The Painting and Decorating Association is the UK’s largest trade and employer’s association in the painting and decorating industry with members across the country. Since 1894, they have been committed to encouraging best practice across the industry.
The PDAs purpose is to promote a range of services offered to the trade by its members to UK commercial markets and consumers. They continually strive to improve the image of this sector and establish and maintain business relationships with paint and coatings manufacturers for the benefit of their members.
Premier Paint Roller Company LLC announces the new Made in U.S.A. Professional Paint Brush Initiative.
In 2018 Premier Paint Roller released their first two lines of 100% Handcrafted in USA, Dupont™ filament professional paint brushes. The Montauk®, a Tynex®/Orel® firm filament blend and the Riverdale®, Chinex® extra firm filament blend is specially formulated for high-performance paints.
Premier’s mission is to develop the highest quality paint brushes for use with the new, zero to low VOC, high viscosity paints being sold today. They are currently available for purchase in independent paint stores throughout the United States.
Premier Paint Roller Co LLC of Richmond Hill, New York, is proud to announce a significant investment and expansion of its Made in USA products. Premier, a third-generation, family-owned business, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2018 and is one of the oldest, independent, paint applicator manufacturers in North America. Premier has been located in NYC since its founding in 1968. This major investment in both machinery and upgrade of its Queens, New York, facility
represents a serious long-term commitment to the growth and longevity of the company.
“Premier has been manufacturing high-quality roller covers for decades and it made complete strategic sense for us to apply that commitment to high-quality paint brushes as well. We have been one of the largest importers of paint brushes for many years and used this knowledge to identify growth opportunities of various quality-levels of Made in USA brushes,” said Kevin Leichter, third generation and current CEO of Premier. “We are proud to partner with DuPont® who has been
extremely supportive of our initial roll-out with paintbrush filaments manufactured in their West Virginia facility. It has been great to partner with a large company that supports our quest to grow manufacturing in the United States, especially here at home in New York City. Additionally, as we begin to roll-out various products, our customers have also been extremely supportive and eager to commit to domestically made brushes.”
Premier Paint Roller’s corporate office is located in Richmond Hill, Queens. It has a new West Coast facility located in Phoenix, Arizona and recently opened a warehouse in Mexico City to assist in its Latin American expansion plans. Additionally, an office in Shanghai handles quality control and sourcing.
Please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Leichter at kevin@premierpaintroller.com or Sari Nathan sari@premierpaintroller.com with any questions.
When Harry Leichter founded Premier Paint Roller Co. LLC in 1968, he sought to create quality paint rollers. As the industry evolved, the company moved with it, shifting to synthetic roller fabrics and adapting to polyesters and wovens. One area of the business where Premier Paint Roller never wavered was in its commitment to working with independents.
“My grandfather started the business focused on the independent channel, and that continued when my father Morty took over after him,” says Kevin Leichter, CEO of the Richmond Hill, New York-based company. “Our business was built on the distribution model and independent retailers throughout North America. We’re continuing to focus on growing that channel.”
Today, through direct relationships and distribution groups, Premier Paint Roller supplies thousands of independent retailers and other industry retailers. In addition to a full line of rollers, the company now offers brushes, roller frames, extension poles, drop cloths, prep tools and more. To assist retailers, the company provides product catalogs and in-store displays that can be customized for larger customers.
As the company has expanded its product line, it also has expanded its facilities. In addition to the corporate headquarters in Richmond Hill, the company operates an office in Shanghai along with facilities in Phoenix and Mexico City. The Richmond Hill facility exceeds 200,000 square feet in total real estate.
This year, the company celebrates its 50th year producing applicator products. Helmed by the third generation of family ownership, Premier Paint Roller is embarking on a new expansion in its line to mark its longevity in the industry.
The business is reinvesting in manufacturing in order to bring a new line of products to market. In the past, Premier Paint Roller offered its own line of paintbrushes, but the company decided to shift away from that business segment. However, Leichter believes the company’s success with rollers can be focused on other applicators going forward.
“I said, ‘If we’re offering these independent dealers very high-quality and very competitively priced roller covers, why can’t we do it for them with a
100 percent DuPont™ Chinex® brush or a DuPont™ nylon poly paintbrush as well?’” Leichter says. “This is an over seven-figure investment with the newest and best equipment available from around the world. I’m confident we have a global team in place to execute this over the next few months, and we plan on growing this part of the business and offering the independent channel and our contractors a very high-quality brush at a very competitive price.”
