This October, QEP Co., Inc. teamed up with THE HAVEN of Boca Raton, FL for their annual community build project. TEAM QEP, which consisted of QEP employees, friends and family, joined together to lay floors, paint interiors and provide landscape work at The Haven. Team QEP spread 400 bags of mulch on The Haven grounds, while inside the cottages; another team went to work on the interiors. Each cottage was given a new paint job while the flooring crew went to work laying brand new Allure Ultra Vinyl Plank Flooring that was generously donated by Halstead International, Inc. The Haven provides a safe and stable environment for young men ages 9-17 in Boca Raton that have been removed from abusive and/or neglectful homes and placed in protective care by the state of Florida. The Haven hosts up to 24 boys who stay for months or years, while ensuring that these boys acquire the competencies they need when they reunite with their families, join foster families, are adopted or become independent, self-supporting adults. The Haven’s unique residential setting provides life-changing programs and services that embrace and empower each young boy to reach his full potential. The Haven is a nationally accredited group home through the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the most notable COA reviewer observed “The Haven was the first group home that we’ve reviewed where all of the kids who were interviewed were happy.” For more information on The Haven you can visit their website at http://www.haven4kids.org . If you have an idea for QEP’s next community build project please share with your local Human Resources Department, we look forward to seeing all of you at the next event! In the Field...2 & 9 CEO’s Message…3 The Q-munity…4-7 President’s Message…8 In the Media…10 Social Media….11 In the Market…12-13 In the Spotlight…14 Q.E.P. Co., Inc’s Community Build Project Debbie Denstedt of The Haven with President Leonard Gould Tina Logan, Jamie Clingan and Yolanda Cuevas measuring and laying QEP cork underlayment in one of the rooms Left to right: Mark Deutsch, Christin Boyd, Christin’s husband Gene and Brian Johnson cutting and laying flooring Tom Laakso painting inside one of the rooms
Transcript
This October, QEP Co., Inc. teamed up with THE HAVEN of Boca Raton, FL for their annual community build project. TEAM QEP, which consisted of QEP employees, friends and family, joined together to lay floors, paint interiors and provide landscape work at The Haven. Team QEP spread 400 bags of mulch on The Haven grounds, while inside the
cottages; another team went to work on the interiors. Each cottage was given a
new paint job while the flooring crew went to work laying brand new Allure Ultra
Vinyl Plank Flooring that was generously donated by Halstead International, Inc.
The Haven provides a safe and stable environment for
young men ages 9-17 in Boca Raton that have been
removed from abusive and/or neglectful homes and placed in protective care by the state
of Florida. The Haven hosts up to 24 boys who stay for months or years, while ensuring
that these boys acquire the competencies they need when they reunite with their families,
join foster families, are adopted or become independent, self-supporting adults. The
Haven’s unique residential setting provides life-changing programs and services that
embrace and empower each young boy to reach his
full potential.
The Haven is a nationally accredited group home
through the Council on Accreditation (COA) and the
most notable COA reviewer observed “The Haven was
the first group home that we’ve reviewed where all of
the kids who were interviewed were happy.”
For more information on The Haven you can visit their website at
http://www.haven4kids.org. If you have an idea for QEP’s next community build
project please share with your local Human Resources
Department, we look forward to seeing all of you at
the next event!
In the Field...2 & 9 CEO’s Message…3 The Q-munity…4-7 President’s Message…8 In the Media…10 Social Media….11 In the Market…12-13 In the Spotlight…14
Q.E.P. Co., Inc’s Community Build Project
Debbie Denstedt of The Haven with
President Leonard Gould
Tina Logan, Jamie Clingan
and Yolanda Cuevas
measuring and laying QEP
cork underlayment in one
of the rooms Left to right: Mark Deutsch, Christin
The Home Depot Mexico continues to show incredible growth. Recently, HD MX
announced the opening of their 100th store. HD MX has also invited QEP down
to Monterrey for the new store opening on Dec. 13th, 2012.
QEP has been a vendor partner with them for many years and in the last two
years expanded the tile tool bay and launched a saw/cutter POG with 4 wet
saws, 4 cutters and a beautiful display.
Like all good things at QEP, it takes a lot of people to make such growth happen.
