YOUR ESSENTIAL FIBER TOOLS FOR THE MOST ESSENTIAL WORK OF THE PANDEMIC

 

With the current climate of densifying fiber networks, the amount of technicians that need to be equipped and trained comes with a price tag. Comstar Supply can help manage the impact of the Capex that you’ll need to invest as well as coordinating the right amount of training to get them out on the job.

Comstar is pleased to announce a partnership with Technity Solutions and their line of Canyon Fiber Optic Test and Deployment Solutions. Where speed to market and costs need to be limited, Comstar and Technity can supply technicians with fast delivery and high-quality gear with prices that will fit into even the most stringent budgets.

Technity Solutions is a multinational technology company supplying products that innovate and optimize communication networks through solutions ranging from access system solutions, customer premise equipment, OEM/ODM arrangements, and active/passive commu-
nication components. We also provide high caliber installation materials for access networks, wireless networks, optical networks, corporate and private networks, data center and cloud environments, physical plant, and MDU solutions.

Viavi Solutions also stepped up with significant cost reductions on the most essential gear for deploying fiber rich mobile networks and residential services fast enough to keep up with the Zoom video conference onslaught during this pandemic. Up to 57% off MSRP of select OTDRs, Power Meters, Scopes and other essential equipment that should be in every technician’s toolbox. These savings are available for a limited time, so be sure to stock up and take advantage of the Section179.org tax relief for 2020.

Jonard has kept busy during the pandemic with several exciting new tool releases for fiber optic technicians. The CableSaberTM AST-200 tool for mid-spanning armored cable has an improved design for greater handling and leverage compares to previous armored cable shealth slitters. It also has a wide range for cable capacity from 0.157" to 1.125".

If you haven’t started using rollable ribbon cable yet, it may be in your near future. The new RFS-100 tool assists with safely and quickly separating the intermittently bonded ribbons for greater speed when mid-spanning and conducting single fusion operation with rollable ribbon.

Contact a Comstar Supply Sales Representative today for more information on all of these great cost saving options.

MANUFACTURER HIGHLIGHT - TECHNITY

 

Technity Solutions, a premier communications network solution supplier, is pleased to announce that Comstar Supply has been added as an authorized value-added distributor for the United States.

"Signing on as a Techity Solutions value-added distributor, Comstar has the opportunity to enhance our product portfolio to include extensive Fiber Optic Deployment/Installations solutions that will benefit the many customers we serve now and well into the future, said Comstar Product Manager Matt Brice. "Now, more than ever, we're seeing the need for a second wave of product innovations to support the broadband expansion efforts that are occurring across the country."

“We look forward to working with Comstar Supply to sell and distribute Technity Solutions products in the United States,” said Jeff Mulqueen, VP of Sales and Business Development, Technity Solutions. “With terrific sales, service, and logistical capabilities focused on markets and applications that our products are made for, Comstar Supply has the experience and expertise to provide customers with that one stop shop approach for all their broadband project supply needs.”

About Comstar Supply

Comstar Supply, Inc., was founded in 1994 with the goal of providing the communications industry with the necessary materials and tools to successfully complete projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. Through its Collegeville, PA, and Raleigh, NC, facilities, the company serves a diverse customer base that includes telephone and electric utilities, CATV companies, CLEC local/long haul fiber-optic companies providing combined internet, telephone, and CATV services. Further information about the company can be found at www.comstarsupply.com.

About Technity Solutions Inc

Technity Solutions is a multinational technology company supplying products that innovate and optimize communication networks through solutions ranging from access system solutions, customer premise equipment, OEM/ODM arrangements, and active/passive communication components. We also provide high caliber installation materials for access networks, wireless networks, optical networks, corporate and private networks, data center and cloud environments, physical plant, and MDU solutions.

MEET COMSTAR’S CANDES SPENCER

Candes Spencer joined Comstar earlier this year as an Outside Sales Manager to help grow our business in the Southeast. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or talking with Candes, we sat down with Candes for a quick Q&A.

Q: How did you get into telecom or outside plant distribution?

