TO OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS,
January of 2007 marked my 50 th year as CEO of Bertels Can Company and being of service to you over this time has been my sincere pleasure.
February of 2007 marked the transfer of ownership of Bertels Can Company to Independent Can Company and with the transfer comes added benefits. Independent has been respected, friendly competitor over the years as well as being our West Coast distributor. We have served as a distributor for Independent Can Company by dedicating several pages of our catalog each year to their cans.
Independent is much better equipped to handle the global competition along with the rising costs of tinplate due to their buying power (they are much larger than Bertels) and the fact that they are more vertically integrated enabling them to do their own lithography on-site, engage an in-house artist, make their own printing plates, publish their own catalog, etc.
Naturally, there will be a few changes. Although, I have retired, I will proudly serve on Independent's Board of Directors and continue to maintain my office in order to serve as an advisor.
The most important impression I want to leave you with is that Bertels Can Company, 85 years old this year, has not changed but is happy to announce that its future is more secure than ever by being acquired by Independent Can Company. Four generations of the Huether family have pioneered the founding and outstanding growth of Independent and I have known and respected all four during my tour of duty, so I speak from experience. I feel the joining of the two great traditions of quality and service, hallmarks of both Bertels and Independent, will be enhanced by the merger.
Thank you and God Bless,
The Can Man
Lou Goeringer |
