NSI Makes Moves … Midwest and New England

As the year comes to an end, NSI is making moves in the Midwest and New England with its independent manufacturer representative network that will create some interesting opportunities in positioning the company for 2026 and beyond.

NSI Consolidates Lines with Casey Electric Sales

Last week NSI announced that it is strengthening One Pledge relationship with Casey Electric Sales. Casey will now represent all of NSI’s brands.

In its press release, NSI shared:

“NSI is proud to announce that it has expanded its partnership with Casey Electric Sales, Inc. for the Wis., Upper Peninsula Mich., Neb., Iowa, Western Mo., and Kansas territory, effective immediately. The Bensenville, IL-based company has been representing NSI’s Bridgeport and Remke brands, but the partnership now will include NSI’s Polaris, Tork, and Metallics brands, as well.

“As part of our continued commitment to our One Pledge, which is to simplify and streamline how we serve our customers, we are pleased to announce extend our partnership with Casey Sales, who will now serve as our full sales agent in this territory,” said Rani Salloum, NSI Regional Vice President. “This change allows us to enhance consistency, simplify order processing, and strengthen our commitment to timely shipments and responsive service. Casey Sales brings deep experience and dedication to supporting our distributor network, and we’re confident this transition will make it even easier for you to do business with us.”

Founded in 1972 by Bill Casey, Casey Electric Sales, Inc., is an electrical manufacturer’s representative headquartered in Bensenville, IL, servicing seven states across the Midwest. Since its founding, the business has grown from its original 6,000sq ft location to three locations, including a 100,000sq ft warehouse in Bensenville. Casey Sales is now owned and led by Bill’s son, Jeff Casey, who has been instrumental in the organization’s growth since 2013.

“We’ve already had a tremendous relationship with NSI and its Bridgeport and Remke brands, and we are excited to also now represent its Polaris, Tork, and Metallics brands,” said Jeff Casey, President of Casey Electric Sales, Inc. “We share the same core values of providing top level customer service for leading industry products and brands and is why our companies have remained so strong for so long.”

NSI Moves to Flynn & Reynolds in New England and Upstate New York

New England / western NY rep

In a similar move, NSI is bringing its stable of brands to Flynn & Reynolds who will support NSI throughout New England and western New York.

The NSI press release stated:

NSI is proud to announce that it has partnered with Tewksbury, Mass.-based Flynn & Reynolds Agency, Inc. to represent its electrical division brands including Bridgeport, Polaris, Tork, and Metallics in the Northeast territory, effective Nov. 24.

“The upstate New York and New England region is continually growing and becoming increasingly important for our electrical division brands,” said Keith Babcock, NSI regional vice president. “As such, we needed a partner that knows the market and its customers intimately in order to help us gain and even stronger foothold there. Also, as part of NSI’s continued commitment to One Pledge, which simplifies and streamlines how we serve our customers, we are pleased to announce the Flynn & Reynolds Agency as our ideal partner, and we look forward to working with them.”

Babcock added that this change allows NSI to enhance consistency, simplify order processing, and strengthen its commitment to timely shipments and responsive service. The Flynn & Reynolds Agency brings deep experience and dedication to supporting NSI’s distributor network, making it even easier for customers to do business with NSI.

The Flynn & Reynolds Agency has a 45-year history and culture of driving demand for the manufacturers they represent and providing distribution with the support needed for successful outcomes. Their growth in New England and now upstate N.Y. continues with the addition of NSI to their portfolio of products.

“NSI has built a very strong electrical brand division, and we are excited to be a part of the company’s strategic growth plan,” said Bryan Lally, president, Flynn & Reynolds Agency. “Our customers demand nothing but the best as the northeast has historically required products that both last, and manufacturers that always back their products. Bridgeport, Polaris, Tork, and Metallics represent these values, and we look forward to representing them.”

Observation

The New England / New York opportunity is a dynamic created from when Yusen and ABB parted ways over the summer. This led ABB to seek new representation. After a detailed search that involved interviewing a few rep firms multiple times in off-site meetings, ABB selected CC Pierce, which necessitated them needing to resign the NSI line last month. Flynn-Reynolds become the beneficiary.

Essentially this became the game of musical chairs (“who is going to get the available lines because there are only so many” or perhaps dominos given that one decision drops, which influences another, and another, and another), and it appears that each rep firm benefited with a line that seemingly fits their culture.

One of the dynamics that also played out in the New England / NY market is recognition among many of the players of the challenges that large manufacturers with broad-based offerings have in finding representation … limited options due to competitive line issues.

Consider these lines … ABB, NSI, Eaton, nVent (not just an enclosure line!), Atkore (not just conduit!), Southwire (remember the Topaz acquisition?) … how many can co-exist with each other? And then consider key segments within each of them and more “specialized” competitors. Who are they willing to co-exist with? And for this reason, there have been a number of other lines impacted by these changes in this market.

NSI bringing its brands together and offering a compelling, competitive, package to manufacturer representatives coupled with, what one national distributor commented on as one of its key value propositions “being one of the easiest companies to do business with,” has moved the company into one of the higher echelons in the industry and a coveted line by manufacturer representatives.

Congrats to NSI, Casey, and Flynn & Reynolds on their new relationships.