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ABOUT PARKSITE: Parksite distributes category-leading building construction products and specialty building materials to dealers and fabricators within the commercial construction, residential construction, and remodeling markets. We build brands and develop solutions transforming the building industry. We are successful because we have the knowledge and skill sets to create downstream demand directly among a product’s end user via education, communicating value, and demonstrating future industry trends with the support of our ParksitePROs™ network.
In 1971, Ray Biggins and John Morrisroe were working for a Chicago building material distributor focusing on a new concept in exterior finishing – Olympic Stain. Previously there were two choices for treating wood, leave it raw or paint it. Stain provided a new dimension to exterior wood which was a great idea, but a hard sell. When the business was sold in true entrepreneurial spirit, Ray and John created a business plan, were granted a loan, and purchased an inventory of Olympic stain. John’s Dad owned Parksite Garden Center and on the property was an old chicken coop perfect for storing products. Parksite Warehouse Inc. was born.
John and Ray soon realized selling through retailers wasn’t enough. They switched focus taking Olympic Stain directly to those buying it from the retailers. It was common to grab a six-pack of beer, stop at a job site, and offer contractors a demonstration of how the product worked. They called on builders, architects, and painting contractors and encouraged end-users to ask for the product at retailers who didn’t carry the stain, pulling business through and creating demand. Today this is called downstream demand creation, a visionary strategy Parksite still utilizes today.
In 1974 a friend told Ray and John about a new DuPontTM product called Corian®, a surfacing product gaining popularity. Parksite didn’t know the industry, but after several very persuasive meetings with DuPont, they agreed to take on Corian for the beginning of another adventure. Four years into selling Corian, Parksite received a call from DuPont Fibers Division requesting a meeting. DuPont showed them Tyvek® being used in the medical industry for sterile packaging. They explained it was a sheet of very fine, high-density polyethylene fibers, with tensile strength, porosity, tear strength, and the most critical feature, its ability to breathe moisture vapor. DuPont asked how Tyvek could be used in building. It was the late 1970’s and the country was in the midst of an energy crisis. John suggested wrapping homes with it. That idea created the beginning of air infiltration barriers now used throughout the world. Today, Parksite has sold more than a billion dollars of Tyvek products.
Parksite continues to play a key role in launching some of the industry’s most recognizable products, including Corian® Quartz, AZEK® Building Products, and Therma-Tru® Doors.
In 1989, Ray wished to retire so he and John looked at a different kind of ownership concept, an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). By becoming an ESOP, employees would transform into associate owners. Every single associate would share a vision and essential belief in doing the best they can for themselves and each other, all with a common vested interest in the company’s success.
Now celebrating almost thirty years as an ESOP, Parksite has over 650 employee-owners and continue to build brands and revolutionize building practices. Parksite is actively involved in the ESOP community and supports both the National ESOP Association and ESCA (S Corporations of America), to both promote and protect ESOPs for past, present, and future generations.
At Parksite, we are willing to do things most distributors won’t. We provide whatever support you need for your business to be successful. Simply put, we do the hard work so you can look good.
Our mission is to support your business by adding value at every possible opportunity. We are vested in building long-term relationships to drive mutual success. We do this through:
We are always looking for new partners. Contact us today to see how we can work together!
