Champaign company becomes sixth business Area Distributors has acquired since 2021

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Chemical Maintenance, Inc., a distributor of cleaning supplies and equipment based in Champaign and owned by Betsy and Brad Parks, announced the sale of its business assets on Friday to the owners of Area Distributors in Quincy. 

The two companies have around 40 employees combined. Area Distributors offers janitorial supplies and equipment, restaurant supplies and equipment, packaging supplies and equipment, and office supplies and furniture.

“It’s a great geographic fit,” Area Distributors CEO Ken Sparrow said. “We don’t really overlap, so they’re kind of right next door to us. In that sense, we touch each other a little bit in Springfield. It allows us to go coast to coast throughout the middle of Illinois.”

“The dedication of the entire team (at Chemical Maintenance) is amazing. We are fortunate to have this group in place and that foundation allows us to keep growing.”

Sparrow was in Champaign Friday to finalize the sale and announce it to the Chemical Maintenance employees.

The company’s Champaign location will continue to operate under the name of Chemical Maintenance. Betsy Parks will remain active in the business.

“It has been an honor to lead CMI’s constant growth over the past several years,” Betsy Parks said. “We are elated to connect with the Area Distributors group going forward. They will maintain our company culture for our customers, employees and valued suppliers. We really have a lot of similarities, and it is important to me that the whole team will remain intact in Champaign.”

“It was evident when we first met with Brad and Betsy that we were a great cultural fit. We do so many things the same way, and we offer many of the same brands,” said Jeff Rupert, vice president of sales for Area Distributors. 

Sparrow said CMI will begin offering items such as industrial packaging, office supplies and furniture.

“They’re a little smaller than us, and we actually have some products to add that they don’t currently sell,” he said. “We’ll be able to add more products to their customer base.”

Other businesses acquired by Area Distributors since 2021 are:

• Hesco, a supplier of janitorial supplies and equipment. It also had a national reputation for being an expert vacuum parts supplier.
• MarLon Business Forms, a supplier of custom-printed labels, business forms, checks and envelopes.
• Wade and Dowland Office Furniture, a supplier office supplies and furniture.
• IMI Hobart, a supplier of products and services for dishwashing customers.
• Bottles and Foamers, which supplies plastic containers and dispensing products.