SALISBURY — Frank Carmazzi has always been proud that his is a veteran-owned business, but this year, he and his employees went a step further and added an American flag out in front of the business to greet visitors and workers alike and remind them of the company’s core values.

Carmazzi, the owner of Industrial Supply Solutions, Inc.,  today operates 21 shops across 15 states, and the company headquarters are on Julian Road in Salisbury. The company is based on providing “quality products at a competitive price,” and is now the combination of two formerly separate businesses, both founded in 1946 — Persingers Inc. and Piedmont Mill Supply Co. The company provides a wide range of industrial supplies and safety products.

Carmazzi served in the Army from 1970-73, and his service, and his commitment to family values throughout his lifetime, have driven his business approach and his approach to who he hires.

“You learn so many good values being in the military,” said Carmazzi. “That deserves some extra credit, serving. And it give me the feeling of loyalty to our country and to the values our forefathers put forth.”

There are 35 current veterans working in the company.

Carmazzi and Phil Hill have worked together for 27 years, and have been friends for more than 35 years. The two became friends in West Virginia when Hill was a customer, and today, he is the district operations manager of five stores. It was the company values that attracted him to the company, he said.

When Carmazzi purchased Piedmont Mill Supply in Salisbury, it became the headquarters. Carmazzi said he thought there ought to be a flag at each location, but certainly one at the headquarters, and he said he “wanted everyone to be able to see the flag from all points.”

Jeanna Spry, another employee, was instrumental in helping select the location of the flag, centered between two buildings, and which is visible not only from both buildings but from the parking lot and from the roadway. They had hoped, Carmazzi said, to see the work on Julian Road finished before they put the flag up, and had also hoped to be ready by Veterans Day, but neither came to fruition. The road work continues, and the company wanted to complete some preparations before they put the flag in place. They cleaned and beautified the lot and painted the buildings, so the flag has an appropriate backdrop. By the time Thanksgiving approached, they knew they were ready.

The first official flag raising took place the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and Boy Scouts Colton Cagle 9, and Ivan Fisher, 17, did the honors. The company is home to two Eagle Scouts as well, Matt White and William “Russ” Daniel. Daniel has volunteered to raise and lower the flag at the site daily, something for which Carmazzi and Hill have immense praise.

Hill was the one assigned to find the flag pole supplier and the flag, and he turned to one of their suppliers they have worked with before. Hill joined the company because he was drawn to the values Carmazzi promotes and which guide the company. including the number 680, which at one time represented the full number of the company family. At the time, Carmazzi took the number of employees, which was 170, and the average family size of four, and the multiplication resulted in 680 as the number of the full family of the company.

Though the numbers have grown, 680 is used to represent the whole family to this day, and it is reflected in the values posted on the company walls. which includes two lines that say “Passion: Fearless commitment to the mission of the 680 displaying humility, grit, and enthusiasm,” and “Shepherd: To guide and protect our 680 as we strive to lie our culture.” The values also all for “grace,” “light,” and “love.”

“There is nowhere else where you can practice the values we do here so freely,” said Hill. “And having the flag flying out front is a reminder of that freedom and gratitude to those who fought for it.”