A: My husband worked at Prysmian Group (formerly Alcatel) and I worked at Frye Hospital. He said come to work with me in the Fiber plant on your days off. So, I started working at Alcatel in the fiber plant running. I was splicing fiber daily. Then eventually I found a passion for fiber optics and I went on to an Inside Sales position and eventually Outside Sales.

Q: How and when did you join Comstar?  

A: I joined Comstar January 1, 2020. Yes, I said it 2020. And what a year it has been! Comstar and their love for family gave me the chance to move back to North Carolina to be closer to family.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the best thing about working at Comstar?

A: By far the people! Chad Punchard and his mentality that we are one big family, has rubbed off on every single individual here. When you are in the trenches, there is nobody I would rather be there with than this Comstar family. We look out for each other and listen to each other’s voices. I have learned that every person here has a unique story. And our uniqueness is what brings us together. And at the heart of the company is a passion for goodness that I have never witnessed before.

Q: What would you say about your customers?

A: I have some of the best and brightest customers in the industry! They work hard both at work, and home to take care of their families.  My customers enjoy working with people they feel are going to take care of them when they need it.  They advocate for their companies and their customers. They want the best possible experience they can have to be able to get services rendered for their company. They are efficient and savvy to the processes that make this happen.

Q: What would your customers say about you?

A: She values honesty and Integrity. Her family is very important to her. And she may not always know the answer but is willing to go the extra mile, to use internal or external resources to get an answer and keep them happy.

Q: You’re very involved within the industry. If I were building out your business card it would include things like panel moderator, virtual trade show participant, podcast guest, tradeshow panelist – and I haven’t even mentioned sales yet! How did you become so involved in the industry?

A: I have always been truly passionate in advocating broadband to every community!  But even more as I watched my son grow older and I saw many of his friends graduating college and moving off because they could go to bigger cities which had greater advancements in broadband and getting higher-paying wages. I feel that in today’s society, broadband is essential to all people in their everyday walk of life! And sadly, most people don’t even fully understand the actual definition of broadband. 

I have always felt the more I can educate people on broadband's benefits to their community the more likely they are to vote and push lawmakers to help fund new initiatives. In my heart, I believe that unless some of the rural areas get access to the Internet in their communities they will never grow. Also, I started at a time in the industry when there weren’t very many women advocates for broadband and so I think it is important to use my platform any way I can to further the fiber-optic broadband story.

 

Q: I know one of your passions is being an active parent and role model for your daughter and son. I hear your son was a pretty impressive baseball player. And your daughter is a pretty impressive Volleyball player. Care to mom-brag and give me a baseball and volleyball story?

A: My son is now 27 and a graduate from Appalachian State University. He was recently married to his long-time girlfriend. But my favorite thing of being his mom was watching his love for the sport of baseball - and now he is coaching at our local High School. His love for the game is contagious.  My daughter on the other hand is my mini me. She is the Libro on her team and she says her favorite thing in volleyball is when the hitter goes up to hit a hard spike at her.  She said she watches which way they are going to move their shoulders, and then gages where the ball is going. Her favorite comment is, “the harder they hit the more fun it is to see their face when I dig it up.”

Q: I also know you recently moved from Tennessee back to your original hometown in North Carolina. So, do you bleed Carolina blue or Tennessee orange?

A: I have and will always bleed Carolina Tarheel Blue inside and out when it comes to college basketball. But after living in the land of SEC college football it was definitely an experience I grew to love. So, Good Old Rocky Top Orange has become ingrained in my heart. I pull for them in everything including Basketball, as long as they aren’t playing Carolina!

Combat Heat Stress with Sword Performance

Heat stress is a silent killer prevalent in many settings and can take its toll on workers in the blink of an eye.

The key is to remember that there are easy ways to combat heat stress and to ensure workers safety from the inside out.  We are taught to wear hard hats for head protection, steel toe shoes for foot protection, and safety glasses for eye protection, but what about our internal systems?  Workers can combat heat stress before their shift ever begins by following a few easy steps.

What is Heat Stress or Heat Fatigue?

Heat stress is a form of thermic/thermal stress that occurs when a person is exposed to high temperatures, usually from environmental sources. Common causes include hot weather, high humidity, living or working in proximity to heat sources, strenuous physical activities performed in a hot environment, whether indoors or outdoors. Symptoms of heat stress include profuse sweating, thirst as a first sign of dehydration followed by difficulty focusing or performing various tasks, fatigue, muscle cramps, overheating sensation, increased heart rate and ultimately loss of consciousness/fainting.

