Welcome to Butler Bros.
We have a solution for that! Family-owned and operated since 1952. At Butler, our customer’s success is our mission. We strive to supply the best products, solutions, and service to help them achieve their goals. Our customer-focused approach has allowed us to become New England’s largest independent full line industrial distributor. We have 140+ dedicated employees serving our customers from five locations in New England, upper state New York, and North Carolina.
Our Story
Butler Bros. was founded in 1952 by John and Frank Butler to serve the booming footwear industry that was prevalent throughout Northern New England following World War II. John and Frank, the original “Butler Brothers” saw a need to provide products and service for the growing industry. They became the “go-to” experts on shoe eyelets, abrasives, rubber products, and stitching supplies all used in shoe factories and tanneries. They stocked product locally and often delivered in their station wagons. Their vision then, was much like the vision today – “to provide personalized service at a fair price.”
John’s son, Pat Butler, joined the company after college in 1979. At that time, the shoe industry was going through a transformation. Factories producing footwear had many people doing lots of hand work (stitching, sanding, cementing, etc.) and with the increasing costs, the industry began moving offshore to Mexico, China, and Vietnam where labor costs were much lower.
Since John and Frank had built a great foundation of sales and service, Pat quickly realized that the company needed to pivot and serve other industries if it was going to survive into the future. With a great foundation of local stock and great customer service, Pat recognized that he could take some of the products sold to the footwear and tannery industries to other industries.
In 1980, Pat began selling Norton coated abrasives to the furniture industry and landed a big contract with a large ship builder in Maine – Bath Iron Works. He also hired two people from an industrial distributor in Portland, Maine that was closing. The two individuals were strong in cutting tools and equipment related to the metalworking industry. Now, Butler Bros. was becoming a full-line industrial distributor of cutting tools, abrasives, safety, packaging, and general MRO products.
In 2000, Butler Bros. moved into their current home, a 68,000 sq. ft. building in Lewiston, Maine. In subsequent years they acquired smaller distributors in other regions that shared their same vision of providing exceptional customer service. Today, with home base still in Lewiston, Maine, they have branch locations in Syracuse, NY, Randolph, MA, Greensboro, NC, and New London, NH. Over the years, Butler Bros. has hired many hard working and dedicated people who remain the cornerstone of their success.
Our Culture
The following 20 Fundamentals are the foundation of our Company Culture. These describe the key behaviors that have contributed to our past success and those that are essential for our continued success.
We Are a Company That Cares
Listen for and pay attention to the things that make people special. Utilize in-person encounters, hand-written notes, emails, impressions, and phone calls to acknowledge a person's uniqueness and achievements in a way that means the most to them. Get to know the people around you and show them you care. This goes for customers and employees.
Work As a Team
"No ONE of us knows as much as ALL of us." Reach out to all of the key stakeholders even if it's time consuming. Get their input and provide your own. Each of us brings a unique skill set to the table. Together, there is no task too big for us to accomplish. Seek input and be open to feedback.
Operate With Integrity
Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and every decision you make, even when no one is looking. Always tell the truth. When you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and try to make it right.
Always Add Value
Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Guard against complacency. Find ways to get things done better, faster, and more efficiently. Provide encouragement to others.
Be Flexible
Apply your creativity, spirit, and enthusiasm to developing solutions, rather than pointing fingers and dwelling on problems. What got us here is not the same as what will get us to the next level. Get outside your comfort zone, rather than stubbornly hanging on to old ways of doing things.
Promote From Within
Our people are our best asset. Push each other. Make each other great. Recognize people that are going the extra mile. Reward employees that demonstrate passion for their job and leadership skills. Be generous with your praise.
Deliver Exceptional Service
Be diligent with your work and do the little things just as well as the big things. Create loyalty by going the extra mile and doing the unexpected. Create extraordinary experiences customers and coworkers will tell others about. Makesomeone’s day. Your attitude is contagious. Be positive and have a passion forwhat we do.
Continuous Improvement
Take responsibility for making things happen. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Make our customers better. Deliver exceptional service and solutions to help themoperate more efficiently.
Listen Kindly
Listening is more than “not speaking.” Be present and engaged and open to points of view that are different than your own. Don’t shoot the messenger. Allow others to express themselves without judgement and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Sometimes we need to hear what’s being said. Listen with care and empathy. And above all, listen to understand.
Be Dependable
”Do what you say and say what you mean!” There is no better way to build trust. This includes being on time for all phone calls, appointments, meetings, and promises. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, speak up and agree on a new deliverable to be honored. Dependability is critical in our industry and builds trust.
No Customer Is Too Small
As we grow and get larger, we can’t forget about the customers that helped us get here. Customers still appreciate a “personal touch”. Understand your customers. Know their challenges and frustrations. See things from their perspective. The better you understand them, the more effectively you can anticipate and meet their needs.
Collaborate
Go above and beyond to communicate with others. Be clear. Don’t worry about 100% agreement; work on getting a consensus. Make the best decisions you can, explain them fully, and be sure to acknowledge everyone’s contributions. Seek input and be open to feedback.
Treat People With Respect
Treat people the way you want to be treated. This builds trust and, in turn, strong relationships. Pay attention to every interaction with others and be sure you are setting a tone of friendliness, warmth, and helpfulness. Work from the assumption that people are good, fair, and honest, and that the intention behind their actions is positive.
Be Honest
Be direct, and tell people what you really think. If you don’t know something, say that you don’t know. If someone isn’t getting it done, let them know. Be willing to raise issues that may cause conflict when it’s necessary for team success. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.
Have Each Others' Back
Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. Reach out beyond your department or division to help each other succeed. Make sure every decision is about advancing team goals and a result of the collaboration.
Share Ideas
With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information and ideas up, down,and sideways. Share the good with the bad and in a timely manner. The more people know, the better we can collaborate. Learn to ask yourself, “who else needsto know this?” Our business is built on trust. Transparency is essential for trust.
Be a Fanatic About Response Time
People expect us to respond to their questions and concerns promptly, whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by email. This includes simply acknowledging that we’re “on it,” as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues.
Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Take care of yourself at work and at home. Stay happier, healthier, and more productive by balancing your time between work, community, family, emotional/spiritual well-being, and physical fitness.
Have Fun
While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has biggerproblems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Stuff happens. Keep perspective. Don’t take things personally or take yourself too seriously. Laughevery day and enjoy the journey we’re on together.
Give Back to the Community
Be passionate about helping others. Regularly seek opportunities to assist those in need. Your time is valuable and gifting it can make a world of difference in the lives of many. The beauty of giving back is that it does not have to be extravagant. We can all impact our community and world for the better.