New B&B Electronics President Says “Lousy Economy” a Mere Myth
B&B’s market would hardly be considered sexy by most people. Most of their customers are project engineers at US and European manufacturing companies; certainly not a high-growth segment of the economy. Nevertheless there is strong activity in manufacturing, especially in wireless networking products and devices that link 10, 15 and 20- year-old equipment to intranets and the Internet. “The manufacturing sector took a huge hit after September 11,” says Wiencek, “But foreign competition means that US and European companies can’t stick their head in the sand. Companies must improve productivity, and that means investment in new communications technology and tools. We are seeing that right now, especially in these important areas.” Wiencek attributes B&B’s success to many factors – from featuring competitors side by side with their own products in the company’s catalog, to its generous Midwestern-style technical support, to their oftentimes politically incorrect email newsletter. “The Hillary Clinton issue raised some ire,” he admits, “But for the most part our customers are enthusiastic about our informal, tongue-in-cheek way of doing business. Jack Nicholson had it right in The Shining: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Prior to his post at B&B, Wiencek headed Panduit corporation’s Network Connectivity Group, where he led the start-up to $200 million in sales and Number 2 market share worldwide. Wiencek is available for interview and can provide your readers with entertaining and informative views on the trends in manufacturing, networking, and the “bad” economy. About
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Ottawa,
Illinois – Don Wiencek, the new president of B&B Electronics
in Ottawa, Illinois, insists the economy is booming – even in
the staid industrial market. “A lot of people are complaining
that sales are slow, that Bush messed everything up, and the breadlines
are getting longer. But we sure aren’t seeing it here.”
Wiencek, who has been leading the company for nine months, reports
record sales for four quarters in a row, double digit growth, and
robust demand for the company’s rugged networking gear. 