Jim Olsztynski

A manufacturers’ rep who’s been a friend for many years was chatting about how many reps he knows who had major customers suddenly turned into house accounts by principals. The

Hercules Chemical Co., a century-old manufacturer and marketer of chemical and specialty products for the commercial plumbing and heating industry, announced that, on Friday, August 22, 2008, it filed a petition for bankruptcy relief under Chapter 11 with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

He’s the 4th generation to steer a remarkable family business.

A proliferation of standards makes it hard to reach consensus on shades of green.

Massive inventory and an instinct for buying right make them one of the country’s top distributors of stainless PVF.

An interview with the pump manufacturer’s top North American executives.

New supply houses continue to spring up, despite consolidation … or because of it.

Downstream selling is regarded as one of the most important functions of an independent rep.

How do you get people to turn out, and stay awake, for product training?

“Organized chaos” is how the owner describes this huge 61-year-old agency.