforce with more technological skills and knowledge than the previous generations,” Jenkins said. “This is providing friction, and is why there is so much scrutiny and tension surrounding the arrival of younger employees.” In 2016, for the first time, millennials represented the majority generation within the U.S. workplace. As of 2018, according to Jenkins, the workplace is comprised of 42 percent millennials, 33 percent Generation X, 22 percent baby boomers, with the rest made up of builders and Generation Z. By 2025, it’s expected that 75 percent of the global workforce will consist of millennials and members of Generation Z. “Think about how work and communication with colleagues have changed over the past five years,” Jenkins said. “Now think about what work and communication will look like by 2025, when more ‘digital pioneers’ are stepping into decision-making roles. How will the 2025 workplace be different? Do you think these changes will cause added friction among the generations?” Jenkins noted that recent polls have indicated 52 percent of today’s workers say they’re least likely to get along with someone from another generation. Meanwhile, 62 percent of members from Generation Z anticipate challenges working with baby boomers and members of Generation X, while only 5 percent anticipate challenges with millennials.

“If you, (as business owners and managers) are not aware of this gap between generations in the workplace, and are not equipped with strategies to close it, the problem is only going to grow,” Jenkins said. “You are also going to find yourselves more removed from the next generation of employees and customers.” WHY MILLENNIALS MAKE WAVES

next generation of employees, not only are you competing with your competitors, you are also competing against the desires, resources and abilities of millennials as entrepreneurs. The dynamics have changed. There is more at stake.” He added that millennials often get a bad rap in today’s society simply because they are “the face of change.” It’s from their generation that so much change has taken place, and at speeds never seen before. This has led to disruptions within different types of businesses, industries and consumer behaviors. Examples of the power from today’s changes include: n The augmented reality game Pokémon GO experienced 130 million downloads in the first month of its release, and generated $600 million in revenue after its first 90 days; n Airbnb, an online marketplace and hospitality service provider, has booked two million hotel rooms since 2008; n Facebook now has 2 billion monthly users; n Only 8 percent of U.S. college students don’t have access to Netflix, which started streaming in 2007; n Today’s smartphones are 100,000 times smaller and seven billion times more powerful than computers used in the early 1970s; and, n The average tenure in 1965 for a company listed on The Standard & Poor’s 500 was 33 years. It’s projected by 2026, this average tenure will be reduced to 14 years. According to Jenkins, half of today’s firms on the S & P 500 will be replaced in 10 years. “If you want to get a better understanding of where things are going next, you have to better understand millennials,” Jenkins said. “They are the ones who provide important insights into what is ahead. “It’s important to also understand, if a person is too young to remember what life was like prior to a specific invention, then to him/her that ‘invention’ was not really an invention at all. Instead, it’s part of standard and normal life, and where expectations start. Therefore, if you can’t deliver effortless and seemless

experiences for today’s younger customers and here has been a lot written about those people who are 21 employees — who are used to advanced technology to 37 years of age, otherwise known as the millennials. and ways of doing things — then they are a finger According to Jenkins, they represent the largest generation swipe away from going someplace else. The expectation bar has never been higher for today’s of people, not only in the United States, but the entire world. “These are people who are digitally-dependent. Many can’t leaders and organizations.”

remember a world without smart devices. Mobile technology has changed the game for this generation,” he said. “It’s changed how they socialize, communicate, work, purchase — everything. They are also the most educated people in human history.” Other facts from Jenkins about this generation are: n 71 percent of millennials are disengaged at work, the most of any generation; n 70 percent of millennials might “reject” traditional business to work independently; n 66 percent of millennials expect to leave their current organization by the end of 2020; and, n By 2020, the annual estimated spending power of millennials in the United States is expected to reach $1.4 trillion. “This is another reason why this generation is so highly scrutinized. They have growing bank accounts,” Jenkins said. “I think most people can agree that it’s never been easier to become an entrepreneur. It doesn’t take much money to reach hundreds of thousands of people via a website, Facebook and/or Instagram. “The point is, if you are interested in recruiting and retaining the BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

3 STRATEGIES FOR STAYING RELEVANT

pivotal question many business leaders, across a wide variety of industries, are asking today is: “How do we stay relevant in a new world that is prone to disruptions?” “Think about this — right now, someone, somewhere, is messing with the prevailing model of your industry. This is true for every industry,” Jenkins said. “Here is the thing about

prevailing models, they cause leaders to get stuck, they cause industries to get stuck, and ultimately, they cause companies to go under. “So, how do you challenge the prevailing model that is likely holding you back? What makes your products and services uniquely better? What makes your company uniquely better? The answer may very well be, ‘Listen to outsiders.’ These are people outside of your organization, industry and generation.” PG 63

