The Thrill Ain't Gone: KBC Tools Turns 45
The metalworking tool supplier celebrates its growth and expansion with simultaneous Elvis appearances and more at all nine stocking locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Posted: August 31, 2010
2010 marks 45 years in business for the metalworking tool supplier, an anniversary that will be celebrated in KBC Tools & Machinery's (Sterling Heights, MI) trademark fun and customer-focused fashion. New-tool promotions, customer-appreciation events, complimentary business seminars and the release of the 2010/2011 master tool catalog are just a few of the happenings planned for this milestone year.
?We are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating 45 years in the tool business,? says company president Paula Bass. Now working out of the company?s 40,000 sq ft Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, Bass took the reins from her father, company founder Karel Bass, in 1993. A top tooling and machinery catalog house at that time, the company has continued to expand its operations. Boasting nine stocking branches throughout the United States and Canada, KBC has come a long way from its first 1,000 sq ft location on Eight Mile Road in Detroit in 1965.
A dedication to customer service and satisfaction has allowed the business to maintain a long list of regular clients, many of whom have been doing business with the firm for so long that the sales team knows them by voice when they call. As Bass points out, ?Our anniversary celebration is as much about our customers as it is about us. Our goal is to make sure they know just how much we appreciate their business.?
To celebrate the anniversary, Elvis Presley (or at least a convincing impersonator) will be on hand at each branch on Wednesday, September 8th, from 1:00 pm ? 3:00 pm as part of the tooling and machinery supplier?s multi-faceted celebration. There will be performances of classic Elvis material, food and refreshments, free prize giveaways, photos taken with Elvis, photos taken as Elvis (wigs, glasses, and sideburns will be on hand to add authenticity), and of course great deals on top quality tooling and machinery.
?There is no special connection between Elvis and our company other than the fact that I and a lot of other people love his music,? says Bass. ?There aren?t many icons that represent the era of our founding better than the King.? And Bass knows a thing or two about celebrating past eras ? she designed their Michigan headquarters in the style of a 1950s diner, complete with classic diner tables and chairs. ?We have fun selling tools and we like to share that enthusiasm with our customers whenever possible.?
The Detroit headquarters will also use this opportunity to present its executive vice president, John Earles, with a 1971 Chevrolet El Camino to mark his 42 years with the company. The El Camino was John?s vehicle of choice for many years, so it?s a fitting way for the company to say thank you to its longest serving team member.
When John joined Karel as the only employee of the fledgling firm, the company?s promotional output amounted to an 8-page flyer and some spirited phone calls to potential clients. "We thought we?d made it when we got to $1,000 a day in sales,? recalls John with a chuckle. Now boasting an 1,100-page catalog with over 100,000 items, eight branches, 100+ employees, and millions in annual sales, the company has come a long way with the help of its longest serving team member.
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