Category: Industry News

Inc. magazine revealed that Branded Group, Inc. is No. 2706 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

 

“Branded Group is honored to be named to the 2021 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies,” Michael Kurland, Branded Group CEO, said. “We share this recognition with our #BeBetter team, valued customers, and long-standing vendor partners.”

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

 

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 17, 2021.

 

“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.”

 

About Branded Group

Branded Group is an award-winning facility maintenance and construction management company servicing multi-site commercial properties. Through its “Be Better” experience, Branded Group provides clients with peace of mind and preserves their brand standards. Services include on-demand facility maintenance, construction management, and special project implementation for retail locations, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions, among other industry verticals. With its One-for-One Program, each completed service call is transformed into volunteer time with local non-profit organizations. The company is a certified Great Place to Work and has ranked on the Inc. 5000 for four consecutive years. https://www.branded-group.com

 

SMG Facility Services, an industry-leading, woman-owned, integrated facilities management (IFM) company announced it is opening new offices in Roanoke, Virginia to accommodate their rapid growth while leveraging the market’s diverse talent pool. The offices will be dedicated to supporting all aspects of its growing business.

SMG, which is celebrating twenty-five years in business, will leverage its new office space in Roanoke to offer expanded professional services for its valued clients while providing new internal operational efficiencies. The new offices will also provide SMG with a state-of-the-art workspace to enhance collaboration and communication, while offering the company with additional room for future growth.

“The decision to expand in Roanoke was a simple and logical step in our growth strategy,” said Jason Menser, Executive Vice President of SMG. “The area is rich with talent, and it affords SMG with the opportunity to further expand capabilities in our professional services and client support departments, as well as increases our ability to effectively service future business segments. More than anything, this move represents our continued commitment to serving our valued clients and helping them foster business growth through effectively managing of their distributed facilities.”

Through its decades in business, SMG continues its focus on serving multi-site organizations and industry sectors ranging from retail, financial services, restaurant, healthcare, education, and more.

 

About SMG Facility Services

SMG Facility Services is an industry-leading, woman-owned, integrated facilities management (IFM) company committed to client success by providing comprehensive professional services and extensive expertise in facilities maintenance, construction, project management, disaster, and emergency response to multi-site businesses throughout North America. www.smgfacilities.com

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021 – Retail sales gained considerable year-over-year traction in February – despite a monthly slowdown from unusually high numbers in January – as increased COVID-19 vaccination, government stimulus and reduced restrictions on businesses continued to impact the pace of spending, the National Retail Federation said today.

 

“February’s retail sales numbers are a minor speed bump on the road to post-pandemic recovery and are not a reflection of consumers’ willingness and ability to spend and drive the economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “A number of factors contributed to these results, including major snowstorms in the northeast and unprecedented ice storms in the south, but they do not diminish the stimulus-related growth we saw in January or what we expect to see as additional stimulus relief hits consumer bank accounts in the weeks ahead. Looking forward to the spring and with consumer confidence at its highest level since last March, we remain optimistic that retail will help facilitate a surge in spending, job growth and capital investment in the second half of the year as more Americans are vaccinated and local economies reopen nationwide.” 

 

“After January’s strong showing, we expected some payback in the form of lower figures in February by comparison,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Despite that, it’s hard to see this as a setback when you consider how large the year-over-year gains are and that sales are well above pre-pandemic levels. February had winter storms that impacted consumers’ ability to get out and shop, and the IRS’ delay in when it started accepting tax returns pushed back the release of refunds. But increased vaccinations and reductions in restrictions allowed more people to venture out and government stimulus gave them more money to spend. Overall, February’s results confirm that consumers are willing to spend as the virus situation improves and continued government stimulus further strengthens the economic backdrop. With another round of stimulus checks being mailed right now, we expect another large boost in consumer spending over the next few months.”

The U.S. Census Bureau today said overall retail sales in February were down 3 percent seasonally adjusted from January but up 6.3 percent year-over-year. That compares with a monthly increase of 7.6 percent and a yearly gain of 9.5 percent in January. Despite occasional month-over-month declines, sales have grown year-over-year every month since June, according to Census data.

NRF’s calculation of retail sales – which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail – showed February was down 3.4 percent seasonally adjusted from January but up 7.1 percent unadjusted year-over-year. That compared with an increase of 7.7 percent month-over-month and an increase of 12.7 percent year-over-year in January. NRF’s numbers were up 8.9 percent unadjusted year-over-year on a three-month moving average.

February’s gains come as NRF is forecasting that 2021 retail sales will increase between 6.5 percent and 8.2 percent over 2020, for a total between $4.33 trillion and $4.4 trillion. Retail sales during 2020 increased 6.6 percent despite the pandemic, beating the previous record growth rate of 6.3 percent in 2004.
 

