KSS Enterprises

KSS Enterprises has been serving the Great Lakes Region for over 65 years. Throughout the years we have undergone many changes. However, with the evolution of the company, there has been one constant, to bring our clients the highest quality products and best service possible. We appreciate your business and look forward to working with you for years to come.

1945: Fred Martinis opens a small cleaning supply store in downtown Kalamazoo, on W. Michigan Avenue, known as Kalamazoo Sanitary Supply Company. His focus is primarily on cleaning supplies.

1961: Kalamazoo Sanitary Supply Company is purchased by Dwight Stocker. He moves the company to Portage Road near Michigan Avenue, and eventually to 410 East South Street.

1974: Ralph Claxton, a sales representative who had been with the company for 9 years, purchases the company. For the next 13 years, he builds a solid customer base by promoting quality products, service and education. He is supported by an inside staff of three employees.

1987: The Hill Family purchases Kalamazoo Sanitary Supply with Tom Hill, Jr. as President, Tom Hill, Sr. as Vice President, and Terry (Hill) Dawson as General Manager. Ralph Claxton continues on as sales consultant to KSS. As a new woman owned business, it expands to 8 employees with the addition of a warehouse manager, clerical staff and outside sales representatives. KSS installs its first computer and inventory is expanded to better serve customer needs.

1988: Now having ten employees, KSS quickly outgrows the South Street facility and searches for a new location. After major renovations to an existing car dealership, adding an expanded showroom, parking, office and warehousing, Kalamazoo Sanitary Supply opens its current location at 616 East Vine Street.

1993: Ralph Claxton formally retires from KSS, after 28 years with the company.

1994: Kalamazoo Sanitary Supply, Inc. changes its name to KSS Enterprises to better represent the business as much more than a supply company. KSS also extends its sales territory into Ft. Wayne, Indiana and has a staff of 28 employees.

1995: KSS Enterprises becomes a Hillyard Floor Care Products Distributor. With this, comes expansion in the Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan areas, and Northern Indiana. Additional warehouse space is leased.

1995: Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the company employs a staff of 33 with over 130 years of combined industry experience. KSS adds Inventory Management, Just in Time Delivery, and expands its Factory-Authorized Service and Repair Department. This results in ongoing improvements to proper product usage, labor cost reductions and better time management for our current customers.

1997: KSS purchases Chuck's Supply, a janitorial supply distributor in Jackson Michigan. Mark Todaro of Chuck's Supply remains on, as Branch Manager. With our first branch office, KSS expands its Michigan territory eastwardly.

1999: KSS expanded once again by adding on new footage of 7,500 square feet. We accomplished this by building over our existing warehouse. This allowed us to modernize our warehousing facilities with new loading docks, expanded warehousing and a new mezzanine area. We added a new sales division specializing in Grocery Store Sanitation programs and products. This initially added 2 new sales consultants.

2000: This was a big year for KSS as we added our second branch, located in Grand Rapids, MI. This also expanded our physical location and allowed us to better serve this market area. With this branch addition, we added 6 new team members and a second location for our service department. A full time Service Department Coordinator was also added to our Kalamazoo location.

2002: We opened a new facility in South Bend, Indiana. This provided us with additional market representation in Indiana and added 3 new team members. This was also a year of change for our Grand Rapids Branch as they moved into a new modern facility on 44th Street that offered an expanded showroom, easy access on and off the expressway, and expanded service and repair.

2005: KSS expands further north with the purchase of Mussio Janitorial in Petoskey (Alanson), Michigan. With our 5th location, we are able to broaden our service area and product lines.

2006: KSS purchases the Ware Wash Division of Stafford-Smith creating additional Ware Wash and Laundry territory and customer base, as well as continued customer support and quality products. Our additional sales team brings multiple years of expertise and experience to this KSS division.

2009- KSS South Bend moved to its new modern facility located at 298 E Sample Street.  This facility allowed us to expand our showroom, increase product displays to assist current and new customers and provided more visibility.  KSS also expanded further into the Detroit market with the addition of several sales consultants to this market area.

2011 - KSS Grand Rapids moves to its new state-of-the-art facility at 410 44th Street SW, Suite A.  This new facility provides a much expanded showroom, service and repair department, and large training facility.  Our location is now directly on 44th Street with visibility to the drive-by traffic...stop in and see us!

2012 - KSS has a new Detroit facility located in Plymouth, Michigan.  We are working on renovations and anticipate opening in the Summer of 2012!  We look forward to the opportunity to more fully serve this market area.

KSS continues its tradition of quality, dependability, and service.  Our constant commitment as the industry leader means you will receive the best processes, products and training to meet your needs.  Find out what others already know:  KSS is a smart business decision.