Paramont EO

Powering Progress Through Precise Connectivity

Over 50 Years of Customer-Centric Excellence in Electrical Supply.

 

As an organization, Paramont EO consistently demonstrates both exceptional adaptability in its operations and a commendable focus on problem-solving for its customers.

The company is currently maintaining a sustained focus on pioneering new, high-demand sectors, including data centers, EV charging, and renewable energy.

To support this focus, Paramont EO is also making substantial investments in its technological infrastructure, including improvements to its website for more seamless customer interaction and enhancements to the predictive capabilities of its Solar Eclipse software.

More internally, Paramont EO’s unique culture and precision serve to nurture its vibrant, multi-generational workforce through continued promotion from within.

Externally, the company adopts a relationship-based approach with both customers and, in particular, its preferred vendor network.

“We work with many different vendors, but I would say our core group is really relationship-based. Obviously, we want to be competitive, but it really comes down to who’s reliable and there for you when you need them at the end of the day,” says Director of Telecom Ryan Shore.

Due to this philosophy, Paramont EO has consistently relied on essential partners, like Casey Electrical Sales, to ensure access to a resilient supply chain and tailored solutions.

Paramont EO is also known for its unconventional yet innovative practices.

Things like custom site kitting to manufacturing in-house pallets that prevent customers from overpaying for shipment directly translate into both client satisfaction and a healthier bottom line.

Paramont EO’s mix of foresight and granular operations, where every detail is optimized for customer satisfaction, is its secret sauce.

As a result, Paramont EO has emerged as a tenured market leader across a diverse range of energy-intensive sectors, seamlessly integrating human expertise with cutting-edge digital tools.

It is the undisputed, indispensable, and trusted partner for every complex electrical supply need.

Extensive Reach, Excellent Service, and a Vibrant Culture

For over five decades, Paramont EO has stood the test of time, continually evolving its foundational goals to meet the shifting needs of the Chicagoland and greater national electrical supply industries.

Established by the sibling duo Ken Gallagher and Patty Cunningham, the company’s inception was marked by the combination of Paramont Electric Supply, Evergreen Oak Electric Supply, and Crest Lighting, forming the comprehensive entity known today as Paramont EO.

“I guess you could say that through the merging of those entities, we became a really well-rounded company that could cater to the Chicagoland contractor market. So, we were offering assistance with switch gears, lighting, lighting design, as well as everyday electrical materials,” Shore explains.

And despite its already impressive offerings, a significant milestone in its journey was the launch of its telecom division in September 2022.

This newer venture quickly gained traction, successfully supplying materials to contractors constructing cell phone towers for major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, showcasing Paramont EO’s remarkable agility in identifying and capitalizing on emerging market demands.

This agility has been a consistent hallmark of the company’s enduring success.

Today, Paramont EO’s operational footprint is as impressive as its history of adaptation, boasting approximately 120,000 square feet of combined warehouse space across three Chicagoland locations, with its central hub in Woodridge, Illinois.

“So, we have a fleet of 32 trucks that all drive different routes throughout the area each day, and we really try to help our customers by being a one-stop shop. That means having different product categories, offering quick deliveries, and being accurate with pricing. But it also means our employees have the knowledge and skill set to understand and quickly respond to the customers’ needs,” Shore explains.

Fortunately, the introduction of the telecom division significantly expanded Paramont EO’s reach, launching nationwide shipping capabilities.

Utilizing freight and package carriers like UPS and FedEx, Paramont EO now routinely ships to over 30 states, with a strong presence from the Midwest through the East Coast, and recent expansions even reaching the West Coast.

The secret behind Paramont EO’s precise yet expansive operation is its unique company culture, which features a blend of seasoned experience and youthful vibrancy.

While the workforce spans ages from their 20s to their 70s, a significant portion comprises younger professionals, creating a more forward-thinking atmosphere.

The company’s ethos deeply prioritizes solutions and human connections, which flows into its approach to employee development, with a strong preference for promoting from within.

Many of their current sales staff and even leadership roles, including Shore, the Director of Telecom himself, began their careers in entry-level positions such as warehouse operations, customer service, or even driving trucks.

Shore explains this dynamic aptly, saying, “We’re an independently owned, family-oriented company, so we don’t have that corporate feel. Everyone knows everyone here; it’s a people business, not so much a product business.”

