Gilman Brothers Hires Molly McCleary as New Strategic Sales Associate

AUGUST 7, 2019

The Gilman Brothers Company is pleased to announce the addition of Molly McCleary as Strategic Sales Associate.  Molly will round out the commercial team at the company’s Gilman, CT headquarters.

Molly will be responsible for maintaining and expanding relationships with strategic customers while achieving sales quota and assigned account objectives. Additionally, she will be instrumental in research and data collection to pave the way for new product and service introductions within new targeted markets.

Molly comes to The Gilman Brothers Company with a background in customer service, team management and strategic problem solving in a fast-paced environment.  She is eager to be part of a dynamic team focused on mutual profitable growth for Gilman Brothers and our channel partners.

Exceeding customer expectations continues to be the driving force at Gilman Brothers as all team members strive to build a fully supportive and productive relationship with every channel partner.  "Molly’s new position as Strategic Sales Associate is yet another integral piece of the puzzle needed for the development of new products and services for the entire supply chain," says Ari Luna, Business Development Manager.  “Molly brings with her an expertise in market research and will be pivotal in exploring cutting-edge technologies and new product introductions.”

Molly enjoys gardening and plays the cello in her spare time.  She and her family are passionately involved in foster care and adoption.

Gilman Brothers Booth Brings Chicago Style Fun to GlobalShop 2019

July 1, 2019

For the fourth year in a row, The Gilman Brothers Company has wowed GlobalShop attendees with a show-stopping, one-of-a-kind booth built entirely of their popular rigid graphics boards.  This year’s Chicago themed, stand-alone booth featured a “brick and steel” structure topped with an iconic graffitied elevated rail car.  Shop counters below showcased colorful examples of POP displays made with INFINITY® Styrene Faced Foam and EAGLECELL™ All Paper Honeycomb Graphics Board.

Adding to the buzz and excitement of the Chicago theme, show attendees were met by a special guest appearance of Jake and Elwood, The Blues Brothers, who circled the convention center in their “Bluesmobile” replica ’74 Dodge Royal Monaco police cruiser hawking “the fabulous Gilman Brothers booth” through their giant roof speaker.  Inside the venue, visitors to the booth were treated to photo ops with the Blues duo.

“Team Gilman went all in this year,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “Feedback from retailers, printers, ad agencies and distribution was incredible. The booth showcased multiple examples of design flexibility and mixing in fun with the Blues Brothers theme kept the positive vibes going all week.”

The Gilman Brothers Company has built a reputation for fun and creative, one-of-a-kind tradeshow booths built from and showcasing their product line.  Each booth is custom designed and created, and the details are a closely guarded secret until opening day. Slideshows of Gilman Brothers’ past trade show booths can be viewed on the company’s website.

The GlobalShop 2019 booth is designed and built by Artisan Complete of Markham, Ontario.  This is the fourth booth that Artisan has produced for Gilman Brothers.  Artisan Complete recently completed a series of application prototypes showcasing how Gilman Brothers products can be used in the retail market.  Examples can be viewed on the Gilman Brothers website.

Gilman Brothers Launches Three New Videos to Their YouTube Channel

JUNE 4, 2019

The Gilman Brothers Company is proud to release three new videos to their YouTube channel this week.  This latest video series is part of an aggressive communications campaign promoting the game changing benefits of plastics as part of the future support of global retail markets.  Filmed with an eye towards humor, spontaneity and warmth, they present a very human perspective that will resonate with all who see it.  Viewers will agree that this video production puts the Gilman Brothers’ stake firmly into the bedrock on which the company was built. “Our company’s foundation is so strong because of the remarkable team that we have in place,” says Evan Gilman, President of Gilman Brothers. “I‘m confident this team will take the company to the next level and beyond.”

The first of the videos, which were filmed on location in Gilman, CT, offers unprecedented access to The Gilman Brothers Company’s global headquarters. Viewers will get a unique, in-depth look at the company’s 122-year history, its founders and multiple generations, and its core values, as well as how it has evolved as an innovative leader in the graphics industry. The video gives a rare and personal behind-the-scenes glimpse of a day in the life of the company. It introduces key leaders and staff, including Director of R&D Vinnie Postemski, who has been with company for 45 years.  “Gilman Brothers is not just my workplace but my second-home and family,” says Vinnie.  “Proud to be a part of our growth over the years.”  The video can be viewed at The Gilman Brothers Company - Overview.

