Chicago, IL – December 5, 2014 – John Grayson, the man who founded RainSoft and grew the international company through a combination of his engineering, innovation, motivation, salesmanship and entrepreneurial skills, died after a lingering illness on November 28. He was 89.

Grayson founded the RainSoft Water Conditioning Company, now known simply as RainSoft, in 1953. He is credited with designing and patenting the industry’s first 7-cycle valve and the first blow-molded plastic cabinet. Through his years with RainSoft, Grayson invented and supervised the development of numerous patented water treatment breakthroughs.

In 1990, some 37 years after he began the company, Grayson retired his controlling interest in RainSoft to what would become Aquion, Inc. Mr. Grayson is survived by his wife Bette.

About RainSoft

Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, RainSoft, a division of Aquion, Inc., is an international company with over 150 authorized and independently owned dealerships in the U.S. and 20 other countries.  The company is dedicated to producing the world’s finest water treatment systems, all of them manufactured in the U.S.A. and backed with the industry’s strongest lifetime warrantees.  For more information on becoming a RainSoft dealer, inquire via e-mail (opportunity@rainsoft.com), toll-free phone: 1-800-RAINSOFT or by visiting www.rainsoftdealer.com.

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John Grayson

 

Chicago, IL – March 13, 2014 – Success breeds success and RainSoft has a formula that clearly is producing results.  That’s why for the second consecutive year, RainSoft (booth 227) will focus efforts on its dealership program and meeting with prospective new dealers at WQA Aquatech 2014, scheduled for March 18-20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

“We experienced a tremendous response at last year’s show and we’re hopeful we can catch lightning in a bottle again this year,” said Andrew Palframan, vice president and general manager of RainSoft.  “The water treatment business is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.  Last year, we met with many people who had experience in other industries and provided them with information on the advantages of being a RainSoft dealer in this marketplace.”

The benefits of being associated with RainSoft are second to none.  The in-store lead generation program with The Home Depot continues to grow rapidly as it begins its ninth year.  A new credit financing program with a private-label credit card was implemented in late 2012 and is having success.  So is the experience with the latest technology.

An iPad app has received consistent upgrades and is improving the experience for homeowners.  Quicker, more adaptable presentations are winning favor and having an impact on the bottom line.  And RainSoft’s exceptional training program, including the weeklong RainSoft University, continues to support both new and established dealerships while separating the company from other water treatment manufacturers.

“Our dealers realize these initiatives are good reasons why it’s Purely Better Business to be a part of the RainSoft team,” concluded Palframan.  “The Home Depot program has produced retail sales of more than $250 million since 2006 and continues to grow.  More people realize the value and benefits of having an outstanding selection of innovative products, truly flexible financing options and a unique training program that we make mandatory for all new dealers.  These are significant advantages that are very profitable for people who have worked in home remodeling, heating and cooling and similar types of industries.”

About RainSoft

Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, RainSoft, a division of Aquion, Inc., is an international company with over 150 authorized and independently owned dealerships in the U.S. and 20 other countries.  The company is dedicated to producing the world’s finest water treatment systems, all of them manufactured in the U.S.A. and backed with the industry’s strongest lifetime warrantees.  For more information on becoming a RainSoft dealer, inquire via e-mail (opportunity@rainsoft.com), toll-free phone: 1-800-RAINSOFT or by visiting www.rainsoftdealer.com.

 

Chicago, IL – November 19, 2013 – For dealers, there are many reasons why it’s Purely Better Business to do business with RainSoft.  The outstanding selection of innovative products, the flexible financing options and the incredible in-store lead generation program with The Home Depot, are all unique benefits.  And there is RainSoft University, the exceptional dealer training and support network program that separates the company from other water treatment manufacturers.

A week-long program designed to prepare dealers so their businesses can be successful, RainSoft University recently graduated 17 people representing 13 dealerships from 11 states and the Dominican Republic.

“We hosted a very enthusiastic group for five days and they left Chicago ready to invest new ideas and plans into their dealerships,” said John Nebelle, Manager of Sales Administration.

“RainSoft University is an education packed event that we typically conduct twice a year and is mandatory for all new dealers.  We have knowledgeable instructors who teach the key facets of our business and build in other events where everyone is engaged.  Overall, it allows them to become more comfortable and in tune with our organization and provides opportunities to share experiences with their dealer peers and corporate support staff.”

Classroom sessions each day focused on all aspects of the business.  RainSoft personnel and instructors from Dave Yoho and Associates, a business consulting firm specializing in the building products and home improvement industry, led information packed classroom seminars.

Multiple sessions on the first day focused on how to run a profitable home improvement business. The next day, dealers were introduced to the science of successful in-home selling and included marketing and lead generation skill sets.

