Our history
1951: Lou Raab began selling the first electric Marsh Tape Dispenser in Missouri and Kansas. It dispensed tape in accurately measured lengths, saving companies thousands of dollars.
1958: Lou and Kay Raab started Raab Sales Company, an industrial distributorship selling shipping room supplies, shelving and material handling equipment.
1962: Raab Sales Company is named a "Factory Authorized" and "Exclusive" distributor for Marsh products, including Tape Dispensers, Stencil Machines, and Stencil Inks.
1975: Mike Raab, eldest son, joins Raab Sales Company.
1976: Steve Raab, 2nd eldest son, joins Raab Sales Company.
1979: Mark Raab, 3rd eldest son, joins Raab Sales Company, and Raab Sales Company became Raab Sales, Inc.
1980: Raab Sales begins selling the first Large Character Printers and speciality inks.
1982: Tricia Raab (Mark's wife) joins Raab Sales, Inc. doing accounts receivable.
1983: Tom Raab, youngest of the brothers, joins Raab Sales, Inc.
1989: Expands product offerings by selling Small Character CIJ (continuous inkjet).
1991: Business moves from home on Wyoming St in KC to a much needed warehouse/office facility in North KC.
1992: Worldwide mandate for manufacturers that requires all products to have a visible "Sell By" date.
1995: Adds Print & Apply Labelers to product offering. Purchases first ERP system. New organizational structure designed to accelerate and manage growth. First non-family member employees.
1997: The founders of the company, Lou & Kay Raab, usher in the next generation. Mark Raab as President, Steve Raab as Vice President, Tom Raab as Secretary.
2002: Moves the business to current location, a state-of-the-art, owner-occupied facility in Lenexa, Kansas.
2005: Mark and Steve Raab become founding members of the PIN (Product Identification Network) group.
2008: Adds Industrial Dryers to product offering.
2009: Adds TTO printers to product offering, and Laura Raab, Mark's 2nd child, joined the business (in-house service technician).
2010: Katie Zotti (Raab), Mark's oldest, joins the business (marketing).
2013: Chris Raab, Mark's youngest, joins the business (sales).
2016: Daniel Raab, Steve's youngest son, joins the business (warehouse).