In the second video, Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales, and Ari Luna, Business Development Manager, present key features and benefits of INFINITY® styrene-faced foamboard.  The video also showcases several unique display pieces created with INFINITY® which demonstrate the material’s versatility for use in the retail space. See this video at INFINITY From The Gilman Brothers Company. In the third video, Bill and Ari team up again to focus on the features and benefits of Gilman’s Eaglecell™ all-paper graphics board as an eco-friendly option with a humorous twist incorporating one of Bill’s many talents.  The video can be viewed at EAGLECELL From The Gilman Brothers Company.   “Many company success stories have been driven by our ability to effectively execute nontraditional, go-to market strategies while keeping it fun.,” says Ari Luna. “These videos both educate and entertain – must watch!”

These latest videos promise to be only the beginning of this company’s unique global strategy as new accessories, products, services and technology will be launched to simply make life easier on the supply chain and change the way the world views retail.  “It's all about the passion in our people, and global industry”, says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “We listened to the market place regarding simplistic training videos as well as laying out who we are as people, not as a company - mission accomplished, very pleased with results - more to come!"

All three videos and others can be viewed on the Gilman Brothers website at http://gilmanbrothers.com/videos/ as well as on the Gilman Brothers YouTube channel.  The videos were filmed and produced by Zen Mantis of Shelton, Connecticut.

Gilman Brothers INFINITY® Styrene Faced Foamboard is Now UV Resistant

April 23, 2019

The Gilman Brothers Company is excited to announce that INFINITY® Styrene Faced Foamboard is now UV resistant.

“The retail markets have been demanding a UV resistant styrene faced foamboard and The Gilman Brothers Company has met that demand today with INFINITY®,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales.

Independent testing performed by Q-Lab Testing Services of Homestead, FL compared new UV resistant INFINITY® alongside original INFINITY® and a competing styrene-faced foamboard.  Q-Lab UV test results demonstrated that INFINITY® performed superior when compared to other test subjects.

With unprecedented transparency, the recent commercial launch package includes updated sell sheets, pictures, visual metrics and test certificates along with details around the fluorescent cool white and QUV tests.

“The graphics and packaging industries continue to evolve at lightning speed. We are not only keeping up but also getting ahead of trends.  Our UV resistant INFINITY® delivers exceptional value throughout the entire supply chain,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “Team Gilman is excited about what lies ahead with additional product enhancements, as well as new game changing service platforms.”

Q-Lab Corporation is a global provider of material durability testing products.  They design and manufacture standard test substrates as well as weathering, light stability, and corrosion testers.   More information can be found at www.q-lab.com.

Latest Plant Upgrades and Improvements Set Course for a Record Breaking 2019

March 14, 2019

Gilman Brothers latest plant upgrades have set the company’s course for a record breaking 2019 with recent improvements, both on the manufacturing floor and in the product line.

Customer service continues to be the driving force at Gilman Brothers, as all departments remain laser-focused on building an evolving and innovative organization that listens to employees and customers and provides value-added services and superior products to all levels of customers (distributors, printers, and end users). The company’s sales department, nerve center for customer service, recently underwent a complete facelift and reorganization under the direction of Ari Luna, Business Development Manager.  “A complete revamp of our Sales Department provided improved space efficiencies, inspirational designs to encourage and empower our team, a new strategizing space that among other changes embodies our core belief that anything is possible at Gilman,” says Luna. “Our team is never afraid to roll up their sleeves and put in the work – beyond proud to be a part of such accomplishments.”

 Plant upgrades continue, with a focus on the company’s vision to eliminate waste while providing a superior product to its customers.  Gilman Brothers has long been a proponent of green manufacturing.  By the end of the year the company will have the initial stages in place to soon be running a portion of the plant on solar power.

Gilman Brothers recently expanded its business development team by adding a strategy and innovation specialist, putting into action a pull through strategy to generate demand in the retail market.  “The market has spoken, and retailers are demanding “new” services and products,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “The benefit of a specification pull through strategy allows us to react quickly to any market needs; 2019 has all the makings of a record-breaking year.”

