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The Big O Tires story begins back in 1962, just as Americas new love affair with the automobile was hitting high gear. The market for replacement tires was exploding, and independent tire dealers found themselves struggling to compete in the face of low prices offered by major tire manufacturers own company stores. Big Os founding fathers were a handful of progressive independent tire dealers who decided to band together to form a tire-buying cooperative so that they could secure volume pricing and keep their customers happy. Their concept worked. In the years that followed, The Big O Tires co-op evolved into a full-fledged franchise as it continued to find innovative ways to harness the power of the collective to benefit independent dealerships and their customers. Almost a half-decade later, Big O Tires has become North Americas largest retail tire franchisor, with over 400 independently-owned and operated locations in 20 states, providing customers with a broad range of automotive services in addition to quality tires, wheels and accessories. Big O has become an industry role model admired for its innovative approach to franchising and unmatched customer loyalty ratings. In 1996, Big O Tires joined forces with one of the largest and most respected tire marketers in the nation when it became part of the TBC Retail Group, an automotive retail network comprised of some 1,200 Big O Tires, Tire Kingdom, Merchants and NTB locations spanning 40 U.S. states. Big Os reach was broadened again in 2005, when TBC Corporation was acquired by Sumitomo Corporation of America, the largest wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo, one of the worlds leading traders of goods and services. As Big O Tires continues to thrive and adapt to an ever-changing marketplace, it remains rooted in its humble beginnings as a proud collective of independent dealers committed to putting its customers first.
Cameron Ashley Building Products is a prominent omni-channel distributor specializing in roofing, insulation, siding, gypsum, and other specialty building products. The company operates over 45 distribution centers across 26 states, providing more than 4.2 million square feet of storage space. Many of these centers are strategically located near major metropolitan areas, ensuring efficient product availability. The company serves over 5,000 customers in the lumber and building materials industry, including lumberyards, building materials suppliers, and contractors. Cameron Ashley combines distribution center operations with a direct-from-manufacturer approach to enhance supply chain management. This allows them to deliver a wide range of innovative products and services tailored to market needs. Cameron Ashley also fosters a supportive work environment, offering various employee benefits and development programs to prepare future leaders in the industry.
The founder of Conval, Chester A. Siver, developed an innovative and technologically advanced line of forged steel globe valves for high pressure and high temperature steam service applications primarily for the power generation industry. In 1967, Conval was incorporated and manufacturing facilities were established in Somers, Connecticut. Conval has developed extensions to the original product line which include: • "T" and angle pattern bodies • 3500 pound and a 4500 pound series • 2 1/2, 3, and 4 inch sizes • Bellows seal valves • 3 way valves • A variety of material options • Cryogenic valves • Multiple orifice blowdown valves • Ball Valves • Nuclear Power Plant Valves Convals provides basic valve products that are durable, maintainable, and yield a low cost solution over the serviceable life of the valve. Markets for Conval include the power generation industry, refining, oil and gas production, chemical, fertilizer, and pulp industries. Besides the domestic United States market, other projected growth markets are Canada, Australia, China, Southeast Asia, Mexico, South America, and developing third world countries. Over one half of Convals sales are made internationally. Conval became a Certified ISO 9001 manufacturer in September 1992. BVQI (Bureau Veritas Quality International, N.A., Inc.) semi-annually certifies that Convals Quality Management System is in accordance with appropriate international standards for design, development, production, installation, and servicing. Also, Convals quality program meets the requirements of 10CFR50, Appendix B of the Code of Federal Regulations and ASME N Stamp for its nuclear customers, and the European Pressure Equipment Directive. Conval employs approximately 100 employees working on two shifts. Convals operations consist of the machining of most parts used to assemble finished valves, the maintenance of adequate parts inventory to support production, and the development of new valve products.
For over 120 years, Parr Instrument Company has been designing, manufacturing, and selling high quality laboratory instruments and apparatus for conducting chemical reactions and tests under heat and pressure and for testing fuels. Parrs extensive product line includes stirred reactors, pressure vessels, and high pressure tubular reactors for the study of catalytic and non-catalytic reactions in batch, continuous-flow, and multiple/parallel operation for the chemical, polymer, biofuels, hydrometallurgical, pharmaceutical, petroleum, and petrochemical industries. Custom designed complex reactor systems, built to the customers specifications and requirements are also provided. Parrs oxygen combustion calorimeters are used for the determination of the heat of combustion in solid, liquid, and refuse-derived fuels for the energy, educational, coal, and fuel testing industries. Parr also offers sample preparation vessels for extraction, digestion, and hydrothermal synthesis, as well as a line of vessels for cell disruption by nitrogen decompression.