Iowa-Des Moines Supply / Baker Paper & Supply: 1 Organization, 2 Long Histories Of Success

Shown, left to right, are Owner/CEO Todd Weidmaier, Manager of Special Markets/Sales Manager Russ Flug, and General Manager Jill Roling.

By Harrell Kerkhoff, Maintenance Sales News Editor

Located in the U.S. heartland, Iowa-Des Moines Supply, and its subsidiary, Baker Paper & Supply, continue to celebrate a long legacy of serving such distribution segments as foodservice, jan/san, and packaging — while also focusing on greater modernization and market expansion for the years ahead.

“We remain an independent organization, with the objective of taking care of customer needs and working with quality vendors. Our histories are long, but the main objective is to meet the changing needs of customers,” Iowa-Des Moines Supply CEO Todd Weidmaier said, during a recent interview.

Like its name implies Iowa-Des Moines Supply, a Network Distribution member, is located in the state capital and most populous city of Iowa, with a population of 214,000-plus residents (an estimated 710,000 people live in the metro area). The distributorship was started in 1937. Baker Paper & Supply, which was purchased by Iowa-Des Moines Supply in 2016, started in 1904 and remains in Cedar Rapids, IA, the second largest city in the state with a population of 137,000-plus residents (an estimated 452,000 people live in the metro area that includes nearby Iowa City, IA). Cedar Rapids is located 128 miles northeast of Des Moines.

“Within a half-hour travel time from either of our locations we are able to serve approximately 40 percent of Iowa’s just over 3 million residents,” Weidmaier said. “Both locations serve the same industry segments and carry most of the same inventory. All things being even, I think it helps that we are an Iowa-based organization, with our dollars staying in the state. Many of our customers appreciate doing business with somebody in Iowa.

“As an independent business, I would estimate that 95 percent of our customers are also independent companies. We are involved with pretty much every segment that one would associate a distributorship such as ours. Iowa-Des Moines Supply got its start in foodservice and that still represents approximately 50 percent of our business. The rest is comprised of jan/san — such as supplying hotels, schools and healthcare facilities — and packaging. The latter represents about 10 percent of our business. That breakdown is roughly the same for Baker Paper & Supply.”

With both distributorships sporting lengthy and successful histories, Weidmaier said a major key to that success stems from working with a wide variety of customers who expect proper service, wide product selection, training, and quick responsiveness.

“As companies — including many distributors — get larger, it seems end-users have a tougher time receiving a hands-on approach to their facility maintenance needs. That includes the availability of training, product demonstrations/free samples, and timely communication,” Weidmaier said. “Possessing such capabilities, however, has allowed us to survive and thrive. We stick to what we believe in, which is remaining loyal to our customers and suppliers. That has worked well for us and will continue as we grow.

“Our main objective is to run an efficient operation and to be easy to do business with. We want to take problems off the ‘plate’ of our customers, not create more.”

Both Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply feature a variety of staff positions, equipment service capabilities, warewash and laundry services, recently remodeled facilities, and delivery trucks and drivers.

“Ultimately, as an organization, we must stay true to what we believe in,” Weidmaier said. “As much as you hear that the world is changing, and that younger people do not want to buy products the same way that older generations do — I still think people want to deal with people. The key is providing solutions to various problems that customers face. As a distributorship, if we can come in and solve problems, properly engage with the people having those problems, and be sincere in the process — then we have a bright future. That is the approach we always take. It’s all about providing value.”

A Familiar Story

Todd Weidmaier chuckled when asked about the long histories of Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply. He said the origins of the two are very similar to the many other family and independent distributorships involved in the jan/san and foodservice industries.

“I have read many feature articles in Maintenance Sales News that detail how various distributorships were formed. Many of their histories are similar. Usually, somebody starts selling items out of a garage or basement and slowly forms a business that ends of growing and lasting for generations,” Weidmaier said. “Such familiar histories show the power of being in a type of business where there is a lot of need, involving specific products and services.”

Iowa-Des Moines Supply was founded by Peter Mancuso under the name Iowa Supply Company in 1937. He purchased supplies from small dealers and resold them to area foodservice operators. With growing success, Mancuso went from selling supplies out of a truck to opening an office/warehouse in the early 1940’s. Mancuso’s son, Nick Mancuso, soon joined the business. The company incorporated in 1961 under the name Iowa-Des Moines Supply, Inc. In 1980, Nick Mancuso built a new facility in an industrial park featuring offices, a showroom and a warehouse.