Gilman Brothers Promises Another Unique Booth for Globalshop 2019

March 6, 2019

“For the fourth year in a row, our booth for GlobalShop 2019 promises to be our largest and most memorable,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales.  “All game changing products and designs will be front and center with the overwhelming theme both inside and outside of McCormick Place being “CHICAGO!” The Gilman Brothers Company enjoys a reputation for evocative, one-of-a-kind tradeshow booths, built from and showcasing their popular rigid graphics boards.  Each booth is custom designed and created, and the details are a closely guarded secret until opening day.

 “We determined several years ago that GlobalShop was one of many organizations that could provide the platform to display and demonstrate our value proposition,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “Each year we have a new theme and, needless to say, it’s been fun! In previous years we’ve converted our space into an Italian village, 80’s rock-n-roll tour and castaway Island.  Our last booth was ‘sensory overload’ which walked customers through amazing examples how to incorporate emotion and senses utilizing substrates. Trust me when I say this year we are going over the top.  The team is excited as designs are already in process.” Slideshows of Gilman Brothers’ past trade show booths can be viewed on the company’s website. The Gilman Brothers Company will at Booth# 5158 at GlobalShop 2019.

The GlobalShop 2019 booth is designed and built by Artisan Complete of Markham, Ontario.  This is the fourth booth that Artisan has produced for Gilman Brothers.  Artisan Complete recently completed a series of application protypes showcasing how Gilman Brothers products can be used in the retail market.  Examples can be viewed on the Gilman Brothers website.

The GlobalShop @ RetailX Expo will take place June 25-27, 2019 at McCormick Place in Chicago.  The RetailX 2019 Trade Show & Conference is a colocation of the nation’s top three retail events and promises to be the most comprehensive experience in the retail industry.  For additional information on the expo visit https://www.globalshop.org/.

The Gilman Brothers Company Honored at the CT Family Business Awards

October 23, 2017

The Gilman Brothers Company was honored at the Hartford Business Journal 2018 Connecticut Family Business Awards, a distinction which recognizes the achievements of the state's top family owned companies.  The award was announced on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at a gala hosted by the Hartford Business Journal.  The Gilman Brothers Company placed fourth in a field of 60 in the category for companies with over 75 employees.  Company President Evan Gilman, grandson of company founder Nathan Gilman, was on hand to accept the award, accompanied by members and friends of the Gilman family.  In addition to the awards event, winners were recognized in a special section of the Hartford Business Journal.

Family businesses are an integral part of the social and business fabric of Connecticut.  The HBJ Family Business Awards recognize outstanding achievements in family-owned businesses and tell the story of a select group of the region's most successful firms.

"It's a testament to the company's vision, mission and purpose,” says Evan Gilman, President. “Our team is strong, focused and excited for the future. We are all humbled and honored by this award"

The Gilman Brothers Company is based in Southeastern Connecticut, in a village bearing its founder’s name, and has a long history of keeping pace with change through research and development.  Originating in New York City, where in 1897 Nathan Gilman established himself in the bedding business, the family has manufactured cotton batting, insulation, and in the 1950s retooled to produce foam products.

Today the company, which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary, is headed by Nathan’s grandson Evan Gilman.  In all, eight members of the Gilman family are active participants in the company, serving as board members and in all phases of the manufacturing process.

Gilman Brothers Sales Team Reorganization Redefines Customer Service

August 30, 2018

Customer service continues to be the driving force at The Gilman Brothers Company.  In a bold move to create a fully supportive and productive relationship with every client, the company has turned over leadership of its inside sales team to Ari Luna, Business Development Manager.  In taking on the new role, Luna was tasked with one objective -  to relook at everything to support global market.  Under Ari’s leadership, the commercial team has been redefining the market with exceptional customer service and information accessibility.  Communication is key as the company can now offer 1-hour quote turnaround, 24-hr order acknowledgments and pooled truck tracking.  In addition to 24/7 phone support, customers now have access to online order tracking and product specifications.  Ari also personally oversees the Customer Experience Center (CEC) which produces custom prototypes and printed samples on the Vanguard printer and Zünd digital cutter.

“What Ari has done with the inside sales team is nothing short of amazing,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. “The result is a level of customer satisfaction that is turning heads in the industry.”