A key example is that all orders are processed and shipped out of our Dalton, GA
plant. Because the orders have to go through customs into Mexico, there is zero
tolerance for shipping errors of any kind, product or documentation. I’m so
proud to tell you that Team Dalton achieves this perfection on every order. There
is just as much support in Boca, from artwork to product development to
inventory planning to Accounts Receivable that makes this a win. The entire
effort is headed up by Madelyn Rivera, who drives everyone involved to achieve
excellence in service.
Madelyn has more already in the works with a Roberts Adhesive bay reset, and
the introduction of Laminate Tools and Cleaners over the next three months. So
I’ll plan to give you another update in mid-2013.
In the Field
LEEDS for Homes The annual Greenbuild International
Conference and Expo was held in San
Francisco, CA this November. Greenbuild
features three days of inspiring speakers,
industry showcase, workshops and tours of
the city’s green buildings. Sarah Mozingo
represented QEP at The Home Depot
“LEEDS for Homes” program sponsored a
booth. QEP cork flooring is a certified LEED
product and was prominently in the Home
Depot booth.
The Home Depot Mexico Opens 100th Store By: Jim Wilbur
Fred Henry, Madelyn Rivera, and Manny
Alayon at the flagship store in Monterrey
with the first reset store.
Here are Madelyn’s Three Amigos in
action, left to right: Fred Henry, Manny
Alayon and Jim Wilbur
The Home Depot booth at the Greenbuild
International Conference and Expo 2012
From the desk of Lewis Gould
One of the nice things about starting a company is the fact that you can “brag” about it! You can muse about it and think about all the
people in our almost 35 year history who have touched the company and the things that have happened during that time.
I look back to our first year. In 1979 we started an unusual business. It was based in a 150 sq foot garage in upstate New York with a
single product, and no employees just myself, my wife and “Junior” (Junior is Leonard, now our company President). We made something
called a Bathtub Edging Kit, which was a set of tiles that went around the perimeter of the bathtub to cover the dirty grout. At the time it
sold well and our largest customer at that time was Color Tile, who no longer exists. Another large customer of ours was Pergament, who
also no longer exists. To expand the product line, we sold a product that had “numbers and letters” that attached to houses and
mailboxes. We started to sell that. Then, lo and behold, one of my old, dear friends from California, Bernie Marcus, called and said they
were starting a chain of home improvement stores. What the heck was a home improvement store? I only knew about hardware stores.
Bernie said they wanted to buy some of our products, which would be a new “category” for them, called tile tools. My thoughts were
why would a home improvement store want to buy any FLOORING related items from us? You know the answer. We have done over
$1 billion in sales with Home Depot since we started with them in 1980. As I look back, we now have a little less than 800 employees and
I think back to the time we had zero. It makes me smile. When you look at the statistics, we have done well over $2 billion in sales since
we started. We have a much better benefits program than when we first started, which was nothing. We now have, instead of that 150’
garage, over 1 million square foot of space worldwide. Boy, have we grown!
Business usually grows by plateaus. They reach a stage and they consolidate all the things they do and get ready for the next stage. You
have to pass the “Five Year Test” called the “Wonder Blunder Years.” If that happens, you get the opportunity to work as hard as you
want for as long as you want and you pay the price both emotionally and financially, etc. In the period of time as the plateau goes on you
have good times and bad times. It is never a straight up proposition where things continue to grow, which means the challenges are
always there.
This year we have grown our family members to include people from Clinton, Massachusetts, Sun Valley, California, Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, Pompano Beach, Florida and Winter Springs, Florida. We welcome these folks to the Q.E.P. family.
Now that our company is a 35 year old “adult”, we recognize all the changes that have occurred and I sigh when I think of the good things
we do including helping the veterans, Red Cross donations, Families in Distress, Stand Down House, The Haven and others.
In this electronic age, internet sales become the new priority. Our brick and mortar customers continue to grow bigger and stronger. As
they do, they want continuing concessions from little companies like us which makes it problematic to keep growing at the old rate.
Looking carefully at all of these things I want you to know this is nothing new but just regular “stomach ulcers.” So next year more
changes!
To all of our Associates, the Directors and Officers of the company want to wish all of you the best transition from a good year to a better
year and that under God’s protection we will continue to prosper for all of our employees through both tough times and better times!
Unfortunately we will get a lot of both.
I wish you the best of the holiday season!