Leveraging Technology and Customer-Driven Investments for a Competitive Advantage

Paramont EO expertly leverages advanced technology to gain a competitive edge.

“We use a premier software called Solar Eclipse. It provides us with a live inventory that we can view in real-time. It has different modules that we can use to route our trucks more efficiently, and even analyzes and predicts demand for certain products. It also makes purchasing suggestions, so we’re able to stay ahead of our customers,” Shore explains.

This live inventory system is a distinct differentiator in the telecom space, enabling immediate communication with customers regarding product availability and estimated lead times, which is invaluable for job scheduling.

Beyond the enterprise-level software, Paramont EO is also known for its practical, user-centric solutions.

The company’s in-house IT team consistently enhances its website for greater user-friendliness and deeper system integration, aiming to provide customers with both human interaction and seamless digital self-service options.

A prime example of this pragmatic user centricity is Paramont EO’s customized Excel-based “shopping cart” developed for telecom customers.

This ingenious tool streamlines the quoting and ordering process by allowing customers to input quantities for common products, which can then be rapidly uploaded into Paramont EO’s system.

What might take competitors hours to manually process, Paramont EO can achieve in minutes, complete with real-time stock information and estimated lead times.

All of the above, taken together, significantly improve efficiency, reduce lead times, and elevate the customer experience, setting Paramont EO apart in an incredibly competitive landscape.

Paramont EO also differentiates itself in the market through a deeply ingrained, relationship-oriented approach, rather than solely relying on vast inventory.

“We’re not a big corporation with an endless budget. So, we can’t stock everything under the sun. But what we do instead is cater our stock to our customers’ needs, so we’re always expanding our inventory,” Shore says, noting how the company is continuously adding new products almost daily in response to demand.

Paramont EO’s dedication to customer satisfaction is especially evident in its continuous investment in warehousing operations and specialized services.

For instance, it heavily invests in equipment for spooling wire and site kitting, including various reel delivery systems such as parallel reels, compartment reels, and the innovative reel-on-reel system, which saves customers significant time during loading and installation.

In fact, Paramont EO takes bespoke service to an entirely new level by manufacturing custom-sized skids and pallets in-house for specific orders.

This not only guarantees optimal protection during transit but also prevents customers from overpaying for oversized shipments, a common issue in the industry.

Strategic Partnerships and Future Adaptation

Paramont EO expertly manages its supplier relationships, maintaining a vast network of hundreds of vendors and manufacturers, supported by a core group of preferred vendors.

These preferred partnerships are often forged through a combination of successful historical collaboration and alignment with industry buying groups and rep agencies.

This multi-layered approach ensures access to a diverse range of brands, including competitive manufacturers, while leveraging incentives offered through collective purchasing power.

Ultimately, the company’s selection criteria for partners comes down to reliability and responsiveness, echoing the core belief that Paramont EO is a “people business.”

Key impactful partners include Casey Electrical Sales, Southwire, Ally Tube, Priority Wire, and Hoffman Manufacturing, all of which are recognized for their consistent inventory, responsiveness, and collaborative problem-solving.

Ultimately, Paramont EO is defined by its innate ability to be customer-centric and highly adaptable, not bound by the confines of its legacy business.

“We want to make sure that our legacy customers are taken care of and satisfied, but we also know that you have to be flexible. So, we’re getting into data centers, electric vehicle charging,  and wind and solar, as well as expanding with the telecom side of the company,” Shore says..

Recognizing the immense energy consumption of data centers—with one of its customers’ facilities alone consuming energy equivalent to 32,000 homes—Paramont EO’s concurrent focus on sustainable energy sources presents a remarkably synergistic approach.

This foresight positions the company perfectly to meet the evolving demands of modern infrastructure.

Paramont EO’s ability to remain flexible is seen as a key driver of its past and future success.

Its goals are measured by its adaptability to customer needs, reflecting a profound understanding that remaining dynamic in a rapidly changing industry is not merely an option, but an operational imperative for continued market dominance.

As the digital world demands ever more power and precision, Paramont EO’s combination of human connection and technological prowess illuminates the path forward.

It will undoubtedly continue to outshine its competition.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Paramont EO

What: A multi-generational, independently owned electrical supply company with over 50 years of industry leadership.

Where: Headquartered in Woodridge, Illinois, with three warehouse locations across the Chicagoland region and shipping capabilities that span over 30 states nationwide.

Website: www.paramont-eo.com/telecom