Ari stresses that superior customer service can’ t happen without a top notch commercial team.  By taking advantage of each team member’s particular strengths and talents and placing them in key positions, each team member brings a level of expertise to the customer experience.  Team members are also cross trained to step into another team member’s role to seamlessly meet all customer expectations effortlessly.

“This is the team that makes the ‘impossible’ possible,” says Ari Luna, Business Development Manager. “Each person’s role has been crucial in bringing our company to where it is today.  I have lead other teams in the past; this is by far the most inspiring and rewarding.”

Let’s meet the team…

Leslie “The Gatekeeper” Pendleton, Strategic Administrative Leader, keeps everything running smoothly in the sales department while fielding all incoming communications and coordinates all company visitors.  She oversees the day-to-day managerial tasks in the sales office and is often described as “the glue that keeps us together”.  Leslie enjoys karaoke and can frequently be heard singing as she works.

Liz “The Hammer” Partington, Strategic Sales Leader, works in partnership with scheduling, production, inventory control and logistics to bring together special programs designed to give customers a competitive edge. Liz brings a contagious passion and energy to the customer service team.  Liz is a diehard Patriots fan with a laugh like no other.

Joe “The Data Guy” Rossi, Business Process Manager, is the team’s costing specialist and interdepartmental metrics liaison.   Joe works closely with Ari handling all custom quotes to get customers the most competitive price and lead time.

John “Eagle-Eye” Kerchis, Order Processing Specialist is tasked with confirming each and every purchase order, paying the highest attention to all order specs, requests, notes, and special instructions, to ensure that all orders are entered into the system completely and accurately every time.  All details are methodically and meticulously noted, resulting in "expectation execution" throughout the entire order-to-delivery process.

Ingrid “The Creative One” Skinner, Strategic Communications Leader, brings word craft and artistry to all marketing materials. She also maintains the company’s online presence ensuring that promotional videos, instruction sheets and technical data are all just a click away. Ingrid enjoys exploring new graphics art techniques and has a passion for vintage prints.

“Douglas Adams said it best “, says Ari Luna, Business Development Manager, “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity”.

The Gilman Brothers Company Welcomes John Uliano as Director of Operations

April 26, 2018

The Gilman Brothers Company is very pleased to welcome John Uliano as its new Director of Operations.  Uliano brings with him a strong manufacturing background with an emphasis on organizational lean implementation and sustainment.  The directorship had been vacant for several months while the company patiently searched for the right individual to fill out its executive team and who shared management’s vision to eliminate waste while providing a superior product to its customers.

Uliano, who joined the company at the beginning of the new year, has been working with team members at all levels to review operational procedures and to align all functions to exceed customer expectations and deliver results.  Expert in lean manufacturing and strategic goal deployment, Uliano is leading an enterprise-wide lean initiative to eliminate waste in all forms while achieving sustainable, scalable growth.  Uliano’s strategy is to ensure a consistently high level of quality and production so that when non-standard orders come in, they fit seamlessly into the production schedule with all standard material.

“Our customers rely on us to deliver a high-quality product with consistency,” says John Uliano, Director of Operations. “Once this structure is in place, our customers can lean on us for abnormal requests, knowing that we can handle them.”

“John has extensive global manufacturing experience to drive excellence across all segments. His approach to Operations utilizing a team building approach while driving accountability metrics is creating excitement inside the plant we haven't seen in a long time,” says Evan Gilman, President of The Gilman Brothers Company. “John is a key addition to our executive team. As we continue our strategic goal deployment initiatives for global expansion, it's never been a more exciting time to position my family’s company to another 120 years of growth.”

The Gilman Brothers Company Welcomes Voula Giannakopoulos as Midwest Business Development Leader

 APRIL 25, 2018

The Gilman Brothers Company is thrilled to welcome Voula Giannakopoulos as the company’s newest Business Development Leader. Voula will be focusing efforts primarily in the Midwest, Southeast and Eastern Canadian geographies where she will be working directly with distributors, wide format printers, retailers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers to drive new business opportunities.

An accomplished and skilled wide/grand format digital print professional, Voula comes to Gilman Brothers with over 25 years of professional experience.  With a background in production management and scheduling, as well as client relations and material negotiation, Voula is adept at working with all levels of the supply chain.

