{"id":17182,"date":"2016-03-31T14:23:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-31T18:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=17182"},"modified":"2016-05-01T21:15:14","modified_gmt":"2016-05-02T01:15:14","slug":"business-profile-carolina-wholesale-fulfilling-the-promise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/feature-articles\/2016\/03\/business-profile-carolina-wholesale-fulfilling-the-promise\/","title":{"rendered":"Carolina Wholesale: Fulfilling the Promise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The story of Carolina Wholesale goes back to the early seventies, when a couple of guys were selling typewriters and calculators out of the trunk of their car.<\/p>\n

\"Scott-ENX\"

Scott Lewis<\/p><\/div>\n

Today Carolina Wholesale is one of the largest distributors in the country of copiers, fax machines and calculators and the largest distributor of typewriters. They are also the primary wholesale distributor of Copystar segment one copiers in the U.S.<\/p>\n

They currently have distribution centers in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia and offer over 10,000 products representing more than 100 manufacturers. They serve all 50 states plus Canada and Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n

Scott Lewis, National Sales Manager, Carolina Wholesale Group, notes that although the technology (and the car) has changed over the years, one philosophy has remained constant.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are most proud of is nearly half a century of taking care of our customers \u2013 of what we call \u2018fulfilling the promise,\u2019\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

That promise, according to Lewis, is going from point A to point B quickly, and making it a pleasant experience for their dealers.
\nDespite the big step from typewriters to high-tech office equipment and computer peripherals, probably the most significant leap forward for Carolina Wholesale was the acquisition of Arlington Industries 13 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was what put Carolina Wholesale on the map,\u201d says Lewis. \u201cCarolina Wholesale, up to that point, was more of a regional wholesale distributor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The purchase of Arlington greatly increased the capabilities of Carolina Wholesale. It added three sizeable distribution centers in strategic locations across the U.S.; it more than doubled the staff, and it significantly expanded the product selection.<\/p>\n

\"CA-Building\"

California Location<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIt was during those years, right after the purchase, that we saw our largest growth,\u201d says Lewis.<\/p>\n

Not only did the Arlington acquisition expand the footprint and diversify its product offerings, it enabled Carolina Wholesale to pursue important strategic partnerships.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took on new OEM partners and we took on new buying group partners,\u201d states Lewis. \u201cThat was really a significant part of the genesis of what we now call the Carolina Wholesale Group.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an increasingly competitive and commoditized space, Lewis notes several key factors that differentiate Carolina Wholesale from its competitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to think we can provide a one-stop solution for our dealers,\u201d he says. \u201cWhether they are seeking office products or imaging equipment, OEM supplies or compatible toner, we can provide the dealers a single wholesale solution and we have the distribution that\u2019s coast to coast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"GA-Location\"

Georgia Location<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWith our five distribution centers we can reach most places within one day,\u201d adds Lewis.<\/p>\n

Carolina Wholesale also has a fully-trained technical support staff to assist customers on a wide selection of products \u2013 not just imaging equipment.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, our technical support team can support 3D printers,\u201d says Lewis. \u201cWe feel that\u2019s a niche that not a lot of our competitors have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most importantly, what Lewis feels differentiates Carolina Wholesale the most is its staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a tenured staff with very little turnover,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople have 10-15 years average experience. We have some people who\u2019ve been in this business for 25-30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"IL-Location\"

Illinois Location<\/p><\/div>\n

Lewis notes how this experience translates to increased customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could talk to most of the dealers in the industry and they would [relate] a pleasant experience when talking about dealing with the Carolina Wholesale Group,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

In the past year, the Carolina Wholesale Group acquired three more companies from a non-traditional space. They included Smoltz Distributing, Unesco and Central Office Machines.<\/p>\n

Smoltz specializes in dictation and transcribing equipment, Unesco is a leader in cash management machines and laminating equipment, and Central Office Machines does a variety of post-print products such as binding machines, paper folders and shredders.<\/p>\n

Lewis notes that in 2015 the owner of Carolina Wholesale decided to look toward acquisitions as a way of continuing to stabilize and grow the business.<\/p>\n

\"NC-Location\"

