Not just any supplier could have met a unique need for central Pennsylvania-based Bloomsburg Carpet, a maker of diverse, high-quality commercial carpet products. Among the chemicals required in its manufacture of aircraft carpeting was fire-retardant latex. Bloomsburg purchased latex from a vendor in the American south, but never needed tanker shipments of the fire-retardant formulation — and long-distance purchasing in smaller quantities meant higher prices.
A cold call from Paradigm Labs suggested to the carpet maker that they could save substantially on shipping from a supplier just 45 miles away. As it turned out, Paradigm had more to offer than freight savings alone.
“We need both white and black fire retardant latex,” said Bloomsburg CFO Adam Bowman, “so we used to inventory both kinds.” Paradigm suggested the purchase of white latex, plus pigment enabling Bloomsburg to blend the black variety itself on site.
“They developed this for us until it looked exactly the way it should,” Bowman explained. “They were happy to provide as many samples as it took until they got it exactly right.”
“Paradigm was very responsive from the beginning. To give you an example, when they needed a sample of the existing stuff, they gave us a container to send it with a prepaid return label. That’s not a huge thing, maybe, but to me it’s exceptional customer service. They turned out to be a great company.”
The Covid 19 emergency has given many businesses the chance to help their communities — sometimes in their commercial capacities, sometimes as charitable givers. In its work supporting its home-county Schuylkill United Way, Paradigm Labs responded to the opportunity to do both.
Kelly Malone, executive director of the SUW, received a grant early in the pandemic — a substantial one amounting to more than $260,000 — with the mandate to use it for the community’s immediate benefit.
At the time, hand sanitizing fluids were in heavy demand and short supply. Malone saw a widespread need for these products throughout the United Way service area. Through a regional manufacturers and employers association, she made the connection with Paradigm, which went promptly into action to produce a substantial supply. Among the recipients were the SUW’s 15 partner agencies, area churches, all 13 school districts in the county, and many individuals.
The protection enabled by this action was significant and widespread — but the SUW/Paradigm partnership wasn’t finished yet. “After that first order,” Malone said, “Paradigm let me know that they had another six or seven pallets of sanitizer available, and that they were willing to give it to us. And I’m not one to turn down an opportunity like that.”
Both the initial purchase and the succeeding gift have contributed in an important way to public health. “At a time when the community of Schuylkill County had a need for hand sanitizer,” Malone says, “Paradigm stepped up to the plate when asked. By doing so and collaborating with the Schuylkill United Way, the needs of our community were met and exceeded.
“Paradigm is a true community partner and showed so during the recent pandemic. We look forward to working with them in the future.”
Even a long-established national provider of fluid chemical products can benefit at times from the help of a specialist manufacturer.
That’s what Misco Products Corp., Reading, Pa., discovered when pandemic times brought on the need for new hand-sanitizer formulations. Misco manufactures liquid cleaning chemicals used primarily in exclusive branding for the janitorial, sanitation, food service, education, healthcare and other commercial and industrial markets. At the onset of the Covid-19 contagion, with sanitizers in strong demand, the company’s internal team was already dedicating much of its development capacity to other work.
Through a personal connection with VP Brendan Maier, Misco called on Paradigm for development and manufacturing support. “They were able to create a solution for us that perfectly suited our customer,” says Becky Banks, Misco’s Director of Supply Chain.
“Using certain materials — isopropyl, ethanol — Paradigm sourced what was needed and found a way to make this happen.” The project also demanded assistance on the packaging front; Paradigm located the right plastic pumps, a component that was cost effective and delivered in timely fashion.
According to Banks, the process took less than four weeks from inception to first delivery. “We had samples in a week and a half, ordered the following week, and had delivery in another week and a half,” she says. She also explains that Paradigm’s ability to manufacture in sufficient quantity was important.
“Based on the initial forecasts given by our customers,” she says, “Paradigm’s response was remarkable. They were promising deliveries that were completely satisfactory, especially considering the availability of certain raw materials and packaging components.”