SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT 6536

This year, Schwarz Paper Co. celebrates its 100th year of commerceand launches Supply Source One, a single-source site for ancillary resale items and business supplies. Storage owners can choose from 37 types of locks, 300 different boxes, 15 variations of bubble pack, tape and a complete array of retail products. The new division also offers more than 100 managerial, office, cleaning and maintenance products.

Supply Source One is the turnkey solution for ordering resale and storage supplies, says Rob Kaminski, vice president and general manager. Although only a couple of months old, the division already serves 4,000 storage locations across the United States.

An Inspiration

Supply Source One is the brainchild of Kaminski, whose 25 years with Schwarz has been involved with the storage and parcel shipping industries. Schwarz has traditionally been the fulfillment company for several major resale industries and has dozens of retail and food-service accounts.

We recognized that we had the talent and expertise to serve the self-storage industry in a unique way, Kaminski says. A lot of needs werent being met in terms of simplifying storage professionals business lives. We also knew we could help them increase their profit margins.

Retail products sold by storage facilities are considered ancillaries and a minor addition to the bottom line, Kaminski says. As a result, stocking and providing retail items diverts owners and managers from engaging in their main income source: renting units.

From a suppliers perspective, ancillary sales have never been given the respect we thought they deserved, Kaminski says. Schwarz staff considered how to simplify the procedure for ordering resale items and general supplies so managers need not put up that Back in 30 Minutes sign while they ran to the store. The result is an all-encompassing location for a plethora of products, he says.

One-Stop Shop

Supply Source Ones entire inventory is available online. The division has a dedicated staff to process orders from online, by phone or fax. Owners and managers save time, and freight costs can be lowered by combining orders.

Storage facilities are increasing in size, and our customers are getting more sophisticated in their approach to ordering supplies and resale products, Kaminski says. We want the owners and managers to focus on their core business of renting self-storage and not worry about if they need to order rat poison or increase a box order because a weekend is coming up.

Many Supply Source One resale products have been specifically designed for the storage industry including packing supplies. Ancillary products provide profit margins of 40 percent to 60 percent if the owner takes advantage of Supply Source One programs.

Items and supplies used in the day-to-day running of the facility have also been developed. Online ordering provides one contact point for all supplies that range from garbage cans to orange cones. Supply Source One has a full line of material handling equipment, and Schwarz is designing a customized cart for self-storage. Most carts currently available are not designed specifically for self-storage and have a tendency to bang into walls causing damage, Kaminski says.

To encourage customer loyalty, Schwarz developed a gift catalogue with 350 items. Customers accumulate points in an account with every Supply Source One purchase. Sporting goods, home furnishing, electronics, etc., can be purchased at any time with the points.

Schwarz, headquartered in Morton Grove, Ill., is a leading distributor to some of the nations largest retail and restaurant chains. The company, which employs 350, had $500 million in sales last year and has 14 locations nationwide. Schwarzs commercial packaging unit provides inventory management and distribution of corrugated packaging, tapes, strapping, tubes, cushioning and cleaning supplies. The companys printing division generates point-of-purchase displays, store fixtures and dozens of other related items. 

For more information, call 866.448.4111; visit www.supplysourceone.com.