Keeping Logistics Under Wraps

Stationery Demand is a national distributor of customized paper goods and office supplies located in Blawnox, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1963 by John Karthan, a former Westinghouse engineer who left the nuclear business to satisfy his entrepreneurial fervor. From the company’s earliest days John emphasized personal interaction with his customers, often making evening sales calls himself at the home of other small business owners. As more companies saw the value of placing their logo on stationery and other office supplies, Stationery Demand’s business grew exponentially in the 1970s and 1980s. John hired a large sales force to serve the new customers and expand the business to geographical areas outside of Western Pennsylvania. He required that these salespeople complete an extensive training program to ensure that they exemplified his personal selling philosophy.