CASA DE AMPARO press release:

The tree in the lobby at OneSource Distributors in Oceanside is full of paper ornaments that have the names and ages of abused children in need, and a wish from each child for a special gift.

OneSource employees pluck the ornaments from the tree and fulfill the wishes one by one.

The presents pile up beneath the lobby Christmas tree until they are delivered in a landslide of gifts to Casa de Amparo’s holiday storefront in Oceanside.

“Ever since we moved to Oceanside, we’ve had our Casa de Amparo gift tree in the lobby during the holidays,” says Carol Ulak, marketing director for OneSource Distributors. “It’s a tradition all the employees participate in, including employees from our Los Angeles and Orange County offices, and even from our Tijuana location.”

More than 100 of OneSource Distributor’s employees are located in the corporate office located in Oceanside. The company, which is a supplier of electrical/electronic industrial automation & utility products, employs nearly 300 people throughout all of its 12 locations.

“Thanks to companies like OneSource, our children don’t receive generic gifts during the holidays, they receive things they’ve specifically requested,” says Eric Pitaressi, Casa de Amparo’s development associate. Casa de Amparo has been serving abused, abandoned and neglected children and their families throughout San Diego since 1978.

For more information, contact Eric Pitarresi at 760.754. 5500, or at epitarresi@casadeamparo.org.

San Diego Gas & Electric awarded OneSource Distributors the "2007 Firestorm Service Recognition" award for it's service and performance during the 2007 firestorms in California.

OneSource Distributors, an electrical distribution company based in Oceanside, California, recently received a Mark of Excellence Award from San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) for its performance during San Diego’s 2007 fires. It was presented at the utility company’s 2007 Firestorm Supplier Recognition Dinner held on December 5, 2007.

“OneSource was a critical part of our supply chain and instrumental in the restoration of service to our customers. They did an outstanding job under very challenging circumstances,” said Michael Niggli, Chief Operating Officer of SDG&E. “As one of our major suppliers, OneSource Distributors was instrumental in helping us respond to and recover from the devastating 2007 firestorms. Their whatever it takes attitude and ability to execute in an emergency were critical to the restoration of service to our customers,” Niggli said.

According to Michael Clark, general manager and vice president of the utility division at OneSource Distributors, the fires posed great challenges. “We had trucks coming in and out 24 hours a day. The first couple of days were chaotic, but we quickly got into our rhythm. Four employees worked double shifts (24 hours a day) for 12 days straight and really put in extra effort. We had cots set up here so they could take breaks and sleep.

In addition, 16 other people worked double shifts,” he said. In addition, OneSource made its facilities available as command centers for crews working to restore service to SDG&E customers. OneSource worked with more than 50 different manufacturers to provide nearly 800 different stock items and approximately 1.7 million pieces of material, according to Niggli. “Our people felt a lot of compassion for those that were displaced in the community. Our primary goal was to take care of our customer, but it also gave us a better understanding of what our community was going through. Many of our people were displaced, too,” said Clark. 

OneSource has built its utility division within the past 5 years. “Utilities are our largest, fastest-growing segment and also the most demanding,” said OneSource Distributors President Robert Zamarripa.

In early 2003 OneSource purchased Orange Coast Electric Supply Inc. in Irvine, California. This allowed OneSource to further grow geographically and provided an opportunity to enter the utility market since Orange Coast had a contract with a large publicly owned utility. Since then, OneSource has continued to work with industrial maintenance and repair operations (MRO), institutional and commercial MRO, electrical contractors, and original equipment manufacturers in addition to utility customers. OneSource Distributors’ total sales in 2007 grew to $249 million.

About OneSource Distributors: OneSource Distributors is a privately owned distributor of electrical, utility and automation products based in Oceanside, California. OneSource has been headquartered in San Diego County for 25 years. It has 11 locations and currently employs 315 with locations in California, Nevada, Arizona and Baja California. The company is ISO 9001:2000 certified. ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems.

Pacific Gas & Electric named OneSource Distributors "Supply Chain Leader" for 2007. Oceanside, CA- OneSource Distributors, an electrical distribution company based in Oceanside, California, recently received the Supply Chain Leader Award from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) for its performance as a PG&E supplier. It was presented at the utility’s awards event on December 4, 2007.

“OneSource successfully partnered with PG&E to launch a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) pilot for electrical contractors,” said Steve Coleman, director of sourcing for PG&E. “OneSource has reduced inventory, enhanced customer service and increased order fill rates,” according to Coleman.

OneSource received the award because of its ability to provide all requested data and VMI practices in a consistent and timely manner, according to Coleman. PG&E spokesperson Brian Swenson said the Supply Chain Leader Award recognizes proactive PG&E account management, consistent high levels of customer service, and “above and beyond” support during emergencies. In addition, it recognizes suppliers who provide breakthrough technology or productivity that benefits PG&E and reduce the company’s total cost of ownership. According to Michael Clark, general manager and vice president of the utility division at OneSource Distributors, OneSource provides PG&E with a warehouse in the Union City area that supplies PG&E’s needs on an everyday basis.

In addition, OneSource’s Eclipse operating system helps OneSource order supplies in a timely manner based upon manufacturer’s lead times. “We were able to revamp some of their processes to reduce their overhead,” according to Clark. “Since we’re new to the Northern California area, this has established us as a true value add distributor and given us a very strong market presence.” According to Herman Vasconez, account manager for OneSource on the PG&E account, OneSource brings strong service skills to PG&E. “We know how to act fast, get their people answers, and stay very competitive. We have also emphasized diversity, adding diverse suppliers to the company’s supplier base.

More recently, OneSource has come through for PG&E during emergencies, according to Vasconez. During the windstorms that hit Central California in January, OneSource provided the emergency services, opening up its warehouse 24 hours/day and making sure the utility received the parts it needed as numerous poles went down. OneSource has built its utility division within the past 5 years. “Utilities are our largest, fastest-growing segment and also the most demanding,” said OneSource Distributors President Robert Zamarripa.

In early 2003 OneSource purchased Orange Coast Electric Supply Inc. in Irvine, California. This allowed OneSource to further grow geographically and provided an opportunity to enter the utility market since Orange Coast had a contract with a large publicly owned utility. Since then, OneSource has continued to work with industrial maintenance and repair operations (MRO), institutional and commercial MRO, electrical contractors, and original equipment manufacturers in addition to utility customers. OneSource Distributors’ total sales in 2007 grew to $249 million. About OneSource Distributors: OneSource Distributors is a privately owned distributor of electrical, utility and automation products based in Oceanside, California. OneSource has been headquartered in San Diego County for 25 years. It has 11 locations and currently employs 315 with locations in California, Nevada, Arizona and Baja California. The company is ISO 9001:2000 certified. ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems.

Greater San Diego Business Development Council named OneSource Distributors "Supplier of the Year" for 2007.

In June 2007, OneSource Distributors was ranked # 34 in Electrical Wholesaling Magazine's "200 Largest Distributors".

In June of 2007, OneSource Distributors was ranked #38 in Hispanic Business Magazine's " 2007 Hispanic Business 500".

Effective June 1, 2006 Rockwell Automation announced that OneSource Distributors has earned Rockwell Automation's coveted New Distributor Appointment.*  The Automation Appointment is a significant step in the evolution of Allen-Bradley's limited distributor business model.  OneSource is the first distributor in the western U.S. to earn this prestigious appointment.

*Rockwell Automation is available at authorized locations only.