Lancaster is probably the easiest company to get along with. They're very helpful. I'll ask our sales rep a question and he's right on it. If one warehouse is out of something he'll try to get it from another. Just like he does with his own customers, Schuler can count on Lancaster to recommend alternative products if something isn't available. Recently, they were unable to get their usual brand of polyurethane. Our sales rep recommended Old Masters, which Amarillo Paint had never carried. “I said, ‘Hey, what do you have,' and he said, ‘We have about 60 gallons of an Old Masters poly.' That's what we have on the shelf right now.

Lancaster provides Columbia with another advantage; the distributor's fast service and low minimum order allows my team to rely on them and not have too much money tied up in inventory or waste warehouse space storing products we don't need. Lancaster really provides a lot of convenience. I also like the option to split a case. If a customer only needs two brushes and it's something that you're not going to stock, you don't have to order a full case as you would direct from the manufacturer. Lancaster's provided us with great sales reps too. Our territory manager regularly visits the store to present new products and promotions. He assists when it comes to capturing some of our larger jobs researching products.