Mental fatigue can be a result of heat stress and can lead to workers becoming complacent or disoriented.  Workers who are mentally fatigued have a hard time focusing on tasks which could lead to accidents and injuries in the workplace. 

Finding a solution that is right for the employees should be started by writing a solid heat stress plan.  Understanding the working conditions, ambient temperatures, and stress on the body are all factors that should be explored.  Also, providing the workforce with a product that protects from the inside out can help tremendously. 

We have found that many products offered in the industrial market currently are loaded with artificial chemicals and sugar that the body has a hard time filtering.  This can complicate the issues with heat stress rather than offering a solution.

Sword Performance has come into the industrial market with a new and innovative product.  Sword has zero artificial sweeteners and is all natural which allow the workers a healthy solution for hydration.  Companies can feel confident when they offer this type of product that their worker will be well protected.

For more information about Sword Performance, please contact your OSR or email Joe Rooney, National Account Manager – Sword Performance for Comstar at [email protected]. 

Comstar Supply Focuses on Giving Back

 

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” ~ Arthur Ashe

Over the last eight years, Comstar Supply, as well as the entire Punchard family, have placed an importance on giving back to the community.

Each year, the company participates in a number of annual programs such as a Thanksgiving appeal for our local Collegeville, PA, community, and the Salvation Army Give-A-Gift Angel Tag Program, to name a few. We’ve also run two incredibly successful golf tournaments in honor of our founder, Earl Punchard, with all proceeds directed to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

This year our commitment to giving seems even more important given the uncertainty we are all facing due to the pandemic. Over the past three months, the entire Comstar family has come together to support organizations focused on assisting families.

In August, Comstar delivered food, cleaning supplies, self-care, and infant items to the Daily Bread (PA) FoodPantry. It was the culmination of a weeks-long, internal team building event where we donated more than 520 pounds of goods to area families in need.

Last month, the company participating in the CHOP Parkway Virtual Run fundraiser. Throughout September, employees gathered donations to help support the hospital in their effort to better understand childhood cancer and develop new treatments – all with the goal of finding a cure.

And in October, the company made a corporate donation to A Better Chance, an organization whose goal is to change the life trajectory of academically talented youth of color in grades 6-12 through access to rigorous and prestigious educational opportunities.

“I’m incredibly proud of not only the business we continue to build, but also our philanthropic work that helps benefit others,” commented Comstar President Chad Punchard.

OFF THE TOP

 

Well, it’s been 8 months, 8 long months of mask-wearing and practicing social distancing. I can tell you what we miss most is the normalcy of having a travel schedule and visiting with customers.

Although the work and orders continue, and quite frankly the broadband industry adapted quickly to this “new normal,” there is something to be said about having that personal connection.

I hope you agree that we’re doing the best we can to continue to foster those connections despite the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 in our lives. In my opinion, the Comstar Supply team has been able to translate our customer first, service at all cost mentality to the virtual world – and I hope you’ve experienced that in your dealings with us. 

However, we still can’t be there in person today but are always at the ready to support our customers. In fact, what we’re focusing on now is making sure everyone is prepared for the next 6-9 months of network builds because we’re hearing from manufacturers is that demand for all OSP product is increasing.

That’s an easy concept to understand when you think about carriers continuing to densify their networks and build more miles with higher fiber counts to accommodate small cell and IoT. Wireless carriers expanding 5G rollouts in earnest. And fiber-to-the-home providers experiencing tremendous network growth as more community’s grapple with the digital divide.

On top of that, outside forces such as the unrelenting storms in the Southeast and Southwest that took a toll. The impact in Texas was significant, which negatively affects the production of resin, and in turn products like fiber optic cable and innerduct. Fortunately, we’ve ramped up stock levels of popular products like strand, fiber, conduit, and boxes, for our customers.

Like most of you, throughout the turmoil of Covid-19, we’ve worked long, hard hours, undermanned in the office, and navigated it all with the same Comstar attitude of caring for our customers.  It has been an amazing thing to watch, but at some point, I hope our schedules become more than just Zoom meetings.

