Photo/Todd Bissonette – rtbphoto.com
VP Supply Corp., based in Rochester, recently acquired J.E. Sawyer in Glens Falls, a seller of plumbing, heating, kitchen, bath and industrial supplies.
The firm, established in 1883 and known locally as Sawyer’s, serves both contractor and residential customers from its location at 64 Glen St., atop Glen Street Hill.
According to VP Supply’ officials, the local company has retained all of its 23 local employees, and is now named J.E. Sawyer & Co., Inc., a division of VP Supply Corp.
Gary Perkins, vice president of VP Supply Corp., said the principals recognized an opportunity to benefit their respective customers with combined products and services, while continuing with strategic growth plans.
“For example, J.E. Sawyer’s expertise and selection in the industrial and contractor supply category is new to VP’s existing customer base in the region,” he said.
Daniel Olden, president of J.E. Sawyer for 47 years, said “VP Supply brings things to Sawyer’s customers that we didn’t have, like renewable energy and geothermal.”
The acquisition also increases the supplier’s delivery capacity in the area.
“It’s a good fit for the I-87 corridor,” said Perkins. “There was a gap of quite some size between our Clifton Park and Plattsburgh locations. VP customers operating between the two locations now have a more convenient choice.”
Along with having a strategic impact, the acquisition respects the people-first culture that exists at both companies.”Sawyer’s has been a long-standing fixture in the Glens Falls community,” said David Bouyea, regional manager for VP Supply. “They employ local people, and in some cases even generations of family.”
Many of J.E. Sawyer’s employees have been with the company 20 years or longer.
“We’re maintaining a level of customer service and consistency that customers want,” Perkins said. “Customers will keep working with the same individuals who’ve helped them for years. The J.E. Sawyer staff is very experienced, and that experience is very hard to find.”
Olden said he is happy with the preservation of his company’s traditions. “We’ve always operated J.E. Sawyer like family. We wanted to keep the Sawyer’s name. It means a lot in the business, and it means a lot to our community.
Buoyea said J.E. Sawyer “will continue to be a fixture within the Glens Falls community, with a strong commitment to customer service and to improving the local economy.”
VP Supply’s footprint has expanded to 15 branches, many of which include kitchen and bath design showrooms known as Innovations by VP. The branches are located across New York state and western Pennsylvania. All branches are backed by VP Supply’s 80,000 square-foot warehouse in Rochester.
VP Supply provides wholesale plumbing, HVAC, kitchen and bath products, industrial and contractor supplies, and renewable energy products and services. The firm serves both contractor and residential customers through its 15 branch locations and showrooms.
For more information on VP Supply, call 585-272-0110 or visit www.vpsupply.com.