The building materials industry is crowded with exterior options. With many manufacturers competing for dealer support, it is important we discover what dealers’ value most. You will likely agree that reliable products offered at a fair price are among the top of what dealers want. While these are two primary benefits a company must offer, I have discovered a few more. Within the Aluminum category of products offered by Palmer-Donavin, I have found that Holmes Manufacturing provides three primary benefits to my dealers, making them my go-to aluminum line to help get the job done. Let’s list them out. 

1. Product Availability

Holmes Manufacturing offers over 70 stock colors that are available in a variety of products including drip edge, fascia, rainware, soffit, and trim coil. They also carry a number of uncommon products that are occasionally needed. James Coletti, National Sales Director at Holmes Manufacturing said, “Since 1984, we have continually expanded our product line by adding new products and colors. We work hard to stay connected to the needs of our customers.”

Mike Prentice of McCord’s Do It Best in Indiana shared, “Holmes Aluminum has been a great product for us in terms offering the customer a full scope of products. They can get the color they want in pretty much any aluminum product they desire and any quantity they desire. For me, that’s the biggest selling point.”

The products are local and easily accessible by Palmer-Donavin. We place weekly orders and pick-up product from their local facility located in Killbuck, Ohio. We then use our transfer system to distribute their products to our other branches, making it accessible by all building materials customers. Holmes Manufacturing is consistently reliable, and their inventory of product has remained the same, even during one of the most difficult years, where most manufacturers extended lead times.  

2. Convenience

We come across scenarios where our customer really wants a unique color of fascia, but only needs 10 pieces, not the full box quantity of 25. The chances of selling 15 more pieces of that color are slim, but the customer is not thrilled about taking the full box. What are your options? When using Holmes Manufacturing, this problem is non-existent. Whether Palmer-Donavin stocks the color or not, Holmes Manufacturing allows broken cartons on their products. There is a reasonable 20% upcharge which is a small price to pay to get the exact amount needed. The ability to order small quantities is a big benefit, and we believe it’s a win for all.

“Everyone’s budgets are tight these days, so when you can tell a homeowner or contractor that they won’t be paying for extra material that they simply won’t be using, it’s a win-win for everyone. Holmes Aluminum allows that opportunity,” shared Ben Murphy at Odell Lumber and Supply.

3. Simplicity

Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of Holmes Manufacturing is the way they conduct business. Like many of our customers, Holmes Manufacturing has a small business feel, which makes it easy to do business with them. There is a direct line of communication if there are requests for samples, questions about products, or changes to orders. Many times, you talk to the same person, which can make communication uncomplicated and simple. If changes need to be made to an order or there is an odd request or samples need to be shipped out, their team always gets the answer or request done in a reasonable time frame.

We recommend Holmes Manufacturing and hold them in high regard due to their ability to offer a great customer experience for both the dealer and distributor. They are consistently a reliable source of quality products with effective customer service. Contact us to learn more about their product offering or order now on Connect.