AVAC Corporation
Where did it start?
It all started in the early 1950s when Sam Battisto, a district sales manager for the Hoover Company, decided to go off on his own and start A-1 Vacuum Cleaner Company in St. Paul, MN.
Or was it started…
It all started in the early 1940s when Oscar Dick decided to open National Vacuum Supply Co. on 14th Street in Manhattan, NY.
Both starts signified the beginning of companies that converged into what is now known as AVAC Corporation. Sam grew his business, a local retail store, into what is today one of the leading independent vacuum stores in the region. Other local dealers started to come to Sam of supplies because he was able to buy in larger quantities and pass those savings on. With the help of his family (wife Ruth and five kids) Sam decided to make the wholesale division a reality and created Midamerica Vacuum Supply Company in 1976. Oscar also grew his retail business in Manhattan by adding a manufacturing and sewing operation and with the help of his family (wife Gert and son Jack) became one of the leading wholesale distributors in the country. After Oscar’s passing, son Jack moved the operation to New Jersey.
Sons Jack (National) and Russ (Midamerica) met (with help from Paul Genoa, another leader in the industry) and formed a relationship that would span almost 20 years.
In 1980 Jack Dick and Russ Battisto formalized their working relationship by forming American Vacuum Associates Company or AVAC.
In 1983 National Vacuum opened a division in Nashville, TN.
In 1984 Midamerica Vacuum opened a division (Sunset Vac) in Sacramento, CA.
Sam, Ruth and daughter Sue moved to Sacramento to head up that operation.
Russ, Robyn, Sally and Rhonda stayed in cold country to run Midamerica. The four companies (National, PioTenn., Midamerica & Sunset) worked together serving independent vacuum dealers across the country and beyond under the AVAC umbrella.
In 1986 the four companies were connected by computer sharing information such as customer database and inventory.
In 1995, after the unexpected passing of Jack Dick, Russ and Sam attempted to salvage the association and merged the four companies in to one entity called AVAC Corporation.
In 1997 AVAC consolidated by closing the New Jersey and Nashville warehouses.
In 2005 Sam and Ruth retired and sold their operation in Sacramento, CA.
Sue went with the new operation, which leaves AVAC Corporation with the St. Paul, MN, operation today.
With the recent introduction of their Web site and planning an eventual move to bigger facilities in 2006, Russ and wife, Mary along with sister, Rhonda and daughter, Gina have positioned AVAC Corporation well to grow and prosper by serving the independent vacuum cleaner dealer for many years to come.
http://AVACorp.com
11-19-05 |