Kindest regards,
Lewis Gould
Lewis Gould
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Transitions
The Q-munity
Chad Brazier, the youngest son of Daryl, Plant Manager at Dalton, and Cathy Brazier, continues to win
against all obstacles. Chad has graduated High School, on-time and above grade-level averages, in
June 2012.
At the age of 3 years old, Chad was diagnosed as autistic. His parents were told not to “expect Chad to
grow to be even a marginally functional adult”. Thanks go to his Mother, Cathy, for not accepting this
diagnosis and taking on the task of facilitating and executing Chad’s last 15 years of public and home-
school education.
At the age of 15 years old, Chad was thrown another “curve ball” when it was learned that he had
early on-set macular degeneration and that the disease had affected his eyesight to the point of being
legally-blind in one eye. Chad never missed a beat. He and his Mother have adapted the way he “sees
to learn” and they are now deciding on the next step of both their educations.
My QEP teammates from all corners have shown Chad constant support through keeping up with him
by asking me about his successes. For that I would like to say, on behalf of my entire family, thanks to
the entire QEP team for their constant support.
Chad Brazier Wins
Pictured above is Chad
Brazier and long time loyal
companion Ruby Doo
A big thank you to David Gonzalez, Lorraine Romero, Glenn Hockman, Benito Lopez, Cecil Foster & Jorge Vasquez and families; who took time out of their Thanksgiving Day to help others. They arrived bright & early to prepare and serve meals to the homeless at St. Joan of Arc Church in Adelanto, CA.
Thanksgiving Cali Style
In the month of October, two golf events were held to support the Glen
McGrath foundation. This foundation supports breast cancer awareness
and helps the nurses who tend to those who suffer from breast cancer.
Our two AFS events raised over $5,000 in total, while also giving sales
representatives and their customers the opportunity to play a round of
golf & build relationships.
Australian Flooring Supplies supports Breast Cancer Awareness
Left to Right: Ugo Tettamanti of QEP with customers
Ashley Forde, Darren Bennett and Ron Thomlinson.
Jorge Vasquez & Cecil Foster serving
pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving
David Gonzalez prepping at St. Joan
of Arc Church for Thanksgiving dinner
Dalton, GA employees took some time to enjoy a few fall outdoor activities at the annual
Employee Appreciation Event. Beer & Brats (okay….so it was root beer!) were served
along with a little dinner entertainment. A hula hoop
competition offered loads of laughs and some great exercise.
Angela Tankersley, Extrusion department, was the reigning
hula champ with Diego Alvarez, Shipping, coming in close
second place. On night shift, Brett Noblett blew the
competition away with his hula skills. The fall season wouldn’t
be complete without a good Turkey Shoot. Ed Clark,
Adhesives department, walked away with the turkey on day
shift and on night shift it was a close match but Jeremy
McKiddy pulled ahead and took the turkey!
The Q-munity
Q.E.P. TN Raises Money for the American Cancer Society’s ‘Making
Strides against Breast Cancer’ Campaign
Autumn Employee Appreciation Day in Dalton
During the month of September, QEP’s Johnson City Employee Committee
arranged several events to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The
events were a huge success, raising over $1873! The events held were “Throw a
water Balloon at your Supervisor/Manager”, Bake Sale, Hot Breakfast and a
Silent Auction. Needless to say one of the most enjoyed events was throwing
water balloons at supervisors/managers. The Johnson City team did a great job
coming together to raise such a large amount for the American Cancer Society!
Even spectators were not safe! Teddy Ingram soaks fellow employee Brian Tibble
News from Montpelier, Indiana:
The first annual Blood Drive was held at the end of August where 24 QEP employees participated by giving blood. This
donation has the ability to help 72 people in need within the area. Another Blood Drive is scheduled for December and we are
hoping for another great turnout!
The Annual Labor Day Cook Out brought together employees with hamburgers and hot dogs provide by QEP. During the Cook
Out employees competed in the Annual Corn Hole Tournament. Congratulations to Darren Coons and Terry Egly for winning
this year’s tournament!
In October we hosted a pizza party celebration for achieving over 300 days since the last “Lost Work Incident.” This milestone
is key as it is the amount of days an employee is unable to work due to an injury at work.
Thanksgiving in Montpelier brought on a potluck of a variety of dishes from employees and smoked hams provided by QEP!
Left to right: Alfonso Martinez
and Diego Alvarez hula hooping!