Jenkins outlined three strategies to better connect with people on the outside, especially when it comes to working with, or selling to, millennials and members of Generation Z. These strategies focus on improved: n Communication; n Leadership; and, n Work experience. “This is where the ‘rubber meets the road.’ Every industry is trying to understand trends and finding sustainable ground. These three strategies help,” Jenkins said. The first deals with better communication practices with members of younger generations. “What is your preferred method of communication at work?” Jenkins asked. “Look at all the different communication options available today. This includes face-to-face, telephone, email, text, instant messaging, video chat and social collaboration, such as through Slack, Facebook, Yammer, etc. “There are so many types of communication today, along with different generations that have their unique preferences. That is why communication is so challenging. It’s a very complicated communication world that you and I now live in.” Jenkins displayed a chart showcasing general summaries, views and attitudes pertaining to communication preferences among four generations. They are: n Builders see communication as formal and respectful, prefer the telephone and email, and seek background information and details; n Baby boomers see communication as formal and direct, prefer email and text, and want to keep it professional; n Gen X members see communication as informal and flexible, prefer email, text and Facebook, and seek options while requesting zero meetings; and, n Millennials see communication as informal and authentic, prefer text, Instagram, GroupMe, Snapchat, Slack — anything but face-toface meetings — and want brevity, real time and quick responses. Jenkins added that today’s wide variety of communication preferences often leads to frustration, miscommunication, lost time and lost productivity. The good news is, in today’s business world, “Adusting

company communications is becoming the new normal,” Jenkins added.

He provided three examples of organizations doing just this, to great success: n One company has replaced all internal emails with Slack, a cloud-based team collaboration tool. “This business has zero internal emails. Its leaders believe members of the emerging generations are looking for more dynamic communication tools, and now that these tools are becoming available, this company is using them instead of email,” Jenkins said. n A national restaurant chain is using a mobile game to help employees collaborate and compete when it comes to important work metrics. “(This company) knows that the next generation of employees is a gaming generation. These workers get points for selling certain items on the menu, taking etiquette restaurant and/or leadership training and even showing up on time. These points can then be exchanged for certain perks,” Jenkins said. “Since the restaurant chain launched the program, it has experienced a 20 percent reduction in employee turnover. This is a good percentage for the restaurant industry.” n A manger of another company makes it a practice to text PG 64

millennial employees every afternoon, before going home from work, to provide additional direction. “This is very simple, but I think it can have a profound impact,” Jenkins said. “These are three examples of companies and leaders who are changing their communication strategies to better engage the next generation.” Jenkins also outlined how each of four generations see and prefer leadership: n Builders endure yet honor leadership, and have the attitude that, “No news is good news;” n Baby boomers respect leadership and seek feedback once a year; n Gen X members’ first instinct is to ignore leadership, seek autonomy and prefer routine check-ins with leaders; and, n Millennials freely choose to have leaders, view them as equals and seek constant feedback. “Millennials grew up being able to find anything they wanted on the World Wide Web. Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised that as they entered the workforce, they continued to seek constant feedback,” Jenkins said. He also addressed the importance of “self reviews,” and how they relate to millennials. For example: n Millennials are generally more critical of their own work.

“Research shows that if they are reviewing their own work, millennials are more critical of themselves, than if a manager is reviewing their work,” Jenkins said.

Ownership is taken. “A millennial may say to him or herself, ‘If I review my own performance, I’m developing a self-evaluation muscle. If I find myself in a similar situation in the future, I can then flex that muscle in real time, and ultimately become a more productive and independent worker,’” Jenkins said. n Managers for such “self reviewers” should turn into coaches. n

“Coaching is a powerful tool, and is the No. 1 leadership style that resonates with millennials. It’s good to ‘trade sage on the stage for guide on the side.’

The best coaches resist advice giving and ask more questions,” he said. “It’s easy to tell people what to do, versus allowing them to discover for themselves. However, the latter helps employees become more independent.” Jenkins highlighted one company that has its millennial employees review their own performances prior to meeting with managers; while another company has its managers provide, through different app programs, constant feedback, goal creation and performance expection adjustments. “These examples have created more opportunities for managers to provide real time coaching moments with employees,” Jenkins said. Why is all of this important? Because members of the millennial generation view work differently than past generations. Jenkins outlined the work preferences of four generations: n Builders see work as a responsibility, view themselves as “lifers,” and have the overall opinion that, “You’re lucky to have a job;” n Baby boomers see work as “a place,” are defined by their work, and feel “loyalty is rewarded;” n Gen X members see work as a means to an end, view work as a “tool,” and go by the motto, “Work hard, play hard;” and, n Millennials see work as “a vehicle,” are fulfilled by work, and strive to “work smarter.” Jenkins added members of emerging generations are more BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