North Carolina Location<\/p><\/div>\n

Although the products from the new acquisitions fall outside the category of Carolina Wholesale\u2019s typical offerings, Lewis explains that the plan was strategic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt increased the diversity of what we can offer to our base dealers,\u201d he says. \u201cWe can also introduce the imaging products to a whole different type of customer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carolina Wholesale sees more consolidation opportunities available, and Lewis believes it will continue to expand.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just finished our 2016 planning session and I asked Mr. Huneycutt (the owner) if acquisitions were going to continue to be a part of what we do, and he says he thinks it is. To be clear, let\u2019s face it: people aren\u2019t printing as much as they used to. A company with strong financials like we\u2019ve got might have some opportunities to look for acquisitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked what part of the business is growing most, Lewis cited the niche products from the recent acquisitions.<\/p>\n

\"SONY

Pennsylvania Location<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe did see an uptick in paper finishing products, cash management and dictation,\u201d he says. \u201cImaging equipment and supplies \u2013 that side of the business \u2013 hasn\u2019t grown that much in recent years. I think that\u2019s pretty much industry wide.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the downward trend in printing, Lewis notes the company has been more focused on other categories to seek out new opportunities and continues to go in the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be vital to us to continue to diversify our product, and [consider] solutions offerings,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Lewis mentions how the distribution channel has changed dramatically in the last several years, citing OEM partners working directly with e-tailers to provide promotions to end users that compete directly against dealers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s challenging for the dealers and us,\u201d he says. \u201cA distribution partner has to continue to add value to dealers.\u201d
\nLewis states that, from his experience, logistics is not a core competency of the OEMs and he hopes that they see it the same way.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope is that the OEMs continue to see great value in companies like the Carolina Wholesale Group, as we can enhance the way that they do business,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Despite the many challenges, Carolina Wholesale sees even more opportunities in the industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see dealers maintaining inventory levels that are little to none in the imaging equipment and supplies arena,\u201d says Lewis. \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cA partner like us who has the product in stock and does a great job getting the product from point A to B \u2013 I think it\u2019s good for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

A solid financial standing is important to the growth of any business, and Lewis cited Carolina Wholesale\u2019s stability as a key factor in enabling them to move forward and expand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we are in a financial position where we can look for other acquisitions down the road that can further improve our offerings,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

