MCR Safety was formed with the consolidation in January 2004 of Memphis Glove Co., Crews Inc. and River City Protective Apparel. As a result of the consolidation, the Memphis, Tenn.-based company collectively brings 86 years of personal protective equipment (PPE) expertise to the marketplace.

“Our business strategy and mission is to consistently perform as a PPE market leader,” says Larry Garner, chief marketing officer of MCR Safety. “Our vision of ‘Exceeding Expectations... Protecting Your Quality of Life’ supports our mission.”

The original three companies — Memphis Glove, founded in 1974; Crews, founded in 1979; and River City, founded in 1982 — offered a comprehensive assortment of hand protection, protective eyewear and clothing products. Since the consolidation of these companies four years ago, additional PPE offerings include hearing protection, respiratory protection and protective footwear options. Three distribution facilities are strategically located in the United States to provide timely delivery of the company’s more than 5,000 PPE products.

“We offer consistent quality at competitive prices as a result of manufacturing approximately 50 percent of our hand protection, protective eyewear and protective clothing offerings,” says Garner.

MCR Safety’s new line of Professional Grade products includes top-of-the-line offerings that feature the Professional Grade logo. Professional Grade protective eyewear and hand protection products are engineered to provide high levels of innovation and quality. Additionally, Professional Grade packaging offers distributors greater opportunities for point-of-purchase sales.

Supporting distributors
The company has maintained its original commitment to sell exclusively at the distributor level, and it supports these efforts with trained field and in-house representatives as well as its own Business Development field sales team. Distributors have opportunities to gain product training through MCR Safety’s web site interactive online training, onsite sales meetings, and by visiting the Memphis corporate office. The company’s quarterly newsletter, SafetyLine, provides market updates for all product categories. National advertising provides new product introductions to end-users as well as distributors.

Other distributor tools include:
• Private Labeling, which gives MCR Safety distributors an additional way to promote their business by using MCR’s printed materials with distributor’s own logo and company information.
• Product Reference Library, which provides distributors a comprehensive collection of information on all the products MCR carries, accessible using a powerful search tool that allows distributors to find products by searching for features, styles, colors and more.
• MCR Cross-Reference Guides. Distributors have access to the Online MCR Cross Reference where they can easily find an MCR Safety replacement for a customer’s current PPE. Crossover information is available for hand protection, eye and face protection, protective apparel, safety vests and respirators.
• MCR Safety’s Glove Permeation Guide, which can be used to determine the proper glove for handling chemicals.

Identifying new opportunities
The company recently named Paul Harris, a sales and purchasing veteran, to the role of director of product development and strategic branding. In this role, Harris will serve as a catalyst for identifying new product opportunities by working with all levels in MCR Safety’s distribution channels, including users, distributors and vendors, and then drive the process from development to market launch, according to Garner.

“MCR Safety has experienced consistent sales growth since its inception as a result of new products and existing distributor sales growth,” says Garner.

With 86 years of experience under its belt and thousands of products to offer, MCR Safety has the PPE marketplace well covered.