“Voula’s energy and charismatic personality, along with her experience and knowledge of the wide-format print industry make her a perfect fit for our team,” said Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales. "Voula clearly has the "it" factor we have been patiently looking for to continue the aggressive growth plans in this high value territory"

Gilman Brothers Proudly Celebrates 120th Year in Business

November 14, 2017

“Proudly Family Owned and Operated… for 120 Years!”  announces the banner at the top of The Gilman Brothers Company’s recently updated website.

Based in Southeastern Connecticut, in a village bearing its founder’s name, The Gilman Brothers Company enjoys a global reach, distributing its foamboard products through a strategically positioned network of channel partners and a regionally based business development team to maximize customer touchpoints throughout the entire supply chain.

Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales, who joined Gilman Brothers in 2014, heads up the rapidly expanding commercial team of the company.  “I’m humbled to lead such an amazing team. How many people can say they work for a 120-year old company? New products, services and offerings throughout the entire supply chain cycle will keep this machine growing and growing – the future is incredibly exciting!”

Originating in New York City, where in 1897 Nathan Gilman established himself in the bedding business, The Gilman Brothers Company has a long history of diversification and innovation.  In its 120-year history, the family has manufactured cotton batting, insulation, and in the 1950s retooled to produce foam products.

Today, headed by Nathan’s grandson Evan Gilman, the Gilman Brothers remains ahead of its time, continuously providing American-made, progressive products for the graphics market.

While maintaining old-fashioned business values like good customer service and a superior quality product line, The Gilman Brothers Company is also at the forefront of cutting edge technology.  The company actively explores new avenues for growth, such as engineered manufacturing integration and retail analytic technology, to stay ahead of the curve in the competitive and ever-changing retail display marketplace.

Progress requires change, and innovative people with creative new ideas have fueled the changes that have propelled the company forward.

“It’s all about the people,” says Evan Gilman, company President. “We have an amazing team that truly embraces the concept of “anything is possible.”  With recent expansion and manufacturing upgrades, our future growth is inevitable.  Our history is a celebration of progress, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees who have made this progress possible.”

The future looks exciting for The Gilman Brothers Company as it continues to expand and develop with products and services the industry has yet to see….  Here's to another 120 years!

Bryan Doi joins Gilman Brothers as West Coast Business Development Leader

January, 1, 2017

The Gilman Brothers Company is proud to announce the recent hire of Bryan Doi as Business Development Leader.   With over eight years’ sales and management experience in the sign industry, Bryan will be key player in creating and expanding growth opportunities throughout the wide format printing industry.  Based in Southern California, Bryan will be Gilman Brothers’ feet on the ground developing and creating new business partnerships throughout the West Coast region.

Bryan comes to Gilman Brothers from a major sign supply company where he successfully led a team of territory sales representatives at their Southern California distribution center.   Adept at data analysis, sales leadership and product knowledge training, he ensured several million dollars in sales growth achieving double-digit gains in both new and core business.

“We hire the best,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales at Gilman Brothers.  “Bryan’s unique skill set, coupled with his drive and passion for sales growth make him a perfect fit for our rapidly growing business.

Gilman Brothers Invests in Significant Plant Upgrades and Improvements for Start of New Decade

January 28, 2020

The Gilman Brothers Company is entering the new decade with a series of manufacturing upgrades and significant state of the art equipment and technical enhancements that will positively impact the entire supply chain for 2020 and beyond.

The upgrade project was the culmination of over two years of planning by Gilman Brothers senior management and took over 6000 labor hours to execute.  Workers installed, upgraded or removed over 20 tons of manufacturing equipment and no less than 10 miles of cable and wire.  The resulting benefits of these 4.0 industrial upgrades will include the continued refinement of automation, enhanced equipment reliability, improved internal tolerancing, and a reduction of setup time and changeovers.  “We are excited to upgrade our flagship manufacturing plant,” says John Uliano, Director of Operations.  “These state-of-the-art systems will help ensure quality, consistency and the ability to allow us to be much more flexible to global demand.”

“We continue our aggressive commercial plan for global expansion into new markets,” says Bill VanHorn, Director of Sales, “These upgrades allow us to do that”