With so much talk of disruption, Lewis cautions against the \u201cculture of trends\u201d where every new buzzword is treated as a harbinger of doom.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at all the verbiage that was out on MPS,\u201d he says. \u201cThe worry was if you\u2019re not in MPS, in a couple of years you\u2019re out of business. That\u2019s not true. As important as MPS is in this business \u2013 the doomsayers were wrong. Now it\u2019s 3D printing. If you\u2019re not into 3D printing you\u2019re going to be out of business. I think that\u2019s wrong too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis expects to see Carolina Wholesale continue to evolve and be relevant to their dealers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis business is about people,\u201d he says. \u201cAs long as you can fulfill a promise you\u2019re going to have a place in this industry.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The story of Carolina Wholesale goes back to the early seventies, when a couple of guys were selling typewriters and calculators out of the trunk of their car. Today Carolina Wholesale is one of the largest distributors in the country of copiers, fax machines and calculators and the largest distributor of typewriters. They are also the primary wholesale distributor of Copystar segment one copiers in the U.S. They currently have distribution centers in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia and offer over 10,000 products representing more than 100 manufacturers. They serve all 50 states plus Canada and Puerto Rico. Scott Lewis, National Sales Manager, Carolina Wholesale Group, notes that although the technology (and the car) has changed over the years, one philosophy has remained constant. \u201cWhat we are most proud of is nearly half a century of taking care of our customers \u2013 of what we call \u2018fulfilling the promise,\u2019\u201d he says. That promise, according to Lewis, is going from point A to point B quickly, and making it a pleasant experience for their dealers. Despite the big step from typewriters to high-tech office equipment and computer peripherals, probably the most significant leap forward for Carolina Wholesale was the acquisition of Arlington Industries 13 years ago. \u201cThat was what put Carolina Wholesale on the map,\u201d says Lewis. \u201cCarolina Wholesale, up to that point, was more of a regional wholesale distributor.\u201d The purchase of Arlington greatly increased the capabilities of Carolina Wholesale. It added three sizeable distribution centers in strategic locations across the U.S.; it more than doubled the staff, and it significantly expanded the product selection. \u201cIt was during those years, right after the purchase, that we saw our largest growth,\u201d says Lewis. Not only did the Arlington acquisition expand the footprint and diversify its product offerings, it enabled Carolina Wholesale to pursue important strategic partnerships. \u201cWe took on new OEM partners and we took on new buying group partners,\u201d states Lewis. \u201cThat was really a significant part of the genesis of what we now call the Carolina Wholesale Group.\u201d In an increasingly competitive and commoditized space, Lewis notes several key factors that differentiate Carolina Wholesale from its competitors. \u201cWe like to think we can provide a one-stop solution for our dealers,\u201d he says. \u201cWhether they are seeking office products or imaging equipment, OEM supplies or compatible toner, we can provide the dealers a single wholesale solution and we have the distribution that\u2019s coast to coast.\u201d \u201cWith our five distribution centers we can reach most places within one day,\u201d adds Lewis. Carolina Wholesale also has a fully-trained technical support staff to assist customers on a wide selection of products \u2013 not just imaging equipment. \u201cFor example, our technical support team can support 3D printers,\u201d says Lewis. \u201cWe feel that\u2019s a niche that not a lot of our competitors have.\u201d Most importantly, what Lewis feels differentiates Carolina Wholesale the most is its staff. \u201cWe have a tenured staff with very little turnover,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople have 10-15 years average experience. We have some people who\u2019ve been in this business for 25-30 years.\u201d Lewis notes how this experience translates to increased customer satisfaction. \u201cYou could talk to most of the dealers in the industry and they would [relate] a pleasant experience when talking about dealing with the Carolina Wholesale Group,\u201d he says. In the past year, the Carolina Wholesale Group acquired three more companies from a non-traditional space. They included Smoltz Distributing, Unesco and Central Office Machines. Smoltz specializes in dictation and transcribing equipment, Unesco is a leader in cash management machines and laminating equipment, and Central Office Machines does a variety of post-print products such as binding machines, paper folders and shredders. Lewis notes that in 2015 the owner of Carolina Wholesale decided to look toward acquisitions as a way of continuing to stabilize and grow the business. Although the products from the new acquisitions fall outside the category of Carolina Wholesale\u2019s typical offerings, Lewis explains that the plan was strategic. \u201cIt increased the diversity of what we can offer to our base dealers,\u201d he says. \u201cWe can also introduce the imaging products to a whole different type of customer.\u201d Carolina Wholesale sees more consolidation opportunities available, and Lewis believes it will continue to expand. \u201cWe just finished our 2016 planning session and I asked Mr. Huneycutt (the owner) if acquisitions were going to continue to be a part of what we do, and he says he thinks it is. To be clear, let\u2019s face it: people aren\u2019t printing as much as they used to. A company with strong financials like we\u2019ve got might have some opportunities to look for acquisitions.\u201d Asked what part of the business is growing most, Lewis cited the niche products from the recent acquisitions. \u201cWe did see an uptick in paper finishing products, cash management and dictation,\u201d he says. \u201cImaging equipment and supplies \u2013 that side of the business \u2013 hasn\u2019t grown that much in recent years. I think that\u2019s pretty much industry wide.\u201d With the downward trend in printing, Lewis notes the company has been more focused on other categories to seek out new opportunities and continues to go in the right direction. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be vital to us to continue to diversify our product, and [consider] solutions offerings,\u201d he says. Lewis mentions how the distribution channel has changed dramatically in the last several years, citing OEM partners working directly with e-tailers to provide promotions to end users that compete directly against dealers. \u201cIt\u2019s challenging for the dealers and us,\u201d he says. \u201cA distribution partner has to continue to add value to dealers.\u201d Lewis states that, from his experience, logistics is not a core competency of the OEMs and he hopes that they see it the same way. \u201cMy hope is that the OEMs continue to see great value in companies like the Carolina Wholesale Group, as we can enhance the way that they do business,\u201d he says. Despite the many challenges, Carolina Wholesale sees even more opportunities in the industry. \u201cWe see […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":17183,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1640,82],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17182"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17182"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17986,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17182\/revisions\/17986"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}