likely to choose a specific city to live in before they choose a specific job. The next generation of employees should also be viewed as “empowered employees.” “If they are feeling dissatisfied and disengaged, they are not going to wait long to find something else,” he said. “This is why it’s so important to enhance the employee experience. The positive impact an organization’s processes, policies, perks and programs have on its people can create companies where people want, not need, to work.” Jenkins also explained the important difference between being a “material employer” and an “experiential employer.” “Let’s say you are in the market to purchase a laptop computer. Your satisfaction with that laptop is going to start high and then go down over time, as the newness of the laptop wares off and as new updates come out. This is because it is a ‘material’ object. Now compare that to purchasing an ‘experience,’ such as a vacation. Your satisfaction with the vacation may start lower, but will probably go up over time as you reflect on the event through photos and fond memories,” he said. “When many economists are asked how a person can get more ‘bang for their money,’ they will often discuss the importance of purchasing an ‘experience.’ “The same holds true at the workplace. If employees view their work as simply being ‘material’ in nature, satisfaction can start high but goes down over time. Compare that with an organization focused on providing great employee ‘experiences.’ The satisfaction of this job may start lower, but often increases over time. This can result in higher employee attention and retention. “The goal is to help shift a millennial’s view of your company from that of being a ‘material employer,’ to the more favorable ‘experiential employer.’” Jenkins gave an example of how a national restaurant chain has implemented an app for its front-line employees to provide a better “experiential experience.” “Let’s say you are a trained employee at this restaurant and are scheduled to have a day off. You were going to meet with friends, but these friends canceled on you at the last minute. Since you now have some free time, you decide to work after all. That employee can now open the restaurant’s internal app, view all restaurants from that chain in the area that need additional help, select one of those restaurants, work for a few hours and then get paid a premium wage,” Jenkins said. “This is a great example of how one organization is creating a better experience for its employees.” He added that it’s important to identify any friction points that can be found throughout the work cycle of an employee. “Just like your first positive Uber trip, it’s important to ask

yourself, ‘How can I create a more effortless and seamless experience for my employees?’” Jenkins said. “The answers resulting from this question can be applied to recruiting, training and the actual job itself.

“This is important, as the next generation of employees will have even greater elevated expectations of work.”

WHAT ELSE?

ther notes from Jenkins’ presentation for greater employee satisfaction and retention included:

n A little research can go a long way when trying to find solutions for employee friction issues — “There are software

BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018

solutions available to help streamline the process of dealing with employee friction points and/or low employee life cycles at your business. It just takes a little research,” Jenkins said. “I suggest visiting such websites as www.15five.com, www.waggl.com and www.tinypulse.com.” n Blending work with everyday life is becoming the norm — “We have been seeing for several years companies offering nap times, access to gyms, bean bags as chairs and other nontraditional working ‘perks.’ It’s an indicator of how working life is blending in with everyday life. People are taking more work home with them, while also bringing more parts of their everyday life to work. This has resulted in blended environments,” Jenkins said. “I would caution business owners from quickly jumping into some of those ‘blended’ features at work, but there is nothing wrong with asking your current workforce about their preferences. Making such changes may help them become more creative, while streamlining the workplace. “Whether you like it or not, business owners are competing against companies that have these types of work environments. Sometimes these environments can also attract new and better talent.” n The timetable of life has changed with millennials — “The average age of people getting married in the 1970s was around 23, today it’s 33. Millennials are waiting longer to get married, buy homes and have children. It’s therefore important to look at today’s different life stages. A 25-year-old with three children has different priorities than a 25-year-old with no spouse or child,” Jenkins said. “I think organizations that have thrived in this area have been a little more fluid with their benefits, helping employees want to stay longer. “For example, vacation time is very important to millennials. They like to travel. But as they get older, and start to have families, this focus may change.” n Job hopping should not necessarily be viewed as a “red flag” for employers — “Simple job hopping is not the

