More than 150 years old, the N.H. Bragg, Co. is a distributor of welding and safety equipment based in Bangor, Maine. Recently, the company inaugurated its new e-commerce site. It's a long way from when the company started—specializing in selling buggy whips and blacksmith supplies to Maine customers and merchants.

John Bragg, the fifth-generation owner/president, explained that the site will be an asset for both corporate, as well as individual, customer.

"My great-great-grandfather, Norris Hubbard Bragg, started this company more than 150 years ago," says Bragg. "Today, we distribute supplies to more than 3,500 customers throughout northern New England. Now, we'll be able to serve them using technology Norris Bragg could never have imagined."

NHBragg.com will permit its customers to conduct product searches by description or part number as well as research their order history. Larger companies also will be able to designate administrators and purchasers who will have state-of-the-art list and cart editing and approval capabilities.

Planning for the site began in 2004, when company officials realized that they needed a Web-based, on line ordering system that would also allow users to perform searches of prior orders, manage lists and browse an on line catalog.

Bragg kept the operation in-state, as the site was developed by Sephone Internet Solutions and written and designed by J Group Advertising, both Bangor-based firms.

victoria.kickham@reedbusiness.com

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