In 1996, Bill Weidmaier acquired Iowa-Des Moines Supply and reorganized the company to improve on the founding promise of exceptional service to long-standing customers. Also keeping with the tradition of a family business, Bill’s son, Todd, joined the team that same year.

“My father had worked in the corporate world and wanted to own his own business, eventually purchasing Iowa-Des Moines Supply from the Mancuso family,” Todd Weidmaier explained. “He was able to establish fresh ideas and bring in a new business approach.

“With a background in sales, I came in shortly thereafter and started calling on restaurants and other businesses. I soon found that not everybody in our area had heard of Iowa-Des Moines Supply, and therefore started explaining what our distributorship had to offer and how we could help with various needs.”

At that point, the distributorship was primarily involved with the foodservice segment. Eventually, several property management companies became customers. That pushed the distributorship to expand into jan/san, such as selling bath tissue, paper towels and soap to Class A office buildings.

“We also began to gain traction with larger foodservice operations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. That took us to another level, and we evolved from there,” Weidmaier said. “Twenty years after purchasing Iowa-Des Moines Supply, an opportunity came to purchase Baker Paper & Supply. The company had been in our buying group, and thus we were very familiar with the operation.”

It was at that time Bill Weidmaier decided to retire from day-to-day duties, allowing Todd Weidmaier to not only take over the reins and acquire Iowa-Des Moines Supply, but also Baker Paper & Supply.

“My father asked me if I was interested in such a move. My response was, ‘Oh yeah.’ I felt that after 20-plus years in sales I was ready to be involved with something more dynamic,” Todd Weidmaier said.

He noted Baker Paper & Supply has its own long history of success — one that has always focused on meeting the needs of customers through a variety of services and product offerings. Both facilities — one each for Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply — have undergone renovations within the past five years.

“Our current facility in Des Moines was built in the early 1980s. A decision was made after the pandemic to remodel. It started with a need to put in some office windows and grew to the point that improvements were made throughout the building. That included modernizing the showroom and adding a breakroom and patio,” Weidmaier said. “The result is this location is now much more inviting for employees and customers. The same type of refreshing took place at Baker Paper & Supply in Cedar Rapids.”

One noticeable feature when walking into the Iowa-Des Moines Supply facility is the distributorship’s modern showroom — a feature Weidmaier said is mainly marketed toward current and potential customers.

“We challenge our salespeople to schedule meetings with potential and current customers at our locations to better show them what our organization has to offer,” Weidmaier said. “Often, when people start walking around our showrooms, they respond, ‘I didn’t know you carried all of these items.’ The focus of our showrooms is to make them more resource centers. We don’t really market to the retail trade. However, there are people who come in to purchase one or two items from our showrooms. That can include food truck operators and other small business representatives. It’s important to remember, those types of customers often grow into larger brick-and-mortar operations that will need much more supplies in the future. It’s all about developing future growth as a distributorship.

“The main benefit to people visiting our facilities is so they can better see our capabilities. That includes warehouse tours.”

Succeeding In Modern Business

One advantage to successful distribution is being able to help people not only find the right products, but also provide the necessary training and other support. Such focus remains the key objective at Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply.

“Being ‘hands-on’ is a generic term, but it does hold true to what we strive for on a continual basis. Therefore, it’s important our representatives, such as account managers and others involved in sales, remain in front of our customers — bringing solutions to a wide variety of problems. That is the way we go to market,” Weidmaier said. “In today’s business, where so much focus is now placed on technology, we are literally competing against companies located all over the world. You can purchase supplies from what seems like endless sources. Our focus, then, must include not only providing great products, but great service after the sale. We must be creative with our solutions and not rest on our laurels. Today’s business is all about answering the question, ‘What have you done for me lately?’

“We have accounts dating 50 years. The challenge is bringing forth to those, and all customers, new products and new ideas. It’s a focus we must keep challenging ourselves on. Even if a new idea or product doesn’t work, it’s important to keep at it as maybe the next new product or idea is a winner. By doing so, the customer will see that we are trying to improve their business by finding new products and better ways to meet challenges.”

To date, Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply have a combined workforce of 32 employees. That involves a variety of positions, including those who work in sales, equipment service technicians, delivery personal, and warehouse staff.

“There is a strong network of key people in place within this organization, with average tenure being 11 years. We also have hired some very good people as of late and are finding more good applicants for open positions,” Weidmaier said. “We utilize a well-known hiring assessment program to help us in the process of finding good candidates. I think our company is very friendly when it comes to successfully getting a salesperson up and running. Typically, it’s a two- to three-year process. The main objective is helping all new employees, including salespeople, succeed.”