Left back: Carl Novicki
Foreground: Steve Henson,
Angie Tankersley, Dana Yother
and Thomas Smithem
QEP Corporate’s 1st Annual Cornucopia Contest proved that not
only our Graphics Department holds creativity! Seven teams
were formed across all departments; each team received a
theme and two vegetables of choice. We had asparagus,
pumpkins, squash, coconuts and even avocados! A creativity
pack was given along with one hour to put together a display.
Pictured to the left are the teams in process of designing and
creating as well as their final projects. Congratulations to Brad
Miller, Chris Lincoln and
Nicole Mangalie for coming in
first with their Farm! Team
Disney’s Goofy vegetable
came in second by Christina
Barna, Felix Muniz and Rannie
DelOrbe and third place went
to Andrea Diskin, Betty
LaFrance and Erick Sala with
their holiday themed
Thanksgiving display.
The Q-munity
Fall Festivals in Boca Raton
Left to Right: Jenny Marin coming in first place as Batwoman, Erica Englund
took second place as a Tabasco sauce bottle and a close third Jennie
Johnson as a 1920’s Flapper.
Halloween in Johnson City, TN
Walter Newton snagged first place in
the Pumpkin Carving contest with his
intricate pirate pumpkin
Left to Right: Stacee Pate, Jennifer
Freeman, Karen Freeman and Renee
Tester also joined in the Halloween
festivities.
Left to Right: Patsy Reece, Sarah
Mozingo, Tanya Dykes and Tammy
Carter. Tanya Dykes ‘QEPCF’ (QEP
‘Correctional Facility’) stole first place
for the Halloween Costume Contest!
Congratulations Tanya on a creative
costume!
The Q-munity
Newest Additions to the QEP Family
Michael Wang and wife with new
born Mr. Yufan Wang born at 3.31kg Kate Cen is the proud new mother to this
newborn Mr. Quinle Chen born at 2.6 kg
Mark Deutsch, QEP Product
Manager newlywed to bride
Marta in Delray Beach, FL
This Fall, all of our QEP men decided to leave their bachelor life
behind and tie the knot. We wish all of our new couples the best
of luck and many years of happiness!
Erick and Armina Sala: September 29, 2012
Steve and Karen Seltzer: October 6, 2012
Mark and Marta Deutsch: October 12, 2012
Laurent and Yvonne Barbudaux: October 19, 2012
Steve Seltzer, Strategic
Marketing Manager & Karen
newlywed in Las Vegas, NV
Erick Sala, Graphic Designer
& Armina’s wedding in
Puerto Rico
Laurent Barbudaux, Director of Purchasing
and Yvonne married on a boat in Fort
Lauderdale, FL
Tying the Knot
From the desk of Leonard Gould
As I sit in Boston’s Logan Airport writing this note, I can’t help but think of the many things that I am thankful for this holiday
season.
Of course family comes first. Then there is health. For me, I am thankful for the many good QEPeople as well. It is with
deep gratitude that I thank YOU for all of your efforts over the past year, and it is with hope and optimism that I look
towards the New Year.
This has been a transitional year for QEP. We started off the year looking to broaden and deepen both our customer base,
and also our manufacturing capabilities. I am filled with pride that I can tell you that both of these have happened, and will
continue to happen as we move into 2013 and beyond.
Recently we lost a portion of business at Home Depot in our underlayment category. They saw the value in the Airguard we
manufacture in Dalton, Georgia, and we will retain this business going forward. However, they will be dropping some of the
‘buy’ items in that lineup.
This doesn’t affect the company’s other business with HD in wood, tools, or glue. It signifies that this major customer is now
acting its size (largest global home improvement retailer) and it is flexing its muscles in looking for better costs. This is
neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’ but simply a reality of the times we are living in.
This decision has had a number of effects on the company, but the most important thing it did was to validate the
company’s strategy of broadening our base of customers as we reach out into new markets, often times with new products.
It also has the positive consequence of bringing down our customer concentration with Home Depot, who is now less than
half of the company’s business.
This in and of itself is important for long term financial stability.
You know how ‘tough’ it is out there. Whether you are in Australia, our new molding facility in Clinton, Massachusetts, or
somewhere in between, you see the same things I do. Bleak economic news. Fuel prices continuing to rise, etc. I don’t
need to tell you what you are already seeing. That’s why it is important that you know QEP is structured and built for the
‘long haul.’