This crazy, unimaginable year 2020, I am extremely grateful for everything that we’ve accomplished together over the last 8 months, and I look forward to the wonderful things yet unaccomplished.

Thank you for your continued business and trust.

Stay safe.

 

Chad

OFF THE TOP

Like most of you, during the past 9 weeks while social distancing to combat COVID-19, I now stand back (from 6 ft or more) and marvel at how the entire telecommunications industry was able to quickly and seamlessly adapt to a rapidly changing work environment.

As many of you have seen from my messages over the last couple of months, here at Comstar Supply our first priority is the protection and health of our employees and customers. During this time, we created a dedicated COVID-19 team that meets nearly daily as we continue to implement new precautions into our work life. Hopefully, by the time you read this, we’ll have some of the limitations lifted by local government and pivot to allowing more employees back into the office with strict guidelines so that all of us remain safe and healthy.

While it’s still too early to tell if all of these safety measures become the norm, I know for us here at Comstar Supply, we're making permanent changes in how we build our operations. My team is now more focused than ever on modeling customer demand, production, supply chain and logistics, to better serve our customers. We are fully committed to information sharing and keeping vendors, partners and customers updated on market trends and conditions. And we’ve increased our stock levels and feel no other distribution partner can match our one-day delivery of essential outside plant material.

As our industry begins to ramp up build projects, Comstar Supply is there for our customers at a moment’s notice. We understand you are looking for increased support in this time of change and uncertainty. Our goal is to provide that by providing a customer experience unlike any other, focusing on the tenants of product fulfillment, on-time logistics, 100% order accuracy, and a laser-focused approach to information sharing and service.

With that, this quarter’s theme for our digital newsletter is safety and personal protection equipment (PPE). We’ve certainly experienced an increase in demand for products like signage, masks, sanitizer, and wearable PPE, and so we’re highlighting a few of those products in this newsletter. You can also read more about our exclusive partnership with Sword Performance, which is a specially-formulated, drinkable PPE for workers with high stress or high heat jobs.

A lot of exciting news continues to pour out of Comstar Supply. However, we miss the face-to-face engagement with you, our customers. We miss the personal interaction. We miss the laughs and good times. We miss the bad golf shots and long for the good ones. It is my sincere hope that some time this summer there is a return to a sense of normalcy that will allow for us to spend valuable time together.

Until then, stay connected with us. Reach out to your sales manager, or inside sales rep, or even myself, with comments, questions, concerns – or even just to say hi. It’s these personal connections that will carry us through the difficult times.

Thank you for your continued business and trust.

Stay safe.

Chad

MEET COMSTAR’S BOB HIPP

“What About Bob?” was a 1991 comedy film which told the story of a patient who follows his psychiatrist around on a family vacation. Our Bob – Bob Hipp – promises not to do that to our customers, but he does exhibit some of the positive traits portrayed by the character in the movie such as having a great work ethic and treating people well.

For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or talking with Bob, Comstar’s Regional Sales Manager for PA and Western NY, he’s a storyteller – and a damn fine one at that. So, what about OUR Bob?

Q: Tell me your favorite story.  

Bob: Before I start to ramble, I would like to congratulate my daughter, Emily, on her graduation from Temple University this May!  Corona derailed her ceremony but not her spirit.

Bob and his family celebrating Emily's graduation

My favorite work story is my first real lesson in communication and something I share whenever I work with someone new to our business.

In my first sales job, I had a customer in Hammond, LA, who bought two hundred TV remote controls from me because he was a CATV operator and was setting up a tent at the local grocery store to sign up new subscribers.  He ordered them on a Wednesday and asked that I ship them UPS 2^nd day air so he would get them on Friday. 

Young and aggressive, I wrote the order and hand carried it to our Sales Coordinator Diane.  I handed the order to Diane and proclaimed, “SHIP THESE UPS 2-DAY!” as my customer requested.  Diane shipped them UPS ground that afternoon.  He didn’t get them on time.  I killed his event.  

