Shortly after the news broke that Ewing-Foley had expanded into the Intermountain region from the West Coast with its acquisition of Denver's Ryall Group, another rep merger in that market is making headlines.
JD Martin, Houston, and I-Pro, Denver, have joined forces in the Rocky Mountain region to form I-Pro Martin, effective immediately. Tim Klinger is president & COO of I-Pro Martin while Greg Baker is CEO.
According to the press release, I-Pro and JD Martin represent many of the same manufacturers, and they believe the merger will accelerate the delivery of services and support for local channel partners and customers, while also expanding growth opportunities for the manufacturers and product portfolios they jointly rep in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
Greg Baker said in the press release, “The I-Pro leadership team has built a solid, successful business. We share many of the same values and similar organizational cultures. Our decision to merge ensures that together we are better positioned to meet the needs of our customers and the manufacturers we represent in the Rocky Mountain region.”
Tim Klinger, CEO and president of I-Pro, added in the release, “We are grateful for the opportunity to join forces with the JD Martin team. I-Pro's current leadership team, organizational structure and staff will remain intact while adding local head count to boost service within existing markets, and the company will continue to serve the commercial, industrial, residential, utility and emerging markets.”
I-Pro has served the Colorado and Wyoming markets since 1995. I-Pro Martin will serve the electrical, electronic, utility and datacom markets in the Rocky Mountain region.
JD Martin entered Colorado earlier this year with two of their largest manufacturer partners. The independent manufacturers' representative has served OEMs MRO contractors and end-user markets in industries such as oil & gas, mining, steel, wastewater treatment, wind power generation and commercial construction through electrical distributors for more than 68 years.
The firm’s regional coverage includes more than 15 states in territories, including Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, the Carolinas and Florida. In 2018, JD Martin also expanded its regional coverage with an alliance with The Schell Co. to cover Louisiana and Mississippi and the Gulf Coast area.
According to information at its website, www.jdmartin.com, the company was founded in Dallas by Jim Martin in 1954 and now operates warehouses in Houston (three), Dallas, Tampa, FL, and Charlotte, NC.
Both companies are active members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA).