On Brand, On Spec and On Time

Apex Worx specializes in creating cabinetry and fixtures for appliance showrooms.

Apex Worx builds appliance displays and customer relationships

By Janet Weyandt, YSN 

BrandSource experts often talk about the importance of making a great first impression on shoppers in your store. That means clean, well lit, well organized and welcoming, just for starters.  

And what makes a huge impact on that customer-ready look? The displays, cabinets and fixtures that show off your inventory in its best possible light.  

That is Apex Worx’s mission — to make it easy for retailers to get the display materials they need, whether that means ordering components straight out of the catalog or designing custom fixtures.  

“I want customers to know we’re easy to do business with,” said Marketing Director Nancy Henry. “We’re going to make their life easier through a simplified process, good communication and walking them through the whole process.” 

Brian Cook, VP of sales, said Apex Worx does business in a variety of ways to accommodate clients’ needs.  

First, there are products that can be ordered directly from the catalog. This is the fastest option, with items often arriving within 15 business days. They’re meant to be assembled by the retailer, though installation help is also available, Cook said.  

Second is the enhanced version, where the retailer wants products in the catalog but wants to change colors or other aesthetic details.  

The third option is the Signature Line, which allows the customer to work with Apex Worx to create completely customized displays.  

“We can certainly engage in design services, store layout, planning, consulting on colors — anything around design,” Cook said. “We tried to make it very simple so people can place an order simply by filling out an order form.”  

Apex Worx is a very new company — it’s less than a year old — but it grew out of former BrandSource vendor partner Performance Display.  

Henry and her husband Jayson purchased the assets of Performance Display at the beginning of the year and are now working to create a dynamic new business while retaining the best parts of the original company, including the sales team.  

“We’re keeping those channels alive and open,” Henry said. 

Made in America 
All Apex Worx components are manufactured in Grimes, Iowa, and they ship nationwide. 

“Iowa is known for manufacturing,” Henry said. “We have a fantastic manufacturing base here. We just wanted to turn something struggling into something that was really strong.” 

Part of the planned growth includes working with independent retailers, Cook said.  

“They’re an important part of our business,” he said. “We not only want to maintain, we want to grow that and provide better service for your team members.” 

Henry said an experience she had at a national chain store earlier this year convinced her that what Apex Worx does is needed in the industry.  

“I was shopping with my sister and my 86-year-old mom,” she said. “We went to a Home Depot and [mom] was so turned off by the appliance display and the shop-ability. It was disorganized; it wasn’t clean.” 

In contrast, the appliance section at Lowe’s was a completely different story.  

“The eyes know where to look,” she said. “It was eye-opening — it really does make a difference. She didn’t even want to shop [at Home Depot]. We turned around and went right back to Lowe’s.” 

As Apex Worx revs up its business model, including a new website that was expected to be up and running this summer, its leaders are emphasizing the relationship they’re building with retailers.  

“One of our tag lines is ‘On brand, on spec and on time,” Henry said. “We want people to understand we’re going to hit their brand, do it on time and to their specs.” 

YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers. 

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