After some discussion in the office (this was during the stone age of hand-written orders), we figured out that Diane heard me exclaim “SHIP THESE UPS TODAY!”  That simple lesson has helped shape my career.  I see one of my primary responsibilities as anticipating and avoiding mistakes by really understanding what’s going on and communicating that as best I can.

Q: How and when did you join Comstar? 

Bob: I started in June of 2014. 

Comstar's Bob Hipp

I was working as a manufacturer rep and was looking to get back into distribution.  I interviewed with a distributor and had an offer on the table.  Many years ago, Earl Punchard (Founder of Comstar and whom I had never met personally) called me because he had heard that I was making a move.  I remember the conversation as being so pleasant and supportive from someone I didn’t know.  He basically wished me luck and told me if I ever wanted to move again to call him.  I promised him I would. 

Not long after that conversation, Earl passed away.  I “met” him at his funeral service.  That phone call stayed with me for years and impacted me to the point that, when I was ready to make another job move, I felt compelled in some way to “tell” Earl and Comstar. 

I didn’t feel I knew Chad well enough to share that phone call with him so I called Mike Hartwick—a Comstar employee, friend and colleague I had known for 20 years.  I just wanted Mike to know.  I wanted to keep my promise to Earl.  I called Mike.  Mike called Chad.  Chad called me.  We met the next day.  I really didn’t think there was any way I would work at Comstar as I had a very fair offer on the table from a good company.  Chad, Todd and I talked for an hour.  I was hooked.  Best move I ever made.  Thanks Earl!

Q: In your opinion, what’s the best thing about working at Comstar? 

Bob: The people, right?  Isn’t that what everyone says?  And that is definitely part of it.  The culture here is amazing and supportive and generous and loving and fun.  I am closer to the end of my career than the beginning and I am so lucky to be at a place that feels like home.

Q: What would you say about your customers? 

Bob: Simply that many of them have become friends.  Honest, hard-working people who, as we sit here, are working through some pretty difficult conditions.

Q: What would your customers say about you? 

Bob: Hopefully, that I am honest in my dealings with them.  That is extremely important to me.

Q: You’re very philanthropic and involved in your local community, how did you get started in that and what are some of the organizations that you serve? 

Bob: In my early 20's, I may or may not have gotten into a little trouble with the law.  I was sentenced to community service.  My first “volunteer” work was in patient transport at a local hospital.  I used to wheel patients in chairs or in beds to X-ray or a dozen other places within the hospital.  Many times, they were suffering.  I always tried to make them smile, at least for a second.  That small gesture would help them feel better and made me feel great! 

I always tell people looking to volunteer that I do it because I am selfish….it makes me feel better about myself!  I am currently a member and past President of Perkasie Rotary, an amazing organization.  In my history, I have been involved in everything from Special Olympics to Homeowners organizations to various non-profits.  Get this….I am “on the Board” of the local free library!  Shout out here to my wife Donna and daughter Emily.  I drag them into every volunteer event that I work.  They are great at it and I think it has provided Emily with a great foundation. 

Q: You’re also a big Philly sports fan – stack rank the teams in terms of your passion? 

Bob: Finally, an easy one. EAGLES, FLYERS, PHILLIES, SIXERS.

Q: I also know you golf from time to time, who’s in your dream foursome? 

Bob: Living?  Tiger is a definite.  Charles Barkley is the guy in my cart and George W Bush. “W” is an odd one for me politically, but I think he is so misunderstood as a person.  It would be cool to get to know him.  He and I would ride together on the back nine.  Wait!  Second nine.  If we are dreaming, we might as well play Augusta.

Q: One more story? 

Bob: You asked for it!  This story comes with a photo.  I am not in said photo.  In 1983, I worked at a movie theater.  It was one of the old-time main street type theaters with the roof over the sidewalk and the marquee above. 

My friend Jim and I were seniors in high school and we both worked there.  We were only 17 but they gave us keys to the theater so we could lock up at night.  I think they probably changed that policy in June of ’83! 

Anyway, the Sixers win the NBA title.  Jim and I call each other and a bunch of our friends and we all met at Hatboro Theater.  Hatboro was one of those towns where they would close the main drag as people poured into the street to celebrate. 