After a thorough examination of water treatment technology and RainSoft products to open the third day, attention shifted to advice on financial management and accounting and the service and installation departments.  The final full day featured classes in recruiting, sales management, new business and marketing plans, plus a demonstration of RainSoft’s highly successful iPad presentation.

A factory tour and a couple of group dinners after class helped make the dealers more comfortable and broaden their knowledge about the company.  On the final day of class, a graduation lunch ceremony was held where each dealer received their diploma from Andrew Palframan, senior vice president and general manager of RainSoft.

Several of the new dealers indicated the training exceeded their expectations.

“RainSoft supplied us with a tremendous amount of information, more than I expected.  I didn’t realize how much of the material went into the marketing side of the business,” said Chris Hall, Manager of Earl‘s Water Treatment Services (www.795earl.com) in Lubbock, Texas.

Hall is a 25-year veteran of the food service business, working with restaurants in a few capacities and as a food broker before switching to water treatment.

“I come from a different background so the various sessions, especially Scott Harmon’s customer service presentation, were really beneficial.  Learning about business planning and listening to what other owners had to say was invaluable.”

William Efird, owner of Cascade Clear Water (www.cascadeh2o.com) in Beaverton, Oregon, discovered the water business a year ago after working in the heating and cooling industry most of his life.

“I’ve been involved in the distributor/dealer game for awhile and I found the RainSoft materials to be reality branded.  The marketing and financial sessions were very good, and I am beginning to implement what I learned from the best practices in hiring and training portions.”

About RainSoft

Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, RainSoft, a division of Aquion, Inc., is an international company with over 150 authorized and independently owned dealerships in the U.S. and 20 other countries.  The company is dedicated to producing the world’s finest water treatment systems, all of them manufactured in the U.S.A. and backed with the industry’s strongest lifetime warrantees.  For more information on becoming a RainSoft dealer, inquire via e-mail (opportunity@rainsoft.com), toll-free phone: 1-800-RAINSOFT or by visiting www.rainsoftdealer.com.

 

US-based RainSoft, a provider of residential water conditioning and drinking water systems, is teaming up with PHNIX, one of the largest heat pump manufacturers in China, as it positions its global brands further to respond to the growing demand for quality water in China.

The arrangement will allow PHNIX, the Guangdong-based company that provides solutions for house heating and cooling, to represent the RainSoft product line in China.

“After initial discussions with PHNIX, it became apparent that they met our specific criteria for a water treatment partner in the Chinese market,” said Andy Palframan, vice-president at RainSoft. “In the Chinese market, PHNIX has established themselves in the heat pump market. They have a very large distribution network that serves a customer demographic that is very close to RainSoft’s customer demographics.”

Palframan said the cooperative venture was established carefully after frequent high-level exchanges between the two sides. He and Don Miller, RainSoft international director, spent many weeks in China to nail the deal down. Likewise, representatives from PHNIX visited RainSoft headquarters in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, before the partnership was signed.

“It was important that we find a well-established Chinese firm to represent the RainSoft product line,” he said. “We are very pleased to have consummated this agreement with our new partner PHNIX.”

RainSoft was established in 1953 to provide whole-house water and air treatment systems for families in the US. The company has grown into an international operation with dealerships in the US and 24 other countries.

Under the agreement, PHNIX has placed sizable orders for household water treatment systems from RainSoft. The first batch has already been arriving in Guangzhou, including their household direct drinking water series. PHNIX will launch RainSoft’s water treatment series along with its water-to-air heat pumps on the Chinese market.

China’s booming economy is driving a rapid rise in environmental pollution, including water pollution, as more and more Chinese consumers are concerned about the quality of their drinking water.

“Consumers in the US and around the world have become more educated about the foods and water they consume. RainSoft has addressed this issue with consumers in the United States for many years,” Palframan said.

He said RainSoft spends considerable resources to develop cutting edge products that address almost every water concern that consumers have. “Our focus continues to be on filtration technologies that provide not only the absolute best protection, but are also green and ecologically sound,” he said.

“Our products are also tested and certified for contaminant reduction claims,” Palframan said, mentioning as an example of its newest drinking water system called RainSoft Ultrefiner II, which utilizes completely recyclable filter cartridges.

“It is this type of technology and development that we can bring to the Chinese market through our partner PHNIX,” he added.

The Chinese market is one of RainSoft’s primary offshore markets, Palframan told China Daily. The company recognizes the growing demand for quality water in China, and its technologies and products stand to serve this market very well.

“Our cooperation with PHNIX will ensure that we can serve both their existing and new customers throughout China, with a RainSoft product line that addresses the concerns of consumers,” he said.

 

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