The same basic focus is true for customers and often comes in the form of proper training.

“We lean on our manufacturers to help with a lot of that training. It’s a good way to keep them in the loop when it comes to what we, as a distributor, are doing. It also helps our suppliers to develop deeper relationships,” Weidmaier said. “Such training usually takes place at one of our facilities, often involving equipment use, floorcare tips, and/or proper warewash and laundry procedures. We also highlight, during the training, what type of products we offer.”

Another key part to the success of Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply is the organization’s equipment service program, which Weidmaier said is filled with experienced employees who are very responsive and skilled.

“A lot of customers must do more with less. It’s therefore imperative that we provide them with equipment repair services and products that provide more automation,” Weidmaier said. “Another focus of ours is offering many products and systems that are considered friendlier toward the environment and/or more sustainable. That includes compostable foodservice items and third-party rated cleaning supplies.

“We also run our company with the environment in mind, such as tracking all our recycled materials and properly maintaining our water and electric consumption (through the ISSA/DEAL program). Both of our facilities are ENERGY STAR rated (set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy).”

Another service that Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply provide is helping customers with inventory management.

“Industry wide, inventory management has varied in popularity over the years but seems to be making a comeback,” Weidmaier said. “One reason is that many of our customers are having to do more with fewer employees. We can serve as an extension of their staffs.

“If we, as a distributorship, can help them manage their inventory then that allows those people more time for higher priorities. There’s a specific process involved when it comes to proper inventory management, often involving different dynamics.”

Keys To The Future

One main objective for any successful company is keeping up with the times — something not lost on Weidmaier and his staff. For example, company representatives are working on a new website as well as implementing a digital marketing program for the future.

“It’s taking a lot of work to make it all happen. One of the ultimate objectives is to generate more prospects and build greater brand awareness,” he said. “Profitability is key to us. That is what fuels our growth, future projects, and keeps things up to date. We also continue to look for future acquisitions to add to our growth.”

Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply have also made updates within the past several years when it comes to better warehouse management — a key element to any distributorship’s success. Such technologies as radio frequency identification (RFID) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) have made operating warehouses and distribution centers easier by adding real-time automation.

“We were fortunate to implement ERP and RFID just prior to the pandemic,” Weidmaier said. “The technology has helped us better manage our two warehouses, which have a combined 50,000-plus square feet of space. I was amazed how fast our warehouse staff was able to adjust to, and master, the new technology. They made it a smooth transition, helping improve our ordering and delivery accuracy.”

Another major factor for success at many distributorships is the ability of delivery drivers, which Weidmaier said play a major role in providing daily, positive contact with customers of both Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply.

“I’ll put our drivers up against any others in the country. They are very no-nonsense and provide great service,” he said. “There’s no attitude, there’s no excuses. They get the job done, take care of our customers during the delivery process, and then it’s on to the next stop.”

Weidmaier and his team also rely on supplier partners to help satisfy the various needs of end-customers. The organization’s first rule of thumb is to work with Network Distribution-approved vendors. Beyond that, they look for suppliers that can help the distributorship differentiate itself from the competition.

“We are highly loyal to our vendors. We have worked with many of them for a very long time. However, similar to how we operate, our vendors must provide solutions and active interaction,” he explained.

As for the future, Weidmaier remains optimistic that as long as Iowa-Des Moines Supply and Baker Paper & Supply meet the various needs of foodservice, jan/san, and packaging customers, the company will thrive.

“We’re involved in mature industries, and we are also a mature organization — with two histories dating 87 and 120 years. On the flip side, we have made key investments for the future that include modernizing our systems and facilities,” he said. “We have also implemented an Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which has been one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made. It involves weekly management meetings that provide a platform to solve challenges as a group and keep everyone’s goals going in the same direction. And we joined Network Distribution during the pandemic. We are part of Network’s program that provides a total analysis of our value chain, which has been a real game changer. All of this is necessary to keep in step with current and future times.”

Having spent a large part of his career in the distribution business, Weidmaier is bullish about such line of work for young people.

“There remains a great need for the type of products and services we provide. That is not going away. It’s also very rewarding to be in front of customers and help them solve challenges,” Weidmaier said. “Despite advances in technology, there remains a necessity for human interaction when it comes to foodservice, jan/san, and packaging. Those segments can provide a good living for people who want to work hard and make a real difference.”

Visit iowadesmoinessupply.com and bakerpaperandsupply.com.