Seco’s core values are what make us who we are, and we appreciate our distributor partners who also live these values. Our field sales teams nominated your organizations so that we could recognize our 2023 value champions. Please join us in recognizing the award repcients for the following 6 categories!

• Digital Champion
• Family Spirit
• Passion for the Customer
• Personal Commitment, &
• Distributor of the Year!

Conversion Champion:

Our Conversion Champion award recognizes the winning distributor for their constant effort and excellence in converting competitive opportunities to the Seco brand. It also acknowledges their loyalty to Seco as one of their key suppliers. 

The 2024 Conversion Champion award winner is Tennessee Machine Tool (TMT) from Alcoa, TN., supporting Seco's Western Zone (David Ladzick) and Southern Sales Regional Team (Tom Hofmann). Congratulations to Jenniffer Hunter (President & CEO), David Hunter (Engineering & Operations Mgr.), and the entire TMT team!

TMT and their entire staff have been the definition of account converters. They are Seco first in everything they do with our 3 Technical Sales Engineers that support their territory. Addtionnaly, they are committed to their customers with the large volumes of Seco inventory they stock in their warehouse to cover all the needs of these conversion opportunities.

Above all, the TMT and Seco teams know how to work together to win opportunities and grows incremental sales. Thank you, and we look forward to a great 2024 sales year!

 

Digital Champion:

Our Digital Champion award recognizes our distributor partner who made the greatest strides in using our digital solutions. Congratulations to Next Industries, from Shelby Township, MI!

Next Industries quickly embraced e-commerce and understood its value and benefits when transacting with Seco. It only took one conversation to get them onboard and move their e-commerce usage from 0% to 75.51% on their first month of using the Seco Online Store. They even reached 100% e-commerce usage in August 2023 and have been well over 80% every month for the remainder of the year. They are great at communicating with us when system issues occur and are always willing to help resolve them. Their desire to embark on this digital journey with us is just one of the many ways they consistently reinforce their partnership with Seco.

 

Family Spirit:

Our Family Spirit award recognizes our distributor partner who successfully creates a friendly workplace with respect, trust, and an openness to learning and sharing knowledge.

Industrial Supply Co (ISCO) from Terre Haute, IN has been a family-owned business since 1915 and a loyal Seco Tools distributor for many years. They promote Seco first, provide excellent technical support, and communicate well at every level with Seco Tools.

They represent what Seco Tools looks for in a partner: integrity, excellent engagement, great support, technical ability, and a willingness to go the extra mile to support their end users. Over the last several years, both ISCO and Seco have been through various changes, but their support hasn’t wavered, in fact our mutual engagement has improved dramatically.

Congratulations to Jason Ireland, Tristan Ireland, and the entire ISCO family! We look forward to growing together and are excited to see what the future brings. Thank you for being great friends and partners!

 

Passion for the Customer:

Our Passion for the Customer award recognizes our distributor who constantly strives for the highest levels of service for their customers and keeps going above and beyond to exceed their needs.

The 2023 award winner continues to compete at the highest levels within their region, much in part is due to their passion to exceed their customers’ expectations. This passion is consistent and apparent in their daily customer and supplier interactions while supporting mutual growth opportunities with Seco Tools. Their entire team effectively demonstrates this passion and continues to drive improvements within customer relationships, account retention, and new business growth. And the winner is… Navasota Industrial Supply from Navasota, TX; congratulations to Scott Stapp and his sales team!

Navasota is forever eager to partner with Seco Tools to bring the best experience to our mutual customers. When presented with innovative concepts to increase service levels at customers, they immediately invest their efforts and resources to support our shared business opportunities. From large purchases of inventory to afterhours deliveries, Navasota continues to set the benchmark for customer service in their region. Furthermore, when presented with an opportunity to assist Seco Tools with a non-Navasota customer, Scott & Philip Stapp did not waiver to immediately jump into action. They offered a substantial piece of hardware to help Seco maintain our direct customer’s inventory, service levels, and security. Their motivation did not come with expectations to gain a new customer for Navasota, nor a reciprocate expectation. Their drive to create great customer experiences sets the bar for distribution and we look forward to our continued partnership as our Elite channel partner in 2024 and beyond!

 

Personal Commitment:

Our Personal Commitment award recognizes our distributor partner who strives to be proactive in winning opportunities and truly embodies dedication to delivering the most effective customer solutions.

The 2023 award winner demonstrated Personal Commitment by thinking outside the box, focusing to utilize our Engineering Services Program, and structuring their sales team to align with ours to better focus on new business opportunities in their region. Most importantly, by implementing this planning solution, they have committed to holding themselves and us accountable by hosting monthly business reviews that keep these emerging opportunities top of mind.

The winner is… Turner Supply from Birmingham & Mobile, AL, supporting David Ladzick’s Western Zone and Tom Hofmann’s Southern Sales Regional Team. Tom notes that Turner Supply “..showed a creative solution and personal commitment to the business while providing a best-in-class solution and service to our end users.” Congratulations Chip Schramm (President), Steve Perry (Sales Manager), Bill Rennells (Sales Manager), and the entire Turner Supply inside and outside sales team!

The Turner Supply management team has embraced Seco first with opportunities for sales growth but are also focused utilizing our Engineering Services Program. Working as a team, Turner and Seco signed our first contract in the Southern Sales Region with an end customer. This Engineering Services Program contract included: CAM programming, process engineering of all tooling and application solutions, and weekly onsite support from our Technical Sales Engineer and Application & Advanced Application team. This program has increased productivity and lowered cost per units. This has locked Seco into this account and keeps competition out. With this 2023 success, Turner and Seco are looking forward to 2024, closing winning opportunities to grow incremental sales utilizing Seco’s product breath, as well as our Engineering Services Program! This success is the definition of personal commitment!

 

Distributor of the Year:

This year’s recipient is Powell Tool Supply headquartered in South Bend, IN. Congratulations to Cari Eaton, Rick Melvin, and their entire team! Having just celebrated 75 years of business, it’s an honor to share this milestone with them. The commitment to Seco throughout the organization is what makes Powell Tool one of the best in the industry to work with. Last year, Powell lost its Chairman Emeratis, Al Eaton. During this challenging time, they never strayed from their values, and they continued to excel in a challenging market. What a way to celebrate Al’s legacy by earning this award.

Powell Tool was one of our highest organic growth Distributors and achieved double digit growth in one of the most competitive product segments, solid round tools. Thank you for your intentional planning, commitment, and the execution to achieve these results.

As we move into 2024, having a partner that lives the Seco values and is committed to going above and beyond for it’s suppliers and customers is an exciting relationship to be a part of.

Cari and Rick, on behalf of Seco, we’re extremely proud of your achievements and grateful for the relationship with the team at Powell Tool Supply. Thank you, and job well done. Your commitment is truly what makes you stand out. Congratulations on receiving this well-deserved award.