CWP launches 2 new Bissell Products

CWP names new GM

Congratulations Al!

CWP launches 2 new Bissell Brushroll Products

Starting October 1st, CWP will have Bissell Cleanview, 12" and 14", brushrolls available for purchase. The 12" brushroll also fits Bissell's Power Force and Power Glide models.

CWP TECHNOLOGIES NAMES NEW GENERAL MANAGER

Cleveland, Ohio —June, 2008—CWP Technologies announced the appointment of Bruce Ziegler as General Manager of Sales, Marketing and Operations for this firm. CWP Technologies is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and has been a leader in Floor care products for over 70 years.

In his role, Bruce will lead the sales and marketing team in exceeding customer and consumer expectations at every level. Taking customer partnerships to a new level of prosperity will be a key goal. Bruce has over 20 years of successful sales and marketing experience. Most recently, he was General Manager of Kirby Home Care Products which was sold and marketed globally. Previously, Ziegler worked at the Sherwin-Williams Company where he had the opportunity to drives sales for national brands like Pratt & Lambert, Sherwin-Williams, Disney Home Products, Thompson’s, Anne Geddes, The Williamsburg Foundation, Martin Senour Paints and numerous private label customers. His broad range of experience in product development, channel management and customer partnerships will be the basis for growth.

For over 70 years, CWP Technologies (formerly known as Cleveland Wood Products) has provided high value solutions to its customers in the vacuum and food service industries through an array of capabilities: Engineering Design, Quality and Innovative Products, Global Manufacturing, Customer Service and In-House Testing. World renown for its brushroll products, CWP Floorcare is the flagship brand. CWP is a division of the Scott Fetzer Corporation who is one of the Berkshire Hathaway Companies.

Congratulations Al!

Alfred Harold Stegens of CWP was recently inducted into the Vac Dealer Trade Association Hall of Fame at the 2006 Las Vegas show for is life time commitment to serving the vac industry as an engineer, and expert and a friend to all. CWP is proud to see Al's countless accomplishments recognized by the entire community through this VDTA award. The hall of fame was created in 1994 to honor the men and women who have played an essential part in building the vac industry to what it is today.

Alfred Harold Stegens was born in 1930 and began working at CWP ("Cleveland Wood Products") in 1961. Now at the age of 75, with a mere 44 years at CWP, Al continues to come to work everyday, spending time in his model shop creating brush roll samples, by hand, for CWP customers. Al has 20 patents to his credit proving his creative side, but it's the list of CWP customers that verifies the reliability, performance and cost effectiveness of his designs. His brush roll designs have been used by every single major OEM and distributor in the entire US vac market and beyond.

Al is known throughout the industry, and by his peers, as "Mr. 50-50", because of his standard answer when asked, "Al, how you doin'?" He always replies, "50-50." If you don't believe me, just ask him.

Al's work ethic can be summarized as passionate and workmanlike. Al is simply a nice guy who attacks opportunities with energy and a common sense approach, and he does so with a friendly smile on his face (plus a Dilbert cartoon in his shirt pocket). Al is a classic "cut-and-try" engineer. He has a tremendous understanding of mechanics and the way things work. Al is constantly creating new features for a product thought to "just sweep dirt out of the carpet." Although unofficial, Al is also believed to be the World Record Holder for purchasing the most vacuum cleaners by an individual. During his tenure at CWP, Al has purchased more than 300 vacs for test and educational purposes. It goes without saying that the commission based, millionaire-sales-lady at Sears, loves him.

In the end, Al's devotion for his work has resulted in many satisfied OEM engineers, countless number of vac shop owners who have enjoyed higher earnings, and millions of consumers who hardly recognize the benefits they are receiving.

Aside from CWP, Al is a devoted husband, father and grandfather. His marriage is to his life long soul-mate Lois with whom he's had 3 children. His oldest son Eric has followed in his footsteps and been Al's assistant at CWP for the past 26 years. Al believes now that the time has come to swap roles and he envisions himself as being Eric's assistant for the next 26 years. Al is also an avid model maker. He competes internationally and does own verifiable World Records in control-line model airplane flying.

Al has always been content staying out of the spotlight, but the time has come for his life-long accomplishments to be brought forward and recognized.