Wayne Pipe & Supply continues to evolve
BY MARY JO MARTIN
Editorial director
On the heels of the Industrial Revolution, the U.S. was teaming with factories, mills and other industry. It provided the perfect backdrop for new businesses to spring up that would supply these facilities. One such business, Fort Wayne Oil & Supply Company, founded in 1896 by Mr. Hayne of the Atlantic Refining Co., is still in business today and now known as Wayne Pipe & Supply.
The company originally sold oils, lubrication and belting for steam engines that were used in saw mills, feed mills, knitting mills, electric power plants and pumping stations. Deliveries by horse and wagon from Fort Wayne Oil Supply, located in downtown Fort Wayne, Ind., ensured that the equipment and machinery in these mills and plants continued to run smoothly.
The company later moved to a larger multi-story building to make room for PVF, plumbing fixtures and equipment that would help build the booming economy and industries. But as times changed, oil and grease were not as widely used in these facilities, so in 1925 the company dropped the word “Oil” from its name.
In 1956 they moved to a modern distribution facility all on one floor — meaning no more lugging product up and down stairs and freight elevator. The location was also closer to their growing customer base of industrial manufacturers like International Harvester, General Electric and the first gasoline pump manufacturers. Wayne Pipe became the largest steel pipe supplier in Northern Indiana and one of the first to use overhead cranes to unload out of rail cars from the center of their pipe shop.
One unique piece of trivia regarding Wayne Pipe is that from the 1970s to early 1990s, they sold more 1 ?-inch unions than any other U.S. company — thanks to a supply agreement with the world’s largest gas pump manufacturer who, unfortunately has since gone out of business.
Modern new facility
Recently, Wayne Pipe moved into a 50,000-square-foot facility in Fort Wayne. With 46 employees, they cover approximately a 100-mile radius territory. The new facility allowed Wayne Pipe to more than double the size of its Wayne Kitchen & Bath Works showroom — 2,500 square feet — to include vignettes, stand-up displays and several working displays and a shower head/body spray display. The warehouse, which holds about $3 million in inventory, uses the most modern warehouse equipment along with 16-feet-high bins and 28-foot racking to make the most of its space. All product is stored inside to protect it from the sometimes-inclement Midwest weather. One thing has remained constant in the warehouse however — they still pick pipe with the overhead crane from the center of the pipe shop.
Among the major lines that Wayne Pipe carries now are American Standard, TOTO and Gerber china and faucets, along with Delta, Danze and other faucet lines. They are a full-line distributor of PVF, plumbing and engineered equipment (pumping systems, regulating air, steam and various fluids). Approximately half of their business is with mechanical contractors, plumbers and builders, while the other 50% is with industrial manufacturers, steel mills and OEMs. And about 85% of sales are to the commercial market, with residential comprising the remaining 15%.
Setting themselves apart
The company is shareholder owned and directed by a board of industry leaders. Jim Wilson serves as president, and other members of the executive management team include vice presidents Rick Bada and Arden Boocher, and treasurer Janice Foltz.
Over the past few years, construction in the Midwest has been considerably down, but Wayne Pipe’s diversified offering has helped the business weather the storm. “Unfortunately, we had to have our first layoff in our company’s history,” said Bada. “This downturn in the economy has effected all phases of business — not just residential or commercial. Factories are off also. But thanks to our diversification over the years, some of the parts of our business have remained strong. That has kept us from being as affected by the lack of construction as we might have been otherwise.”
It is especially important for companies such as Wayne Pipe to strengthen their customer relationships strong and empower their customers as best they can.
“Training is still one of the most important assets we can give our customers and our people,” Bada explained. “In our new facility we have both small and large training areas that we can use, depending on the size of the group. Our customers have high expectations and can be demanding. They are the ones who drive us to change. Communication is still key in making sure their needs are taken care of. We pride ourselves on listening to the customers, communicating with them and working to be more efficient in all areas of their businesses.”
Part of that communication comes from the personal relationships developed during the monthly customer appreciation cookouts Wayne Pipe puts on from spring through fall. They also host an open house during the summer, during which vendors put on a tabletop display of their wares.
The Wayne Pipe team is exceptionally proud of the fact that they have remained an independent wholesaler after 114 years in business, especially when many of their counterparts around the country have been acquired or closed.
“The future for companies like ours is going to be tough, but there are some very good groups out there to help independent distributors,” noted Bada. “We are very proud to be associated with the best through our membership in Affiliated Distributors, which gives us a more level playing field against the large national firms. The vendors involved are a great asset to all members and the members themselves are very informative and helpful.
“We really have built strong customer loyalty over the years. I believe our people are still the biggest asset we have and it is our management team’s responsibility to make sure all of our employees are on the same page when it comes to our customers. Our 46 employees have a combined 750 years of service with this company, so not only are they highly experienced, but they are very loyal to Wayne Pipe. It all boils down to treating customers right, fairly and with honesty — and that is from the top on down in our organization.”
To learn more, visit www.waynepipe.com.