Business Spotlight: Service as Simple as ABC

Jeff Durr grew up in construction - similar to his employers, the Hendricks family, of Wisconsin, owners of American Builder and Contractors Supply Co.

Durr's dad had a tough, no-nonsense approach to parenting and work: Treat others as you want to be treated. This early training prepared Durr for his future with ABC Supply Co., a $3 billion, Beloit, Wis.-based business founded in 1982 by Ken and Diane Hendricks.

As one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing materials in the U.S., ABC Supply's approach of treating each customer as a long-term relationship has proven itself over time. The mission: Make it easy for customers. In today's competitive market, this means remodeled showrooms with a conference room for contractors to meet with clients and samples available on site, eliminating the hassle of hauling roofing samples around in their trucks as contractors have done for years.

From counter to partner

Starting out in counter sales in 1998, Durr also worked in outside sales before being named store manager of a smaller ABC Supply location north of Interstate 44 that eventually merged with the 3011 W. Chestnut Expressway store. He's been branch manager for four years and made managing partner in January.

As one of 11 managing partners inducted in 2008 and among 98 total, Durr has input into corporate decisions for the 380 ABC Supply stores nationwide. He believes the greatest benefit of his new position is the opportunity to be part of decisions that affect branches across the country. Durr attends annual manager meetings as well as quarterly district meetings, providing the Springfield branch influence it wouldn't have otherwise.

"If something looks like we need to change it, I'm going to have a lot more pull instead of going through a lot of the channels," Durr says.

Durr's title is a reflection of not only his hard work but also that of the company's 25 Springfield employees.

"We've proven ourselves ... because it's based on your branch performance not just (the manager)," he says. "(ABC Supply officials) feel like we know what we're doing."

In order to become managing partner, Durr met stringent criteria in several areas, including branch profitability, customer satisfaction and excellence in overall business practices.

Jason Brooks, Springfield branch assistant manager, found that Durr's promotion positively influenced morale with employees striving to do better and maintain quality.

Top it off

Wade Flatten, general manager of Inman's Roofing of Springfield, purchases 100 percent of his supplies from ABC Supply. With business that adds up to $4 million to $5 million in the last two years, Flatten says he consistently receives excellent service. Flatten says ABC's pricing, service, product availability and customer loyalty keep him coming back.

Residential roofing is 50 percent of ABC Supply's business, with 30 percent in siding, windows and guttering, and the final 20 percent going to commercial roofing. Approximately 45 percent of revenues are generated by 30-year laminate shingles used in residential roofing.

Supplying within a 100-mile radius of Springfield, business during the past two years has been affected by ice storms and tornadoes as reconstruction and damage repair have been ongoing.

Products include steep-and low-slope roofing and accessories, siding, windows, guttering/rainware, caulks/sealants, tools and equipment, and decking supplies of such brands as Tamko, Owens Corning, Westile and Certain Teed. The company also offers an online catalog, www.abccatalog.com, where product lines include DeWalt, Tapco, Werner, Hitachi and Bostitch.

There are 11 stores in Missouri, including Joplin, according to www.abcsupply.com.[[In-content Ad]]