Premier Paint Roller isn’t taking this investment lightly, Leichter says. As a U.S. manufacturer, he knows the paint and decorating industry is a competitive market. By offering new products and investing capital into manufacturing, Leichter hopes to make Premier Paint Roller a more comprehensive source for his customers.
Over the past five decades, Premier Paint Roller has experienced a lot of growth and change, something Leichter expects to continue for the next five decades and beyond. He and his sister, Sari Nathan, who serves as COO, are committed to growing the business.
As the third generation of the family to run Premier Paint Roller, Leichter and Nathan believe the investment in new products will help continue the business’s growth and ensure it remains as committed to retailers’ success in the future.
“Everything Sari and I do is always in the best interests of the company in terms of the long-term outlook,” he says. “There’s nothing we’d do for our business that is on a short-term horizon. It’s a very different model than a larger company that is publicly traded.”
That independent mindset is something Premier Paint Roller has in common with its independent customers. “Many paint and hardware retailers are family-owned businesses just like ourselves,” Leichter says. “There aren’t too many family-owned manufacturers left in the U.S. It’s very important to us.”
PHOENIX — A U.S.-based paint-roller company now calls Phoenix home.
Premier Paint Roller – which used have its West Coast operations based out of Portland, Oregon – has moved into a new location in Phoenix.
The new location is a 40,000-square-foot space near Buckeye Road and 35th Avenue that will serve as a products distribution center.
CEO Kevin Leichter said he began looking for a new location about a year ago and was very impressed with what Phoenix had to offer from day one.
“When I started this process, I said … ‘I’m looking at a few different cities. I know some people that have had a good experience in Phoenix; obviously, I like the weather. So, out of the gate, you have an advantage,’” he said.
“’But on a serious note, I don’t know one person in the Phoenix area, so I’m going to need your help. And everybody was very, very helpful.’”
Leichter said there were other good reasons for moving to Phoenix.
“If you’re servicing customers on a national level, being in the Southwest – and being in Phoenix – is a lot more desirable than being up in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “Another reason is that we found Phoenix to be competitive in being able to move product.”
The move, Leichter said, could also help with the company’s new branch in Mexico.
“It’s possible that we could be manufacturing more and more products in Mexico. Moving some of that product up to Phoenix would be more cost-effective than up to Portland, Oregon.”
“The business-friendly environment that has been established in Greater Phoenix is continuing to be a draw for companies who are looking for a place to scale their operations and a community to be a part of,” said Chris Camacho, president, and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “I join our partners from the city of Phoenix in welcoming Premier to Phoenix.”
In addition to Premier Paint Roller’s West Coast operations, it has its headquarters in Richmond Hill, New York, and operations in Shanghai.
The company has been in business for 50 years. It makes paint rollers, brushes, and all kinds of related accessories.
Premier is a family-owned and operated company, going back three generations.
New facility will provide company greater access to customers
PHOENIX (February 27) – New York based Premier – one of the largest manufacturers of paint rollers, paint brushes, and related accessories in the U.S. – has expanded their footprint to Phoenix, relocating the operations from Portland.
Premier is a family-owned and operated company, going back three generations, and is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018. The expansion to Phoenix will be one of four company locations and will increase their connectivity to their growing consumer base.
“Premier is proud to call Phoenix our new home. Strategically, it was an easy decision to make a move from Portland, OR as we can better serve our customers on a national level. The pro-business environment will also enable Premier to expand its warehouse/manufacturing in the future” said Kevin Leichter, CEO of Premier Paint Roller Co LLC.
In addition to their headquarters in Richmond Hill, New York, Premier also has operations in Shanghai and Mexico City. The new location in Phoenix is a 40,000 square foot space in Phoenix near Buckeye Road and 35th Avenue, and will serve as a products distribution center.
“Premier’s location in Phoenix places its distribution center close to the new Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway,” said Phoenix City Councilman Michael Nowakowski. “Their location in Phoenix is not only near the Interstate 10-Loop 202 interchange but also close to where the future State Route 30 freeway will connect Loop 202 to S.R. 85 in west Buckeye. Premier is tapping into our major logistics industry, a major source of employment in southwest Phoenix.”
“The business-friendly environment that has been established in Greater Phoenix is continuing to be a draw for companies who are looking for a place to scale their operations and a community to be a part of,” said Chris Camacho, president & CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “I join our partners from the city of Phoenix in welcoming Premier to Phoenix.”
Assisting the company with the new building were Rusty Kennedy of CBRE Phoenix, and Don and Payson MacWilliam of Colliers.