We unlocked the theater, propped the side door open and went up onto the roof in front of the marquee.  We took the movie names off the marquee and replaced them with “SIXER NO ONE” “DR J” AND “LAKERS SUCK”.  Our 17-year old brains thought “who from Budco (they owned the theater and a few others) is gonna be in Hatboro.  No way we get caught!” 

Local newspaper photo of the marquee, Bob and his friends.

The next day (que photo) we were on the front page of the local newspaper.  The regional manager, whom I had never met, called the theater and told the manger to fire us.  For years, I kept that newspaper and told that story with long lost teenaged pride. 

Fast forward to 2008, my family and I moved to a new house.  One day, I’m cutting the grass and there’s my next-door neighbor. We introduce ourselves and start talking.  His name was Charlie Fogel.  I asked him what he did for a living and he says, “Well, I am retired now but I worked in the movie theater business for 35 years.”  I thought for a second and said, “Charlie Fogel!  You fired me from Hatboro Theater in 1983!!”

That’s right.  25 years after the 1983 Sixers Championship, I randomly moved in next door to the guy who fired me!  Charlie has since passed away, but we had a great laugh that day and he lives with me forever.  On a side note, everyone I know has probably already heard this story at least once so sorry to all of you.

Celebrating Five Years in North Carolina

This month is a special time for Comstar Supply. It represents a moment when five years ago we first planted our flag in the Tar Heel State. And normally we’d be celebrating this milestone together at our annual customer appreciation pig roast, but due to social distancing requirements we’re postponing that event to a date later in the Fall which we will publicize once plans are finalized.

In lieu of a customer celebration this month, we did still feel the need to show support for the Raleigh community to recognize our anniversary, and so this past Monday we partnered with the Wake Med Garner Healthplex to provide them with 140 meals for their essential workers and respective families.

“We’ve enjoyed a tremendous amount of success with our expansion into North Carolina and couldn’t have done it without the support of the local Garner community,” said Comstar Supply President Chad Punchard. “Our recent donation to Wake Med is just a small token of our appreciation and a special thanks to the essential health care workers who serve the Garner area.”

All of this success and growth would also not be possible without the support of our customers, manufacturers, partners and employees. We’ve been humbled by the warm welcome, yet given the reputation of the community, expected nothing less.

Our goal in expanding to North Carolina was simple yet universal to our success over the last 25 years – provide operational excellence and laser-focused customer service that separates us from the competition. As we look back on the last five years, we feel we’ve delivered on that end.

So, thank you for your continued support. We hope this note finds you all safe and look forward to seeing you at our anniversary celebration in North Carolina this Fall.

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT - WILLIAM FRICK

William Frick

Frick is a manufacturer of specialty labeling and marking products. They pride themselves on engineering, designing, and manufacturing custom, high-quality solutions for each and every customer. Since 1975, Frick has established itself as a reliable, innovative, and trusted part of its customers’ and suppliers’ businesses.

The company is manufacturing a number of safety products that range from utility and telecom markers to custom signage and other security markers. We are highlighting two such products this month.

Antimicrobial Film
Frick's now sells products including Antimicrobial Film that kills up to 99.99% of germs and bacteria, Anti-Slip Floor Labels to help promote social distancing, CDC Signs and Labels to inform the community of ways to prevent and identify COVID-19 symptoms.

Antimicrobial Film can be applied on both indoor and outdoor surfaces such as door handles, trash cans, handrails, elevator buttons, grocery cart handles, and many more surfaces.

The silver embedded within the film activates with heat, light, pressure and sale from fingertips. Once activated, the silver releases ions that attach to and starve the microbes which prevents replication and keeps the surface clean.

COVID Signs and labels
William Frick also has multiple signs and labels clearly marking COVID-19 guidelines and ensure CDC procedures are followed. The standard size is 18” x 10.125” available in permanent or adhesive sign constructions.

To learn more or see a sample of any product in the Comstar Supply portfolio, please contact your Comstar Sales Representative today or call us at 866-326-6782.

Comstar Supply Adds Sword Performance to Product Portfolio

Comstar Supply is now an exclusive distributor of the Sword Performance hydration system of products. Developed by scientists, this new approach as Drinkable Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), is a 100% natural, healthy hydration alternative that will increase production and performance during high heat and high stress work environments. 