‘red flag’ it once was among many of today’s business owners when reviewing résumés. The new ‘red flag’ is when a person changes jobs many times within the same industry, while also having the same type of role at each company,” Jenkins said. “Many millennials view

themselves as ‘free agents,’ when it comes to their careers. “Also, many members of the younger generations recognize that they could live and work for a very long time. Therefore, they want to be continuous learners, with experiences that focus on different roles within a company and industry. They understand that, ‘What I know today may be outdated within 10 years.’” He added that many younger employees don’t equate the specific company where they’re employed with “stability.” Instead, they equate their own skill sets with “stability.” “They are asking themselves, ‘What skills do I have, and how can I shop them around?’” Jenkins said. Ryan Jenkins is an internationally recognized Millennial and Generation Z keynote speaker, Inc.com columnist and author of, “The Millennial Manual: The Complete How-To Guide to Manage, Develop, and Engage Millennials at Work.” He is also a Partner at 21Mill.com, a micro-learning platform dedicated to helping Millennials and Generation Z perform better at work. He can be reached at rj@ryan-jenkins.com. PG 65

Borghi Brasil Holds First Open House

“On April 16 and 17, 2018, Borghi Brasil, a subsidiary of the Boucherie Borghi Group, opened its factory to all local customers. Although, Borghi Brasil has been active since January 2015, it had not yet officially presented its new operational headquarters,” according to a press release. “The event was organized with the goal of showing customers the new headquarters with completely renovated offices including a dedicated sales area, a more extensive spare parts warehouse, a mechanical and an electronics laboratory for testing, repairing and technical assistance. The Borghi Brasil staff has skilled technicians who were trained at the Borghi SPA factory in Italy, with a minimum of 10 years experience on all the machines sold in Brasil. In addition, a Borghi staple-set machine, model STARR32, was displayed and running.” Brush manufacturers attending were welcomed, not only by the staff of the Brazilian headquarters, but also by key personnel working in the Borghi SPA company in Italy, including Enzo Ferrari, former CEO, Paolo Roversi, the current president, Glauco Generali, the plant manager and Maurizio Campedelli, the sales area manager. Borghi said, “Special thanks go to all the members of Borghi

Nexstep Offers

MaxiTwist® Microfiber Dust Mops

Nexstep Commercial Products now offers its new MaxiTwist® Microfiber Dust Mops. Nexstep said the features of the mops include: • Surface is fully covered in loop-end microfiber for maximum efficiency; • 100 percent microfiber provides unmatched cleaning performance without treatment; • Slip-on slot pocket is easy method to secure mop to frame; • No linting and highly launderable; and, • Quick-dry synthetic backing fits all standard 5-inch dust mop frames. Included are Nexstep’s: No. 94072 24-inch dust mop; No. 94074 36-inch dust mop; No. 94076 48-inch dust mop; and the, No. 94078 60-inch dust mop. Nexstep Commercial Products is the exclusive licensee of O-Cedar. For more information, visit www.ocedarcommercial.com. PG 66

Pictured from left are: Maurizio Campedelli, Leonardo Stefani, Dirceu Perrone, Enzo Ferrari, Gianpaolo Roversi, Zuleica Galietto, Mauricio Mazzoni and Glauco Generali.

Brasil, in particular to the president, Mauricio Mazzoni, who has been working with Borghi SPA for over 25 years; Zuleica Galietto, assistant; Ricardo Budiski, assistant; Dirceu Perrone, technician; and, Leonardo Stefani, technician. Without their efforts and support, this event would not have been possible. Thanks to all our customers, for their attendance, trust and support. Aware of its capabilities and coming challenges, Borghi Brasil looks to the future with enthusiasm and optimism, always keeping in mind the clear objective: to ensure the best customer satisfaction.” For more info, email borghibrasil@borghibrasil.com.br.

Z.WASP 2 From ZAHORANSKY

“Z.WASP 2 is the choice for producing technical or household brushes. This semi-automatic drilling and tufting machine is the ideal solution for manufacturing cylindrical or disc brushes, plate, strip or tank brushes, brooms or hairbrushes. With the framequick exchangeable system, even multiple models on the same machine are not an issue. Z.WASP 2 “A Z.WASP 2 drills both wood and plastic. It can Disc brush tuft abrasive bristles, natural fibers, nylon filaments and wire tufting. Z.WASP is an entire family of machines offering a larger or smaller range of brushes depending on the selected model.”

ZAHORANSKY USA Automation & Molds

“ZAHORANSKY is continually developing new technology to enhance the injection molding process and develop fully autonomous ways to process products,” according to a press release. “ZAM does not just ask what you want to mold. We ask what you want to do with this product after it’s molded.” “We are always thinking of how to increase capacity; does the product need an assembly process? Does it need to be Z.Siroc placed in trays? ZAM is thinking outside the box to develop innovative ways to process and create an accurate and efficient injection molding cell.” For more information, visit zahoransky.com. BBM MAGAZINE | May/June 2018