February retail sales fell in every category except groceries, which were unchanged, on a month-over-month basis. But sales were up in two-thirds of categories on a year-over-year basis, which provides a better indicator of long-term trends and the state of the economy. Specifics from key retail sectors include:
 

• Online and other non-store sales were down 5.4 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 23.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
• Building materials and garden supply stores were down 3 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 11.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
• Sporting goods stores were down 7.5 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 11 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
• Grocery and beverage stores were unchanged month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 7.2 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
• Furniture and home furnishings stores were down 3.8 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 5.1 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
• Health and personal care stores were down 1.3 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but up 2.4 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• General merchandise stores were down 5.4 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted but unchanged unadjusted year-over-year.
• Electronics and appliance stores were down 1.9 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted and down 6.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Clothing and clothing accessory stores were down 2.8 percent month-over-month seasonally adjusted and down 14.9 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
   

About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.

This year, Watterson is celebrating its 20th year Anniversary. For 20 years, Schaumburg, Illinois, based Watterson has been “Doing Whatever It Takes” 24/7 in the emergency and disaster response, surplus property and facilities management, property redevelopment and environmental services industries.

Watterson was incorporated in 2001 with the goal of providing professional and consulting services to clients with environmental needs. Since that time, Watterson has grown into a trusted partner for their clients providing a whole suite of services across the United States and Canada that include emergency and disaster response, surplus property and facilities management, property redevelopment and environmental services. Steve Peldiak, President of Watterson stated, “Watterson’s goal is to stand shoulder to shoulder with our client partners and to adapt and grow with them and their needs. Watterson is proud of our strategic growth, nevertheless we have also kept our core client partners since our inception, highlighting our dedication to not be the biggest but to always be the best. We truly become an extension of our clients’ internal teams.”

Watterson is proud to be named one of Inc. 5000’s Fastest Growing Companies for seven years in a row. Watterson has also been the recipient of several Outstanding Service awards from its client partners.

“Watterson has grown dramatically during this time, by being dynamic, flexible and responsive and by always delivering our high sense of urgency. We look forward to growing our current client base and forging new partnerships with our Whatever It Takes determination”, Peldiak added.

 

About Watterson

Watterson is a 20-year nationwide provider with four integrated business units focused on: emergency and disaster response, surplus property and facilities management, property redevelopment, and environmental services. Watterson is 24/7/365 with 1600 plus vetted and insured service providers across the United States and Canada ready to do Whatever It Takes! We’re There. Anywhere. Anytime. 877-990-9336 To learn more about Watterson, please visit wattersonefm.com.

AQUALIS, a portfolio company of DFW Capital Partners and the leading national provider of comprehensive water resource management services, announced it has acquired the assets of Front Range Environmental, LLC. (Front Range; FRE), a post-construction stormwater management company headquartered in McHenry, Ill. This acquisition solidifies AQUALIS’ nationwide leadership position in stormwater management and accelerates our strategic initiative to provide comprehensive stormwater services with broad geographic coverage while creating entry to new geographies, including self-performance capabilities throughout California.

Since 2003, Front Range has remained focused on delivering the value, diligence and responsive service their customers expect in both public and private sectors. With a strong presence throughout the Midwest and Western portions of the United States, AQUALIS will now perform stormwater and lift station services in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Richard Matero, CEO of AQUALIS, said, “Front Range is well positioned in the Chicago market and throughout the Midwest and California. This acquisition is an excellent strategic fit for us as it further expands our service delivery footprint to support our existing and new clients for comprehensive stormwater management and compliance needs throughout the United States. Front Range’s employee expertise blends well with AQUALIS’, allowing the company to handle emergency, scheduled and reactive services, provide scheduled maintenance services, assist with local and state regulatory compliance as well as perform highly complex retrofit and rehabilitation projects.”

“This is an exciting acquisition for AQUALIS,” DeVer Warner of DFW Capital Partners stated. “Front Range Environmental’s focus on post-construction stormwater deepens our stormwater reach as we remain focused on broadening AQUALIS’ services in critical watershed areas throughout the U.S.”

 

About AQUALIS

AQUALIS is a leading nationwide provider of post-construction stormwater management and lift station services to the commercial, retail, industrial, institutional and municipal markets through consultation, monitoring, inspection, maintenance and repair. AQUALIS caters to national retailers, logistics providers, engineering firms, hospitals, institutional and industrial facilities, real estate management companies, distribution centers, national and multi-state organizations, individual and commercial property owners, airports and universities. For more information, visit www.aqualisco.com.

The National Retail Federation today issued its annual forecast, anticipating that retail sales will grow between 6.5 percent and 8.2 percent to more than $4.33 trillion in 2021 as more individuals get vaccinated and the economy reopens.

