MANSFIELD — Bill Newdome’s father knew there was something more important than the merchandise he sold as a sales engineer.
“He always said service is our most important product,” Newdome Jr. said. “That’s followed us as our motto now throughout the business.”
Industrial Technical Sales & Service celebrated 70 years in business on March 21. Founded by Bill Newdome Sr. in 1954, the company specializes in pumps and parts sales.
The late Newdome was a sales engineer for the Gorman-Rupp Company and wanted to start his own distributorship when he started a family.
“When my oldest sister was born on March 21, my dad went to Mr. Jim Gorman and said ‘I’d like to start my own business,’ ” Newdome Jr. said. “Mr. Gorman said we’re going to support you.”
Most of Industrial Technical’s customers are manufacturers around the state, including automotive, food and refinery businesses.
Industrial Technical Sales distributes Gorman-Rupp products, the Warren-Rupp Sandpiper brand, products from the Pentair Group in Ashland and more.
“We couldn’t ask for better suppliers, they’re all top-notch companies,” Newdome said.
Newdome grew up around the business and earned a business management degree from Miami University with a music minor.
“Quite honestly, I wanted to become a rock star,” the company president said. “I was out in California playing music, and I had a legitimate job out there also.”
Newdome returned to the family business around 1986.
“I don’t regret this decision whatsoever,” he said. “I started in outside sales, and I think I became president just three or four years after working full-time. My dad decided to retire and I took the reins from there.”
Newdome thanks employees for 70 years
Industrial Technical has ten employees at its Oxford Avenue office.
Newdome said his toughest challenge since becoming president was getting the company out of debt.
“I’m not knocking my dad by any means, but we owed the bank some money and it was my job to rectify that problem,” he said. “By the mid-1990s, we became debt-free.
“I held my own paychecks for about two years, and that gave us a chance to catch up. I’m blessed to have been able to do that, and I’m grateful to be in the position we are now.”
Newdome said Industrial Technical is now in the position to invest back into its employees, even offering them additional bonus money last Christmas.
“Last year was a record year for us — we hit over $6 million in sales,” he said.
“We had our company Christmas party at Westbrook Country Club, and it was the 15th or 16th of December. We were $200,000 shy of $6 million in sales for the year, and someone asks me if I’d give our employees $500 each if they reached that. I said yes, and we all got an extra $500.”
Newdome said he’s noticed little turnover in the company, with some employees working decades at the business.
Sales manager Tony Chirico said he thinks people stay at the company because they feel respected.
“When people work at a place for as long as Bill’s employees have, he treats them right and we reciprocate that by working hard,” Chirico said.
“Good people translate into good relationships, and we have good relationships with customers. When you treat your employees well the way Bill does, they go out and treat a customer the same way.”
‘One day at a time’
Newdome said it was easy to pinpoint how the business has reached seven decades.
“The people who have worked here are how we got where we are,” he said. “I do hope my dad’s looking down from Heaven and seeing what we’re doing. He’d be proud of us.”
Newdome said he’s expecting the company to potentially expand to new markets or sell new products in the coming years.
“How do you stay in business 70 years? You tackle it one day at a time,” he said. “We’ll keep doing that, keep looking toward growth, and I guess see where we go from there.”
Customers can reach Industrial Technical Sales online at industrialtechnical.com or by calling 419-529-4110. The company is also on Facebook.