Document XzNJrp7ENb3GmwQ75ZVXwqzbg

exterior decorator for the northeast Reynolds subsidiary makes use of unique organization in residential building products market What Reynolds operation fabricates, sells door-to-door, arranges financing and in stalls its own products? The answer is Tilo Company. Inc., a Reynolds subsidiary located in Stratford. Conn., and supplier of exterior building products to the homeowner. Under the direction of A. H. Williams, Reynolds vice president and chairman of Tilo. and E. B. Thompson, president and chief executive officer. Tilo considers Itself an "exterior decorator." supplying and installing building products to orotect. modernize and increase the value of homes. Pounded in 1914. the company started primarily as a small producer and seller of aspnalt roofing. Wide acceptance of the company's roof ing soon brought introduction of asphalt and asbestos-cement siding. following merger with Reynolds in 1961. aluminum building products were introduced, and. m September of 1970, TlLO-XL aluminum siding was placed cn the ~arket. According to Mr. Thompson, the future looxs bright. With estimated sales of SI5 5 million in 1970. the company plans tor a 10 per cent growth in sales volume each year. fast growth has been achieved by an organization unique among the com panies that distribute residential building 6 products. Tilo controls all aspects of ns dealings with the homeowner - product manufacture, sales application, financial arrangement and guarantees. sists of a sales force reoorting to a sales supervisor and applicators reporting to a superintendent. Both organizations are under direction of the oranch manager. "Not only does this give us complete control of our product and satisfied cus tomers." Mr. Thompson states, "but since our corporation is built around this unique style of operation, all our peooie are promoted from within. No where that I know of can a successful salesman advance as rapidly as in our company." As proof of this statement, Mr. Thomp son himself started with Tilo as a sales man in October 1947, moving through numerous positions until he was named president in 1963. Manufacturing of the company's prod ucts also takes place in Stratford where enough TILO-XL siding is produced to supply five /erage-sized houses an hour. During 1970. the company closed down its asbestos-cement siding plant and reconverted for the production of TlLO-Xt sidmg. This job took eight months and. during the first week of September, the company held sales semi nars throughout its network of branch offices to introduce the new product. At the same time, the Tilo emblem was modernized to indicate the company's new direction. Presently. Tilo nas 64 branch offices in 12 states, mostly in the Northeast part of the country Each branch office con Almost all sales are through door-todoor selling. The company's philosophy is simple - to call on every homeowner in the area, because the salesman can't know what a potential customer is thinking until he knocks on the door. Salesmen who show promise are trained in the company's own Institute of Exterior Decorating, so they are able to advise the homeowner not only on what products are needed to dress up a home, but also colors and styles. While marketing emphasis is on aluminum siding, the company also sells a variety of other products including asohalt roofing, aluminum storm windows and doors, prime replacement windows, patio covers, rain carrying equipment, soffit and trim and aluminum shutters. In addition to direct sales to the home owner, Tilo's subsidiary - Atlantic Asphalt and Asbestos. inc. - sells asphalt roofing to dealers and distribu tors. Including Triple A s personnel. Tilo has more than 1.200 employees. With new product emphasis, a variety of active sales incentive awards, a recesigned emblem, and the enthusiasm -r.lc people have about their company. . looks like the Reynolds subsidiary 11 continue the pattern growth aat.r. back to 1914 RMC0800280000122