“Despite the continuing health and economic challenges COVID-19 presents, we are very optimistic that healthy consumer fundamentals, pent-up demand and widespread distribution of the vaccine will generate increased economic growth, retail sales and consumer spending,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “From the outset of the pandemic, retailers have gone above and beyond even the most conservative safety guidelines to protect and serve their associates and consumers alike. Retailers are increasingly engaged in working with federal, state and local health officials to distribute and administer the vaccine. This partnership has been key to our economic health throughout the pandemic and will continue this year.” 

Early results show that retail sales in 2020 grew 6.7 percent over 2019 to $4.06 trillion, nearly doubling NRF’s forecast of at least 3.5 percent growth, which did not account for the impact of a global pandemic. This figure compares with 3.9 percent growth in 2019. Online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total figure, skyrocketed to 21.9 percent at $969.4 billion as consumers shifted to ecommerce. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.

The 2020 November-December holiday season accounted for nearly one-fifth (19.4 percent) of overall annual retail sales. Retail sales during this period grew an unexpectedly high 8 percent to $787.1 billion. Non-store and other online sales represented $206.9 billion of total holiday sales, up 22.6 percent over the year before.

NRF forecasts that 2021 retail sales are estimated to total between $4.33 trillion and $4.4 trillion. Online sales, which are included in the total, are expected to grow between 18 percent and 23 percent to between $1.14 trillion and $1.19 trillion.

NRF expects the overall economy to gain between 220,000 and 300,000 jobs per month in 2021, depending on the pace of the overall economy in the second and third quarters. Despite the economy’s stalled momentum at the end of last year, NRF forecasts real GDP growth between 4.5 percent and 5.0 percent.

  

“The trajectory of the economy is predicated on the effectiveness of the vaccine and its distribution,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Our principal assumption is that that the vaccination will be effective and permits accelerated growth during the mid-year. The economy is expected to see its fastest growth in over two decades.”
 
Kleinhenz noted that this year marks the second year of savings, record high stock valuations, increased home prices, enhanced government support and record low interest rates, which are all contributing factors towards the economy and consumer spending behavior. 

 

Additionally, Kleinhenz said households will still consume retail goods but will turn to services as they are able, which normally account for 70 percent of consumer spending. While the pandemic has precipitated broader adoption of multichannel services for the retail industry, households are becoming attached to the convenience and product selection of buying online.  

 

As the available data and factors surrounding the economy are subject to change due to several extenuating circumstances, NRF will update its estimates accordingly.

About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. 

CoolSys™, the parent of market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services companies nationwide, announced that Jamie Williams has joined the company as chief information and technology officer (CITO).In this executive role, Jamie will be responsible for developing and executing the CoolSys information technology vision and strategy.

 

“As CoolSys accelerates its growth and leverages technology to differentiate the customer and employee experience, we are fortunate to have someone of Jamie’s caliber to lead our technology team,” comments Adam Coffey, CEO at CoolSys.“He is an experienced leader who excels at solving critical business challenges with the latest technology solutions and has earned a reputation as being a catalyst for change, combining innovation with business acumen to deliver creative solutions.”

 

Prior to joining CoolSys, Jamie was chief information officer (CIO) at Alterra Mountain Company, a private equity sponsored outdoor adventure company that operates 15 iconic ski resorts across North America. At Alterra, Jamie oversaw the successful technology integration of what was previously seven separate companies and the launch of Alterra’s Ikon Pass product. Before Alterra, Jamie spent nearly two decades in telecommunications. As CIO at Roger’s Communications Inc, a $14B Canadian communications and media company, Jamie was a member of the executive team that led a turnaround resulting in a 60% increase in price per share. Prior to Rogers, Jamie worked for Sprint for over 15 years where he held a variety of technology leadership positions of increasing responsibility. He started his career in software development after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Science in information systems technology from George Washington University.

 

“I’m excited about joining CoolSys and I look forward to contributing my expertise to support the company’s rapid growth,” Jamie comments. “This is a rewarding opportunity to work with a great team with a progressive vision for the company and an appreciation for the important role of technology to its success.”

 

About CoolSys

CoolSys is the market-leading refrigeration and HVAC services company, specializing in a full spectrum of best-in-class service experiences and solutions for customers in the retail, foodservice, commercial and industrial market segments. CoolSys and its operating businesses cover every stage of mission-critical systems from engineering and design, to installation, service and maintenance, and energy optimization. Headquartered in Southern California, CoolSys has more than 3,000 employees nationwide, serving the daily needs of more than 45,000 customer locations across North America. For additional information, please visit www.coolsys.com.

