You’d be hard-pressed to find a Canadian hair-stylist who isn’t familiar with Kasho Shears.
The Japanese-made cutting products are recognized as being among the best in the world, with a manufacturing process that involves state-of-the-art metal-forming and heat-treating, computerized grinding, and hand-polishing.
But before they get into a salon, they must pass through Red Deer County.
That’s because DWA (2010) Ltd., the exclusive supplier of Kasho Shears in Canada, is located just northwest of Red Deer. In a region best known for petroleum, petrochemical and agricultural products, the list of people who are aware of the local connection to the finely crafted Japanese cutting tools is a short one.
“My family and my friends, and obviously the people at (Red Deer County-based Chatters Canada Ltd.), because I deal with them,” sums up Stephen Pavlick, president of DWA.
Kasho is his company’s flagship brand but DWA also sells a variety of other products to the Canadian beauty industry.
“We have everything from skin care to nail products, hair care products, appliances — curling irons, blow dryers,” said Pavlick.
In fact, of the approximately 350 distributors who supply Canada’s beauty salons, DWA deals with 300 — including 14 that carry Kasho products.
“We have the top distributors in place, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island,” he said.
In addition to Pavlick, the family-operated business employs his brother Mark, his mother Delia and his sister Patricia Rutherford, with Janet Bilyk accepted into the fold as an unofficial family member.
Pavlick’s own involvement dates back to the mid-1980s, when he was recruited by DWA founder David Wickes, who had started David Wickes Agencies Ltd. a few years earlier.
Selling beauty products to salons across Canada, Wickes wanted Pavlick to serve as his Western Canadian sales manager.
Pavlick was reluctant. He’d worked his way up in the mobile home industry — going from manufacturing to service to set-ups, and finally becoming a partner in a factory direct dealership in Lloydminster. That business had expanded to Calgary and Red Deer, with Pavlick having just acquired sole ownership of the outlet in Red Deer.
“I said to him, ‘It couldn’t be worse timing. I just bought out all of my partners and I’ve got a profitable dealership and I’m living in Red Deer.’”
But Wickes presented some compelling arguments, remembered Pavlick.
“One was that in the mobile home industry, you’re really dependent on oil, agriculture and the economy. The beauty industry isn’t recession-proof, but it’s as close to it as you’ll ever get.”
Having just survived the energy sector meltdown of the early 1980s, Pavlick decided to change careers.
The mainstay of David Wickes Agencies roster of hair-care products was Australian 3 Minute Miracle, for which it had the Canadian distribution rights. But the popular item, which Wickes sold only to salons, began showing up in other stores — undermining its value to Wickes’s professional customers.
Sales plunged from $2 million a year to $200,000, recalled Pavlick. He urged Wickes to expand his market to include other retailers a move that probably saved the business.
“Our company went from $200,000 a year to $1 million a month.”
About three years later, the manufacturer of Australian 3 Minute Miracle was purchased by another company and David Wickes Agencies’ contract was bought out. Wickes retired and Pavlick found himself with a company that had just lost its best product.
Fortunately, he was able to acquire the Canadian rights for Kasho Shears — a territory that later expanded to include the United States and Mexico.
“For a small company, we were doing almost 35 trade shows a year,” said Pavlick, describing how each often required a five-day commitment to allow for travel, set-up and meetings.
It wasn’t uncommon to have two shows on the same weekend, necessitating additional staff to attend both.
“We were spread thin and working our butts off to build this business.”
About a decade ago, Pavlick decided to sell Kasho’s U.S. rights. DWA now has a much more manageable territory, with only a dozen trade shows a year, and one distributor for all of Mexico.
“Every four to five years I go to Japan, and they’ve been here,” said Pavlick of his relationship with Kasho.
“It’s been a great relationship. The Japanese are very honourable.”
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com