Robbie Brinkley, owner of C&D Auto Paint, Inc., located in Thomasville, Georgia, was recently named the 2004 Wholesaler of the Year at the Akzo Nobel North American Wholesalers Conference held at the Waverly Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. 

From left to right: Ed Pietrzak, Akzo Nobel East Market Manager, Robbie Brinkley, C&D Auto Paint Inc., Jim Rees, Akzo Nobel General Manager, North America.

C&D Auto Paint, Inc., was recognized for blending innovative technology and inventory management to meet growing demands and client needs. In only five years, Brinkley has grown his business from one location in Valdosta, Georgia, to four locations and a central warehouse.

Members of their sales force use Palm Pilots equipped with scanners to expedite orders and reduce errors and carry laptop computers. Orders are scanned and then transmitted to the warehouse for distribution to the appropriate location. If barcodes are not available, part numbers and codes are also stored on the palm pilot.

"Robbie Brinkley has made tremendous strides in the growth of his business since its formation," said North America General Manager Jim Rees. "His sales, inventory control systems and aggressive growth strategies demonstrate his dedication to the industry. We were proud to honor him for his successful year as Wholesaler of the Year."

Participation in Acoat program

Brinkley encourages participation in the Acoat selected® program and is a proponent of continuing education. "Some of our clients need to make changes within their business. We try to equip them with the skills they need in order to grow and maintain their success," said Brink-ley.

"We were surprised and honored to win this award," he added. "Our extensive system allows us to service our clients more efficiently. We continue to seek out new business opportunities and try to assist our clients with their growth strategies. All of the employees at C&D are proud of the success we have obtained and our customers are pleased with the professionalism we have provided. Our sales force has done a tremendous job servicing our clients and making our growth possible."

"We decided to exclusively sell the Akzo Nobel brand in 2004," Brinkley added. "We believe that our exclusive partnerships with Akzo Nobel will enable us to continue to provide the best possible service to our customers now and in the future. We will continue to be aggressive in our marketplace and provide the professional service our clients expect."