In January, BOSS Facility Services, Inc celebrates its 20^th anniversary. For 20 years BOSS has been providing world class service and helping their clients achieve both their short- and long-term goals. BOSS was founded in 2001 with a single goal of providing “Superior Service” to several vertical markets such as retail, financial, convenience stores, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. BOSS represents hundreds of years of experience that goes back 3 generations.

Founded in 2001 by brother and sister Keith and Kerri Keingstein they knew there was a need for a multi vertical centric outsourcing model. Keith recalls when he founded the company in 2001, he had trouble attracting clients. He was just 26 years old and few companies were willing to take a chance on a newcomer. Instead of giving up, he enlisted the help of the people he knew best: his family. He brought in Bob, his father, and an HVAC/R expert; Kerri, his sister, who brought experience from the lighting and security industries and an acute mind for business; and Kevin, his brother, who took the reins in the plumbing and reoccurring services departments. One client became a few clients, and eventually, the roster began filling up as the company established a reputation as a service-oriented facility management provider.

Our mission since inception has been to provide innovative, best of class superior service at the right price for our clients while we provide an engaging environment that fosters both individual and team growth for our employees.

The firm has seen tremendous growth over the last 20 years. Starting in the MEP space with just 2 employees to quickly expanding its service offerings to include project management, janitorial, locksmith, general maintenance, rollouts, fixturing and refreshes. Keith Keingstein, CEO and principal “the company has experienced year over year growth since inception and looks to continue on that track for the next 20 years. Considering some of the difficult hurdles we’ve endured during this timeframe such as the financial collapse, housing collapse, multiple presidents, changes in technology, overall retail landscape and now a pandemic, it reaffirms our success and need in the market”. “Our continued success is a true testament to our people, process, and performance. “

BOSS moved its headquarters in September of 2019 to allow for its continued growth and is committed more than ever to expanding the firms reach. Unfortunately, earlier this year, one of the founding members of BOSS Bob Keingstein passed away after his short bout with cancer. Bob was a prominent figure in the HVAC community and an essential part in BOSS’ success. Bob was also a huge advocate of ACCA and would often tribute a lot of his management success to the association’s programs. From management training to his beloved mixed group, he adored his interactions on both a professional and personal level.

BOSS and all its associates would like to thank their clients for the trust they have given to allow BOSS to meet and exceed their needs daily for the last two decades. We would encourage any new potential clients and partners to reach out to us so that we can forge new relationships delivering on both your short- and long-term goals. 

Economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic will continue in 2021, but stimulus legislation signed into law just after Christmas will help maintain and accelerate the nation’s ongoing recovery, National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said today.

“As we closed out 2020, it was an end to a whirlwind year whose challenging economic environment will almost certainly continue in 2021,” Kleinhenz said. “The coming year might be just as eventful as the economic recovery faces many uncertainties. Recoveries do not proceed in a straight line and the prospects for volatility over the next few months are high. Nonetheless, just like the old Timex watch commercials, the economy takes a licking but keeps on ticking.”

“We expect retail sales spending to see a boost from the new round of stimulus,” Kleinhenz said. “Consumers responded quickly to last spring’s stimulus checks, and distribution of the new checks will come at a critical time that will help carry 2020’s momentum into 2021.”
 

Legislation signed December 27 will provide one-time $600 stimulus checks to individuals making up to $75,000 a year and extends $300 weekly checks for the unemployed for almost three months. The new aid is particularly important to low-income families and the unemployed, who have faced challenges paying day-to-day bills in recent months, Kleinhenz said.

Kleinhenz’s remarks came in the January issue of NRF’s Monthly Economic Review, which said economic activity will likely pick up after the winter months and into mid-year as COVID-19 vaccines allow more activities to resume. The availability of a vaccine during the first quarter – historically a soft spot in the economy every year even without a pandemic – “couldn’t be better,” he said.

Even though full recovery has yet to come, the economy has made considerable progress. Retail sales for the first 11 months of 2020 (excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants) were up 6.6 percent over the same period in 2019 and November’s year-over-year increase of 8.8 percent put the holiday season on track to meet NRF’s forecast of between 3.6 percent and 5.2 percent growth, the report said. Results for the full holiday season will be known when the Census Bureau releases December’s numbers on January 15.

Some of the money normally spent on traveling, dining out and entertainment shifted from services to goods in 2020, especially big-ticket home-related items like appliances and furniture, the report said. Rising wealth from increasing home values and stock prices have supported additional consumer purchases of retail goods, and the new stimulus checks should encourage consumers to “reengage” on non-durable goods and services.
 

While consumer spending and retail sales have largely returned, results have varied among retail sectors and “economic uncertainty is very prevalent and at near-record levels,” the report said. Overall economic activity is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until late 2021 and employment at pre-pandemic levels is unlikely to return until well into 2022 or possibly 2023.

About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.