DuPage co-owners Sam and Peter Kuhlman sporting the KN95 masks.
By Andy Kriege, YSN
When brothers Sam and Peter Max Kuhlman, principals of appliance installation parts supplier DuPage Industries, heard that some BrandSource members were having a hard time sourcing critical healthcare items such as hand sanitizer and face masks, they knew they had to step up.
This prompted the duo to search their network of suppliers to find a source that could provide the right items at the right price. Fortunately, the brothers were able to source both masks and sanitizer and are offering them to BrandSource dealers at cost, as a courtesy to help keep their families, employees and customers protected.
“We are not looking to make money off these items, we are looking to help keep our customers safe. We will be happy to break even on these items,” stated Peter.
The masks themselves are KN95 masks, designed to similar standards as the N95 masks that are certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, yet at $3 each are less expensive and far more abundant. Equally important, purchasing these masks will not take critical supplies away from healthcare providers who use the N95 models.
The masks can be ordered in any quantity with no minimum. “These masks are definitely a step up from the cloth or the homemade masks,” Peter said. “We feel comfortable that we are not taking away from the hospitals as their equipment is one level above these. We also feel good that we can make these items available to our extended BrandSource family so that they can get them without paying inflated prices.”
The Kuhlmans also located a supplier for hand sanitizer at a fair price. The product ships in 17-ounce bottles that are priced at $8.50 each for BrandSource members and can be purchased in any quantity.
DuPage expects to receive an initial supply of masks and sanitizer next week and will ship out orders as soon as they take possession. They are starting out with a pallet of sanitizer and a couple thousand masks and will order more as demand warrants. If masks or sanitizer are included in a regular purchase order that exceeds $150, shipping will be free; otherwise members will only be charged actual shipping costs. DuPage is now taking pre-orders on their website at dupageindustries.com.
DuPage, headquartered in the greater Chicago area, is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of appliance installation parts. Sam and Peter are active members of AVB’s Young Professionals group, and together with their dad and partner Peter Sr. are passionate supporters of BrandSource.
