It was 1948 when a group of motorcycle aficionados formed a biking club they called the Hells Angels. Velcro, the Frisbee and the 33 1/3 rpm record were all invented that year, when a young couple from Brooklyn moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., and founded Goodyear Rubber Products Inc.

Newlyweds Murray and Jackie Jacobs’ industrial rubber products distributorship began as a true family affair, with Murray’s mother keeping the books, Jackie’s father handling customers, Jackie answering the phone and young Murray selling garden hose, matting, rainwear and gloves out of his station wagon. His slogan: “If it’s rubber, we have it!”

After Murray died in 1986, Jackie took the reins, opening the first satellite location in 1991 in Clearwater, Fla. Today the business has five locations and the “Hose Doctor,” a mobile van equipped to fabricate and install hoses on the job site. Jackie passed away in 2000, leaving son Bob as the second Jacobs generation to take the helm.

“I grew up hearing my mother and father discussing the day’s events ... practically every night at the dinner table,” he writes. “Two key factors drilled into me from a young age were to first practice the 'Golden Rule of Business,’ treating both customers and employees in the manner that I would like to be treated; and, secondly, though just as importantly … enjoy your work. These principles are the foundation of the business Goodyear Rubber Products Inc. has become today.”

Bon Tool Co. is also celebrating an anniversary, marking 50 years in business by adding more than 300 new hand tools and building material products to its 2008 catalog...Speaking of anniversaries, Premier Farnell Group’s Newark electronic components distribution division is celebrating its 25th year in Canada by donating a percentage of Canadian Web site orders to Friends of the Earth Canada...Air Liquide Canada Inc. inked a deal to distribute Lincoln Electric of Canada’s welding equipment...Lathes and machine tools manufacturer Romi Machine Tools Ltd. named Turner Supply Co. as its stocking distributor for Tennessee and Alabama…Kaman Industrial Technologies plans to début a new, 46,000-square-foot distribution center and branch office in Savannah, Ga., in June...NetSuite Inc. launched NetSuite Giving, an initiative to help streamline the operations of charities and social endeavors…IBC added distributors Idaho Machinery & Supply Inc. and Conway Industrial Supply Inc. to its IndustrialSupplyPlus division...Graybar launched Graybar Delivery Advantage, a mobile system that tracks and documents deliveries using GPS-enabled mobile phones…J&L Industrial Supply announced its largest metalworking catalog ever, featuring more than 100,000 products...

Industrial Distribution Group Inc. agreed to be acquired by Platinum Equity Advisors LLC…RBC Bearings acquired A.I.D. Corp. and BEMD Inc. for $5.9 million and the assumption of certain liabilities…Airgas Inc. acquired Northeast Gas Technologies Ltd. for an undisclosed amount…British building materials distributor BSS Group plc acquired master distributor Birchwood Group Holdings Ltd.…Alcoa Inc. acquired Republic Fastener Manufacturing Corp. and Van Petty Manufacturing from The Wood Family Trust...Arrow Electronics Inc. acquired Achieva Ltd.’s components distribution business…

supplyFORCE announced its Commitment to Excellence Awards for its Electrical Supply, Industrial Supply and Pipe, Valves & Fittings divisions. The winners were: Kirby Risk Corp., Walter A. Wood Supply Co. and Industrial & Construction Enterprises Inc. for excellence in sales leadership; North Coast Electric Co., Shamrock Supply Co. Inc. and A.P. Supply Co. for owner-member of the year; and Reynolds Co., Hubbard Supply Co. and Piping & Equipment Co. for best conversion…Sonepar’s Eoff Electric Supply won the Energy Trust of Oregon’s Outstanding Contributions Award for the third straight year for providing more than 7 million kWh of energy savings…Mayer Electric Supply’s Nashville branch was named one of the 10 best places to work by the Nashville Business Journal…OneSource Distributors won a Mark of Excellence Award from San Diego Gas & Electric for its performance during the 2007 fires in that city and a Supply Chain Leader Award from Pacific Gas & Electric…Hisco Inc. named Henkel’s industrial group as its 2007 Supplier of the Year.