Maintaining the right fluid and electrolyte balance means that your body works better. It can better regulate its temperature and can better supply fuel and oxygen to your muscles and brain. What this means for you and your team in the field is that heat stress becomes a reduced concern, muscles work longer and more consistently without cramping, recovery is faster, thinking remains clear. The job gets done more quickly and safely. 

 
Relentlessly focusing on proper body fluid movement, SWORD^® and SHIELD^® taste delicious and are formulated from natural, healthy ingredients that your body knows how to process. No matter the task or environment you encounter, SWORD will keep you sharp and SHIELD always has you covered. 

SWORD^®: Peak Performance Hydration 

For extreme heat, stress, and physical environments. 

SWORD is a revolutionary carbohydrate-electrolyte drink formulated to help maintain hydration and improve productivity, even in the most challenging conditions. SWORD supplies a steady supply of sodium electrolytes and carbohydrate fuel with ultra-smooth digestion and absorption. SWORD is clean, easy to drink, certified gluten-free, and contains only 6 natural ingredients - no artificial colors, preservatives, or sweeteners. 

SWORD’s all-natural, real-fruit flavors (Berry, Pineapple Mango, Orange, and Lemonade) are available in: 

·         20 fl oz Ready-to-Drink Bottles 

·         16.9 fl oz Powder Singles 

·         2.2 Gallon Powder Pouches 

SHIELD^®: Always-On Hydration 

For every day, light physical, low to mid-stress environments.

SHIELD is a low-calorie, low-sodium electrolyte drink with a purpose: to provide a great tasting, healthy option to quench thirst and stay hydrated without highly processed sugars or artificial ingredients. SHIELD helps your workforce prevent dehydration, improve mental clarity, and maintain productivity. 
 
SHIELD’s all-natural, real-fruit flavors (Berry, Pineapple Mango, Orange, and Lemonade) are available in: 

·         12 fl oz Ready-to-Drink Bottles 

·         3 fl oz Freezer Pops 

·         16.9 fl oz Powder Singles 

·         .55 lb Gallon Powder Pouches 

Contact your Comstar Supply representative for more information and protect your workforce with healthy hydration. 

Evolving Times Call for New Beginnings

The matriarch of Comstar Supply (as well as my family), and one of the original Founders of Comstar, Gwen Punchard, is a former history teacher and has an affinity for Winston Churchill. Last week, she sent us a note with a famous quote from Churchill after winning “The Battle of Egypt.” 

“Now this is not the end,” wrote Churchill. “It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

This quote holds true as our nation continues to make progress in its fight against COVID-19 and is also relevant to Comstar as we have settled into new routines and business operations.

We continue to take the lead of Pa. Governor Wolf in regard to safety measures for our existing staff at the office, and in preparation for other employees to rejoin us, which we hope will be some time mid-May. We have made several changes to our daily operations to get ready for our full staff’s return. From wearing masks at work, to hand sanitizing stations, to staggered breaks, to weekly anti-bacterial, electrostatic spraying of our offices, Comstar remains committed to the health and well being of our employees and customers. 

I wrote our staff recently that this is by far the longest I’ve been in the office in years without customer travel or an off-site event, but the additional time has been beyond valuable to me. 

I’ve spent countless hours talking with vendors, customers, manufacturers, and leaders in other industries, about the impact this is having, and will have, on businesses around the country. Compiling the lessons learned from these conversations has led me to believe we need to be even more creative and opportunistic as we all emerge from the current situation. And while I believe this to be true, I also know that I don’t have all the answers. 

Each of us has been impacted in a different way due to the work constraints we’re currently under. You’ve all been patient with us as we met customer demand during a difficult time for our nation. So, I’ll challenge you the same way I did our employees - if you have any suggestions on how we can work better together please feel free to respond to this note with any encouraging ideas.

In the meantime, we remain committed and vigilant on ensuring your success by providing the knowledge, materials, equipment, and experience needed at your greatest moment of need. These past few weeks have only encouraged our resolve, and we look forward to working with you as we arise from this fight victorious.

Best Regards.

Chad Punchard
President, Comstar Supply