 Desdowd 40th Anniversary
Klein Tools Endorsement
The Klein Tools line of professional
hand tools and occupational safety equipment has been
represented in the Quebec market by Desdowd since 1978. In
that almost 30 year period, Klein Tools and Desdowd have
grown the Quebec market for Klein product to new levels
of each year.
It has been a symbiotic relationship
that crossed generational lines at both Klein and Desdowd. As
Klein’s product offer expanded to address markets
beyond the core electrical distributor, Desdowd expanded
their efforts and market focus to successfully enter
these new markets for Klein products.
The key to our success : quality representation
in Quebec
As Klein Tools grew its home market of the U.S., the
owners realized that in order to do business in Canada, local representation
was necessary to be successful. The key to that success lay in
finding a representative who could cover the territory, support the product
line and work closely with Klein Tools to expand their market into Canada.
Pierre Dowd was that representative
and Klein Tools was lucky enough to gain an agreement
with Pierre to handle the Klein line.
Lou Davis, who oversaw Canadian
sales for Klein Tools in the 1970’s recognized
the benefits of having local Canadian representation
and, more importantly, recognized the talents that Pierre
Dowd held as a well respected representative in Quebec.
How Desdowd enhances the value of the Klein
line across Quebec
Over the
years, Desdowd has expanded their own company to address
new needs for the Quebec market, bringing on new people
with new areas of expertise that help Klein Tools products
move into the market and out to the professional end users. They
have taken on new marketing efforts, advertising and
promotions and enhanced the value of the Klein line across
Quebec.
Working closely with the customers,
Desdowd offers a full-service representative company
whose goal is to see that the customer and the supplier
are successful and happy doing business together.
Much more than a marketing partnership
Communication is key to these relationships and Desdowd
provides the manufacturer with market data, sales data and insight into the
wants, needs and workings of the Quebec market. Having Desdowd as Klein
Tools’ representative is like having several additional key players on
the team in the Province.
Their approach to the market
and their goals closely align with Klein Tools own goals:
service the customer to the best of your ability, support
the market with product training, promotion and sales
programs, keep the manufacturer updated and involved
in the market.
This approach earns the trust
of the distributor, the manufacturer and the industry. And
it is the trust that is the foundation upon which our
long-term relationship with Desdowd is built.
As the business expanded for
both of us, Desdowd brought on additional people who
had these same basic qualities, the same approach to
doing the job well and the same drive to satisfy the
customer.
Being some of the nicest people
in the industry to work with made it that much more enjoyable
to work and grow along with Desdowd.
Congratulations to all for a job well done!
As we look back over our 29+year relationship with
Desdowd, and celebrate our own 150th Anniversary at Klein Tools, we offer our
most sincere congratulations and thanks to Pierre Dowd, Patrick Marion, Francine
Noiseux and the entire staff of Desdowd for a job well done. We look
forward to the next 40 years of working and growing together.
John F. Phelan
Vice President, International Sales
Klein Tools, Inc. |
