Etowah Chemical Sales and Service: Providing High-Quality Products and Great Customer Service

Published July 2014

 

Etowah Chemical Sales and Service was established in 1980 in Gadsden, AL. We started our business with five employees. Since then, we have opened five additional offices and a Wholesale division in which we private label and train.  In Alabama, we have three locations in Birmingham, Gadsden, and Mobile. In Tennessee, we have two locations: Chattanooga and Knoxville. In Georgia, we have one location in Atlanta. We attribute our growth to good customer service and quality cleaning products at a reasonable price. We have a highly-trained staff with a combined knowledge of hundreds of years of experience. We understand the importance of creating cleaning methods and providing cleaning equipment, chemicals, and procedures that will help our customers cut labor and chemical cost. 

The following are some of the key members of Etowah Chemical Sales and Service.

 

Mike Turner, President

Having been in the chemical business for 40 years, Mike Turner, President of Etowah Chemical Sales and Service, has seen a lot of things change in the cleaning business. From pressure washers to cleaning chemicals, huge advancements have been made. At Etowah Chemical, we have strived to stay up with these advancements by developing new products that are of high quality and are much safer to the end user as well as the surface they are being applied to. Etowah Chemical has six retail stores along with many distributors. When we are developing a new product, we research it through the retail side and perfect it before we introduce it to our wholesale distributors. As President, Turner’s job is to oversee all aspects of Etowah Chemical. “The best thing is we have a great team of well-trained and experienced employees. Every employee of Etowah Chemical’s number one goal is to provide our customers with high-quality products and great customer service. With more than 300 years of experience in the pressure washer and chemical business on our team, we can use that knowledge to help solve our customer’s cleaning problems. I still love coming to work every day and working with our employees to create a better company to serve our customers cleaning needs.”

 

Terry Murray, Vice President

Terry Murray focuses on sales growth, new product development, and brand awareness, all while keeping an eye on Etowah Chemical’s coveted customer service. Murray’s goal is to grow Etowah Chemical’s sales through quality products and efficient service. He strives at maintaining key relationships with customers, employees, business partners, and community partners. His strategy is simple: “Train your employees to do the job you would want done for yourself.” Excellence in our industry is demanded; therefore, he seeks every resource he can to make Etowah Chemical Sales and Service the best cleaning company in the Southeast—the world is next. Murray has been in the cleaning industry for 40 years. Also, he is very active in CETA (Cleaning Equipment Trade Association). CETA has benefited his professional career through networking and product knowledge.

 

Joe Battles, CFO

Joe Battles is an integral part of the strategic planning for Etowah Chemical Sales and Service. Battles keeps the company in a strong financial position that allows the company to take advantage of key economic circumstances. Battles states, “If it is not economically feasible, then it is not feasible.” Asthe world changes and new regulations are adopted, he continues to focus on Etowah Chemical’s long-term financial goals and strategic plans. Battles adds, “The best thing we can do for our customers is be there for them tomorrow.”

 

David Brunton, Chemist

David Brunton has been with Etowah Chemical Sales and Service for 21 years. Brunton is in charge of quality control, research and development, and chemical manufacturing (from a process point of view). Since Brunton has been with Etowah Chemical, great strides have been seen in the reduction of variance from one batch of product to the next. Our chemical’s quality has been very stable. Brunton works with managers, owners, and customers to develop the right chemical for every company. He is always looking for better ingredients to help make Etowah Chemical’s products better.

 

Clay Richardson, Service Manager

Clay Richardson has been with Etowah Chemical Sales and Services since its inception. He started out as a delivery person then moved into sales. Richardson stayed in sales for nearly 20 years. He was asked to take over as the service manager. From that day on, his primary role has been about troubleshooting machine issues that Etowah Chemical employees encounter in the field. His area of expertise is very broad. He is able to repair every kind of pressure washer, janitorial maintenance equipment, and wastewater equipment made. Richardson has dedicated more than 37 years of his life to the cleaning industry. It is his life and he enjoys doing it. 

 

Rex Logan, Manager, Mobile, AL

In the 20 years Rex Logan has been a manager, he has seen a lot of EPA laws come into effect that have affected the day-to-day activities of his branch and his customers. On a daily basis, Logan battles to find the best way to prevent his customers from having wastewater discharged into local rivers, lakes, streams, etc. He takes pride in knowing that educating his customers on the proper chemicals and proper water pressure is helping to protect the area he calls home. When it comes to the environment, he believes that the best value comes with protecting the local wildlife and agriculture.

 

Chris Lewis, Manager, Chattanooga, TN

Chris Lewis has been with Etowah Chemical for 15 years. We specialize in pressure washers, repairs, floor cleaning equipment, and industrial chemicals. I have a great team. The members of our team work as hard as I do. I try to teach them my philosophy: “Anything can be accomplished if you are smarter than the obstacle facing you that is trying to keep you from accomplishing it.” We look at things as opportunities that we can learn from….not problems that we can’t deal with.

 

James Taylor, Manager, Atlanta, GA

James Taylor has been with Etowah for 20-plus years. He started as a service tech and learned the industry from that point of view. Taylor remarks, “When I moved into sales, it was very easy for me to get business because I would sell service. The sales people I competed with could not work on equipment. I would say the main thing that helps me in getting more business is listening to the customer. They will tell you what you need to do to get and keep their business.” Taylor enjoys solving problems that his customers may have. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has two great daughters.

 

Justin James, Manager, Knoxville, TN

Justin James has been Manager since 2011. He is in charge of a multifunction branch focusing on sales and service. James spent his first few years learning the chemical business from the bottom up. He started out as a deliveryman then a service representative. Now, he is the office manager in Atlanta. He spends his time and effort developing strong relationships with his clients. He believes helping his customers solve problems and find solutions is his job. James has been able to add value to all of his clients either through providing efficient service, finding the proper chemical for the job, or developing a strategy to improve the cleaning operations for his clients. His role with Etowah Chemical Sales and Service has continued to implement and sustain their goal to put the customer first and find the right solution for the client.

 

John David (JD) Smith, Assistant Manager, Birmingham, AL

JD started with Etowah Chemical Sales and Service during summer vacations from school in the service department and from there, he moved into sales. Today, he is the assistant manager for one of the largest offices at Etowah Chemical Sales and Service. Smith knew from the first day that he wanted to devote his career to the industrial cleaning industry. While working as a Service Technician and in sales, he gained first-hand knowledge that his expertise and great customer service are the differences that make him a step above his competition. After 22 years, Smith testifies that delivering great service and great products help his customers save time and money. He is happy to be a part of a great organization that puts an emphasis on quality.

 

Clark Greer, Manager, Gadsden, AL

Clark Greer has been with Etowah Chemical Sales and Service for five years; although, he has spent more than 15 years in the cleaning industry. He considers his area of expertise to be hard floor care maintenance. His customers look to him for answers concerning which chemicals to use, methods to use to clean or repair hard floors, and problems that need to be addressed before and after each project. In an industry where competition is fierce, Greer knows his expertise is what sets him apart from other suppliers. He measures his success from helping customers overcome their hurdles and find the best methods and chemicals for every task.