About Premier Paint Roller Premier is one of the largest manufacturers of paint rollers, paint brushes and related accessories in North America. We manufacture high-quality products for various market segments. Three generations of leadership have committed to setting the highest standards of excellence for paint accessories in the industry. For more information, visit PremierPaintRoller.com.
About the City of Phoenix Phoenix is the fifth-largest American city, home to 1.6 million people. The most populous state capital, it was named the 2017 “Highest Performing City” by Governing Magazine. Key industries include advanced business and financial services, technology, health and life sciences, hospitality, and advanced manufacturing. At 517 square miles, with world-renowned mountain trails and opportunity for diverse lifestyles, Phoenix has the shortest average commute times among the 12 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Founded in 1868, Phoenix’s wild-west roots grew to host major events in a dynamic downtown for the Super Bowl, NCAA championships and music festivals. For more information, visit Phoenix.gov.
About the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) A true public-private partnership, GPEC is the regional economic development organization for Greater Phoenix. Working with its 22 member communities, Maricopa County and more than 160 private investors, GPEC attracts quality businesses to this dynamic region. By creating a high-performance economy through capital investments and jobs, Greater Phoenix companies enjoy a business climate where they can compete and thrive in today’s global economy. Since 1989, GPEC has worked to achieve an economically sound and sustainable region. For more information, visit www.gpec.org.
One businessman is not waiting to see how discussions over the trade agreement shake out to expand in Mexico
Regardless of what happens to the North American Free Trade Agreement, Queens businessman Kevin Leichter is planning to expand in Mexico. Last week his Premier Paint Roller Co. of Richmond Hill announced the opening of an office and warehouse in Mexico City. The goal is to build relationships with customers there and throughout Latin America. If things take off as Leichter hopes, he might build a Mexican factory and start manufacturing south of the border. “It’s such a compelling opportunity,” he said. “It’s something we would do with or without NAFTA.”
Leichter’s attitude may well answer the question of what NAFTA ’s demise would mean to New York companies that export or manufacture throughout North America. President Donald Trump has long trashed the agreement with Mexico and Canada and now is reportedly planning to kill it altogether. But tearing up the deal likely wouldn’t damage the city’s economy in any meaningful way. Nor would it help restore upstate’s decimated manufacturing sector. The benefits of operating and selling across the border would still outweigh the costs even if those costs rise.
That said, Canada is the state’s top trading partner. If tariffs rise, Diamond District merchants who import precious metals could be hurt, as could dealers of agricultural products. But most of the city’s cross-border business is based on providing financial and other services to international clients, and those sectors probably wouldn’t be affected much if NAFTA were torn apart, said Robert Scott of the Economic Policy Institute. Scrapping the deal would be unlikely to stoke investment in factory towns, Scott added, because operating costs are far less in China and elsewhere overseas. “As for upstate manufacturing,” he said, “that ship has sailed.”
For Leichter, the facts are plain: Wages in Mexico remain much lower than for his unionized workforce in Queens. He doesn’t see that changing anytime soon, no matter how the trade winds blow.
Premier Paint Roller Co LLC of Richmond Hill, New York, is proud to announce the opening of its first facility outside the United States. Premier, celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2018, is one of the oldest, family-owned paint applicator manufacturers in North America. This new, modern facility, will significantly expand Premier’s reach and continue to offer its Latin American customers a full-service, innovative, and quality-driven applicator source. Premier’s expertise in manufacturing paint rollers and paint brushes, combined with in-depth knowledge of importing, will create many advantages for our customers throughout the Americas. In addition to Mexico City, Premier has offices in Portland, OR, Shanghai and New York City.
“The Leichter’s are excited to have Abud Levy and his family join our management team. The two families complement one another in many ways; focused on quality, service and offering a “family touch” to the way we go to market and treat our customers. We are very committed to growing our business on a global level” said Kevin Leichter of Premier Paint Roller.
“We are very pleased with the opening in Mexico. The quality and experience of Premier will enable us to satisfy the needs of Mexico, as well as all of the Latin American markets. The Levy family is proud to be a part of this new company and we are confident that the experience of both families will be a win-win for the customers as well.” said Abud Levy of Premier Paint Roller Mexico.
The warehouse and office is now open and has already begun shipping product throughout Mexico. Please do not hesitate to contact Kevin Leichter at kevin@premierpaintroller.com or Abud Levy at alevy@premierpaintroller.com with any questions.
We thank you for all of your past support and look forward to continuing to grow with you in the years to come.
