August 28/September 4: Volume 32, Issue 6
The following feature is the ninth installment in a series highlighting the 14 distributors that constitute Bravo Services, a group comprising many of the top flooring wholesalers in the country. Here we focus on Buckwold Western.
Buckwold Western has been family owned and operated since 1925, spanning four generations of the Buckwold family. Founded by Harry Buckwold as a general dry goods distributor selling pots and pans, clothing, footwear, furniture and the original painted oil cloth rugs, floor covering became part of the business in the late 1940s and is now its only focus. Buckwold Western became an Armstrong distributor in 1952 and today is the exclusive Armstrong distributor in Western Canada.
Buckwold Western’s seasoned sales team includes commercial specifiers who drive business for its customers by encouraging project developers to select products on which its dealer/supplier partners can profit. Its association with Bravo Services gives Buckwold’s management and staff access to creative ideas and cutting-edge technology it uses in the marketplace. “Our strong customer base, low-cost distribution network, strong financial position and exceptional sales team set the foundation to add value to all of our customers and suppliers,” said Bruce Buckwold, president. “Most importantly, we strive for honesty, integrity and mutually beneficial long-term relationships in our dealings with all our business partners.”
A big challenge today is responding effectively to a new generation of competitors, including direct Internet sellers and suppliers of lower-quality offshore product. “Many smaller competitors and agents are importing flooring materials and competing on price alone through the Internet while offering minimal service and unreliable quality,” Buckwold said. “This makes it difficult for consumers and retailers to differentiate between quality and price. Educating the market is an ongoing challenge and goal for us.”
Going above and beyond
Buckwold Western is the only full-line flooring distributor with warehousing in the six major centers of Western Canada; as such, it can provide locally stocked inventory, cheaper freight and logistical fluidity. The company’s warehouses can stage multi-family, new housing and large commercial projects, and its local service centers can assist dealers in managing inventory and costs.
Nuts & bolts
Geographic coverage: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territory, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory. Buckwold Western’s sister company, Wanke Cascade, services the U.S. Pacific Northwest with three locations.
Brands: Armstrong Flooring, Carpenter, Carpet Craft, Cascade, Crossville, Dansk Hardwood, EasyStep, Glide N Guard, Johnsonite, Lexmark, Phenix, SCI.
For more information on Buckwold Western, call 306.652.1660 or visit buckwold.com. For more information on Bravo Services, contact
John Carney at 214.215.2880 or visit bravoservices.com.