World Wide Metric Celebrates 50 Years of “Keeping the World Flowingâ€
Company marks 50 years of service to the maritime, oil and gas, industrial flow control and fluid power industries
BRANCHBURG, NJ, January 23, 2020 — World Wide Metric, a global supplier specializing in the distribution of valves, flanges, piping systems and hydraulic components, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Commemorating five decades of meeting and exceeding customers’ expectations, World Wide Metric is proud to celebrate their progress and commitment to the future of the company.
World Wide Metric has distinguished itself as an efficient, resourceful and innovative supplier and as a result, grew into an integral part of their customers’ supply chain. Utilizing bold forward-thinking and a synergistic approach to procurement and customer service, the company has been able to consistently deliver premier quality products and a superior purchasing experience while remaining true to the values that the company was built on.
When asked about the company’s success, CEO George Contos said: “From the very beginning, we have upheld the ideals that my father set forth when he started the company. He believed that ‘serving the customer was the only thing that truly mattered, and that what can be done today, will be done today.’ That is the philosophy that still drives us today and what has set us apart from the competition and driven our success over the years.”
Since its inception, World Wide Metric has grown from a small ship repair company to a global supplier. The family-owned company was founded in 1970 by former ship captain Constantinos Contos in Brooklyn, New York. Originally established as a ship repair company, Contos’ vision changed course when he recognized an opportunity to address the lack of metric parts in the United States. After searching for suppliers and manufacturers overseas, he soon began importing valves and flanges in metric Japanese (JIS) and European (DIN) standards. Sales grew quickly, and by 1985, Contos made the decision to leave the ship repair business altogether and focus solely on the wholesale distribution of metric parts to the marine and industrial markets.
World Wide Metric thrived as a distributor, opening a second distribution center in Houston, Texas in 1989, and a third in Long Beach, California in 1991. In 2000, Constantinos Contos stepped down from his position and passed the helm to his family, who had grown up immersed in the business. His oldest son, George Contos, became World Wide Metric’s new CEO, while his brother, Theo Contos, became its President, and their sister Anthee, became Vice President.
The change in leadership only amplified World Wide Metric’s ambition and under the new leadership team, sales grew over 500%. Never content with settling, the company opened a fourth distribution center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 2004 to further expand the company’s presence in the U.S. coastal regions. By 2008, World Wide Metric was stocking more than 50,000 products across the United States. Today, they continue to deliver the product availability, speed of service and technical expertise that the company was built on while maintaining a mindset for innovation and growth.
When reflecting on the company’s 50th anniversary, World Wide Metric CEO George Contos, said, “after being in the market for five decades our values and priorities haven’t changed, but they have evolved with our approach and forward-thinking. We pride ourselves on doing a better job today than we did yesterday – always improving – to provide superior service for our customers and be an outstanding partner for our suppliers.”
To commemorate their 50th anniversary, World Wide Metric has released a celebratory logo with the tagline “Keeping the World Flowing” to continue to pay tribute to the company’s legacy as a supplier in the maritime industry.
About World Wide Metric:
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, World Wide Metric is an ISO-9001 certified global supplier, specializing in supplying metric parts for the maritime, oil and gas, industrial flow control and fluid power markets. With over 50,000 quality products stocked in four convenient locations across the U.S., World Wide Metric takes pride in serving customers with expert product advice, same day quotations, and on-time deliveries. For more information, please contact Marissa Sutton at (732) 247-2300 or marissa@worldwidemetric.com.
