BBW SALES – A Company History
BBW Sales traces it roots back to the early 80’s when Chuck Webb decided the time had come for him to leave the rep firm where he had been working and start his own rep business. On January 1, 1983 Chuck started Action Sales Co. from his home in West Bend, WI. His territory was the state of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which remains the company’s territory today. Not long thereafter Chuck began talking to Bill Bright about joining him in the business. Chuck and Bill had been friends and ardent competitors over the years. With the business Chuck had built and the product lines that Bill could bring, it looked like they could make a go of things, so Bill became a partner in Action Sales in December 1985. They worked out of their homes with Chuck’s wife Barb handling the customer service and bookkeeping duties. At that time the company was calling on wholesale plumbing distribution, pump distributors, and the retail hardware trade.
In 1989 Action Sales incorporated, moved into the present offices in Menomonee Falls, WI, and hired their first full time, non-family, employee. In 1993 Lori Burback joined the company as the primary inside sales contact. Despite having no background in the industry Lori learned quickly and soon became a trusted resource for our customers. Lori continues her customer service duties today, and is a key component of our company.
1994 brought a new opportunity. Ned Burke was well known as one of the most respected manufacturers' reps in the plumbing industry in Wisconsin. His company, Selling Force, was successful, but Ned felt it could be more so with the right personnel. So he approached Chuck and Bill with the idea of merging agencies. The three enjoyed and respected each other, and there were few conflicting product lines. On January 1, 1995 the two agencies merged and BBW Sales was born. Ned brought product lines such as Freedom Plastics, B-Line, Lenox Saw and WellMate to the company to add to Little Giant Pumps, Showerite and the other products lines of Action Sales.
Ned brought a new focus on the plumbing part of the business and the company soon transitioned out of retail. Product lines such as Gastite, C & S Mfg., Canplas and Septronics were added to enhance our efforts in the plumbing and fluid handling markets. The addition of the Gastite product line made contractor training an integral part of our efforts, and it remains so to the present. To enhance our service level to our target market we began to stock some limited products on a “buy-sell” basis in 2000. With three active outside sales people we are able to provide a high level of service throughout our territory of the entire state of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Ned Burke retired in October of 2002 and is enjoying life in Naples, FL. Bill Bright and Chuck Webb continue full time in their sales territories and administrative responsibilities. Chuck is now based in Waupaca, WI and makes calls on northeastern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan from there. Bill is based out of the Menomonee Falls office. Chris Duecker joined the company on April 1, 2004. Chris has many years of experience in plumbing distribution in the metro Milwaukee market. He is enjoying considerable success as our southeastern Wisconsin market specialist, and in April 2008 Chris became a partner in the company.
BBW Sales prides
itself on the relationships we enjoy with our customer base from the
contractors, through to our distributors. Our mission is to get our
customers, whether contractors, engineers or distributors, the information and
products that they need to be successful. We feel we are well positioned
to address today’s fast changing market, and ready for tomorrow’s challenges.
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