COVER STORY
Advertorial
Online they can go to www.maintinc.
com and click on our parts superstore,
and check out all our other branded
products we sell.”
What’s your vast network of distribu-
tors look like, how did you get them,
and what are some guidelines for be-
coming a distributor of Maintenance
Incorporated Pavement Products?
“MM: Originally, back in the early
1950s, distributorships were set up with
sealer contractors who would by bulk
sealer from Maintenance, Inc. and resell
to smaller contractors -- who would also
use and resell our FSA additives. At that
time a real trend in pavement mainte-
nance was happening. Ohio was big in
oil, and the creation of pavement sealer
was a perfect product for creating a seal-
coating pavement maintenance industry.
It was not uncommon for us to service
40-60 bulk tanks in and around Ohio,
Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
We also had a grip on the tennis In-
dustry with Rec Tech Tennis grabbing
and were maintaining around 50-60%
of the tennis market coast to coast. Rec
Tech was strong and was applied to ev-
ery major court surface in tournaments
nationwide up until the early 80s when
new management changed the direc-
tion.. Rec Tech Tennis is now back and
again gaining market share.
In the mid- to late-70s, sealer manu-
facturers were popping up all over the
place and were chipping away at the
sealer sales. But Maintenance, Inc. had
its loyal customers; these new manu-
facturers were getting requests for our
proven additives, and they wanted to
buy our additives to add to their seal-
er mix designs in manufacturing and as
a post-added sealer additive. Soon we
were selling to all manufacturers who
enjoyed having a well-branded, prov-
en additive to resell and make money.
Today we have stocking distributors all
over the USA and in many countries. If
someone wants to be a stocking distrib-
utor, we look at the area for placement
of our products. If we have a current
stocking distributor we will not sell into
that serviceable area.
1.800.210.5923
Maintenance Incorporated Pavement
Products really has moved into a few
new directions. What direction do
you see will have the bigger impact on
your sales efforts?
MM: Over the last couple decades,
we have seen about as many market
fluctuations from outside influences
controlling markets and pricing. Fuel,
supply chain interruptions and a slug-
gish economy were the real culprits.
Maintenance, Inc. has weathered many
ups and downs and has always survived
to sell another day.
How is it your company survived
those hard -- and sometime devastat-
ing -- economic times over the past
decades?
MM: We always tried to make com-
mon sense sales and operation decisions,
and always are planning ahead for the
hard times. When I moved to Wooster,
Ohio many years ago, we were dealing
with oil embargos, then super-high
fuel pricing, coal tar shortages, asphalt
shortages, rubber shortages, paint
shortages, and on and on. What it has
[9]
taught us is to be prepared for anything
coming down the pipeline, and to be
ready to button up your shirt collar and
roll up your sleeves Hard times mean
creating a new and immediate selling
strategy. We, as a company, made good
business decisions and watched expens-
es, and we made it through the tough
times.
We live and work in a great, resilient
industry. I know some tough contrac-
tors and manufacturers that could have
thrown in the towel a few times, but
with some good industry forecasting
from Maintenance, Inc.’s network of
distributors we were actually able to see
economic trending that worked out for
them. They continue in business today.
Partnerships we have created with our
distributors and contractors are price-
less and never taken for granted.
The people at Maintenance, Inc. are
celebrating their 81st anniversary and
want to thank all their loyal distribu-
tors and contractors who have support-
ed them for generations. You can find
them online at www.maintinc.com or
reach them toll free 800-892-6701.
May 2019