SCRANTON, PA.—Known to many as the setting for the TV show, “The Office,” Scranton, Pa., became the temporary home to more than 300 dealers, designers and contractors recently as Arley Wholesale hosted its 9th annual Tile and Stone Exposition at the Lackawanna Station Radisson.
The regional trade show has grown each year with over 30 factory representatives on hand from some of the world’s top manufacturers, noted Scott Levy, executive vice president, Arley Wholesale, showcasing the very latest trends in tile and stone design. “Instead of a more expensive trip to one of the annual national trade shows, dealer and retail showroom partners of Arley Wholesale have come to rely on our annual exhibit.”
Months in advance, he cited, the Arley Wholesale team had been researching the best and hottest new tile products available and showcasing how they can be displayed to increase sales and profits for dealers and retail showroom customers.
“We’ve been working closely with our suppliers and retailers to redesign showroom layouts and displays for more profitable sales. Selling to retail consumers has never been harder. We have been showing our dealers how to mix and match different tiles from different manufacturers in the same display to build incremental profits. And we’re using our technology and resources to map out five-year growth plans for them.” Juan Molina, national sales manager for Ragno USA, one of the event’s major sponsors, was pleased with the show’s turnout. “The [Arley show] continues to grow not only in size and scope but in attendance every year, drawing dealers from all over the eastern U.S.
“Obviously,” he explained, “with the current economic environment, the mood of the dealers was cautious. But retail dealers know they can rely on Arley Wholesale to introduce them to the latest styles and trends from all over the world. They expect Arley to be the market leader in tile distribution; which it is. “We were most impressed with the technological advances Arley is undertaking to make it the cutting edge distributor it is,” said Molina. “Its use of iPADS, with marketing details, power points and downloadable applications that allow their dealers and sales teams to be doing business in real time is incredible.”
As Levy commented, “We have the best new products, innovative trends and tile sizes set up in fully-installed vignettes for our dealers to browse and very easily order. Arley made the conscious decision many years ago to be the absolute best distributor on the East Coast. That’s something we can control. And right now the confidence between Arley and our dealer network has never been higher.”
According to Tom Fletcher, sales manager for Airbase Carpet & Tile Mart in New Castle, Del., the company found plenty of opportunities in several areas. “We were able to get a great buy on some closeouts at a third of the normal cost. We ended up buying over 11,000 square feet of specials for our 11 locations. We also took advantage of special show pricing for some of our running lines we stock from Arley. By ordering an additional three truckloads at the sale price, we were able to save a great deal of money.
“We were also able to put together a spiff for our sales team from USG as an incentive to sell its products,” he added. “Overall, it is a very important event for our company to take advantage of additional savings and promotions. To top it all off, it is a fun event because of the activities that they plan and the great people at Arley.”
Fletcher noted that one of the reasons he likes the show so much is because of the ability to interact with factory reps.
“You’re able to see the latest styles and releases of several different factories all in one place. In one event, you can see what would fit your individual business best at a variety of price points. The ability to add additional options is a highlight. The mood was one of excitement with extreme comfort. Everyone felt welcome and at home so to speak. Our Arley rep goes out of his way to make us feel like friends, rather than just a customer.”
Molina added, “In these tough times, it is encouraging to see a first-class company continue to grow by investing assets in its dealers, sales teams and company.”
For more on Arley Wholesale, call 800.233.4107.