Losing any business hurts, and I don’t like it any more than you do. But as the old saying goes, “it’s not what you do when
you get knocked down; it is what you do when you get back up.”
Well, QEP is up, and ready for action!
Have a great holiday with your family. I wish you all peace and joy.
Best Regards,
Len Gould
Len Gould
President
In the Field
Tom Blumberg, the Territory
Sales Manager in Chicago, IL
shown here to the right doing
a MET (Merchandise Execution
Training) at Home Depot. MET
is a store service team trained
to assist in selling Q.E.P. Co.,
Inc. products. They are
trained in product knowledge
in order to better sell our
products, maintain bays,
signage and POP (Points of
Purchase) within Home Depot.
Bruce Maclaren
and Ivan Pannone
from QEP
Australia with
Rishabh Aragawal
of Responsive
Industries, a Vinyl
Flooring Factory
in India
Charlie Hanhauser at Home Depot
Michigan, working very hard using those
muscles we hired him for!
Elvis is Alive…In Roberts In early September, the Home Depot store managers meeting was held in Canada.
Ganesh Krishnan, the Buyer for Home Depot, usually dresses up in outfits made of
vinyl or mosaics to excite his crowd. This year, our creative team headed by Erica
Englund in Boca Raton, created an Elvis inspired suit for Ganesh. His suite was made
of none other than Roberts AirGuard 3in1 for his blazer and the Unison 2in1 for his
pants.
“There is not a single store manager who does not know about the under pad. It was a HUGE
hit with the crowd” - Ganesh Krishnan
QEP Australia has recently introduced Responsive Flooring to their
extensive flooring range. Based in India, Bruce and Ivan conquered
the hot and spicey meals while deciding on the range & marketing
collateral to introduce to Australia which will undoubtedly take the
market place by storm.
For us in Australia this is the first time we’ve introduced safety vinyl
flooring and we believe it will open the doors to many commerical
jobs such as hospitals, schools and aged care facilities. We are
looking forward to what Responsive flooring will accomplish in
2013 and the years to come.
Responsive Flooring
In the Media
At the end of October, Q.E.P. Co., Inc. announced that it acquired
Imperial Industries, Inc., which through its subsidiary, Premix-
Marbletite Manufacturing Co., is engaged in the manufacture and
distribution of pool, stucco, plaster and roofing products to building
materials dealers, contractors and others, primarily in the State of
Florida and to a lesser extent, the rest of the Southeastern United
States and the Caribbean. With facilities in the State of Florida,
Imperial Industries, Inc. is now a wholly owned subsidiary of QEP.
"The acquisition of Imperial Industries, Inc. continues the
commitment we made to the business and to our shareholders to
focus on synergistic acquisitions that will position the Company for
continued growth and long-term profitability. This acquisition is key
to strategically expanding the Company’s domestic manufacturing
capability, amplifying its market reach by servicing the building
material industry and developing a market position in specialty
products." – Lewis Gould
Premix-Marbletite Manufacturing Co.’s booth at The
International Pool Spa Patio Expo in New Orleans
November 2012
Representing QEP, Mike Venturelli attended Total Solutions Plus at the end of October. Total Solutions Plus, in Rancho Mirage,
California, is held by the National Contractors Association (NTCA), Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) and the Tile
Council of North America (TCNA). The conference included an extensive educational program with seminars given by leaders in
the tile industry covering everything from how to prevent grout reside to developments in large-format thin tile to the
importance of being a Five Star Contractor -- a program developed by the NTCA. With the advancement in technology, tile
collections have not only become more visually appealing but also more durable making them suitable for pretty much any
application, because of these developments, it is important that tile installers are educated to perform quality installations.
Total Solutions Plus
Q.E.P. Co., Inc. Welcomes Imperial Industries, Inc.
Harris Wood
What a great way to start off December, Nand Lal Darshan Kumar & Co. (NLDK) has placed their opening order of Harris Wood
branded engineered flooring! NLDK based out of New Delhi, India is known for their supply and specification of flooring
solutions for the hospitality and commercial market. They are a distributor of flooring and furniture products throughout India
utilizing distribution centers throughout the sub continent. This is our first foray into Southeast Asia and
we look forward to great opportunities in this rapidly expanding economic region. For more information
on NLDK visit their website at: http://nldk.in/about-nldk.html.
