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Central
Welding Supply - A History of Service
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 Central Welding Supply was born in a very small building in Lynnwood, Washington in 1975 by two partners, Mickey Wilton and Dwight Sexton. Much like many other small start-up businesses, it was started on mostly guts and determination, and with what at the time was a substantial initial investment of $10,000.00 - Requiring both partners to put up nearly everything they owned as collateral for rent, overhead, and inventory. It was a risky venture for a then 32 year old Mickey Wilton who, with his wife Diane, had just settled into a comfortable life as a new family with a 3 year old son and a modest but affordable home in Everett, Washington. Though it would be easy to say he and his partner simply awoke one day and decided to open a new business it wouldn't tell the entire story -
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In the early 70's Mickey returned from serving his country in Vietnam, and also returned to his job at Adams Welding Supply. Adams Welding Supply was a family-owned company based in Everett, Washington and operated by
Carl Adams, a veteran of the welding supply and gases business. Mr. Adams was a humble, caring man who took great pride in his work, his company, and his staff, all of whom he treated like family. As is the story with many businesses, however, shortly after Mick's return Mr. Adams decided to sell his store to a larger company, based out of Seattle. Difficulties with new management and the loss of the tight-knit family feel of the new company drove Mickey and his partner, Dwight Sexton, to strike out on their own and create their own business, based largely on the skills, business philosophies, and mentoring they received at Adams Welding Supply.
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In 1975 the Puget Sound Region and the greater Seattle area, as you might imagine, was far more sparsely populated than it is today. Most industrial suppliers of the day were based either in the industrial core of Seattle or in the aging mill town of Everett with few services or suppliers in-between. Mickey and Dwight believed that the growing area south of Paine Field and the Everett Boeing manufacturing facilities and north of Ballard and the marine trade of Seattle could potentially support a welding supply and industrial gases store. They found and rented a very small building on heavily-traveled Highway 99 at 208th Street in Lynnwood, Washington and gave their company a simple name based on it being located centrally in-between Seattle and Everett - Central Welding Supply. Though the showroom floor was little more than a sales counter and a small office with a 10 ft by 10 ft cylinder exchange dock, with a little paint and a lot of hard work they opened for business. |
Few start-up companies survive even the first month of business. Central Welding Supply's first month of business was a success. Their concept of providing better customer service and a more convenient location proved a winning formula. Despite no direct manufacturer product lines and competitors eager to add them to the list of failed ventures, Central Welding Supply tallied first-month sales of over
$20,000.00 and never looked back.
The next eight years were filled with marked growth and expansion. The little 208th Street location that served the first years so well was quickly rendered inadequate, and in 1977 a new much larger building at 202nd Street off of Highway 99 became the new home. 1980 saw the launch of a second store, based across town from the old Adams Welding Supply in Everett Washington, and 1983 the company made its first acquisition - Skagit Valley Welding Supply located in downtown Burlington, Washington.
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The mid to late '80s were spent growing and developing business between north Seattle and the Skagit Valley, and allowed the company and management time to acclimate new computer technology and find ways to better manage the stores as one company. This was also the beginning of consolidation of the welding supply and gases businesses throughout the country by major corporations. Great regional suppliers such as Welders Supply Company, Northwest Welding Supply, Industrial Welding Supply, and others were slowly but systematically being acquired and consolidated. |
Central Welding Supply
(1977)
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In 1990 Mickey Wilton became the sole owner of Central Welding Supply, choosing to
buy out his partner's shares rather than sell the entire company to a large multinational corporation whom had been aggressively bidding to purchase the operation. His drive to continue to grow and cultivate a family atmosphere as he had experienced at Adams Welding Supply and his belief that a locally-owned welding supply would provide better service to local customers made keeping Central Welding Supply together an easy choice.
The fifteen plus years following 1990 have been marked by consistent growth. Thanks to a veteran and dedicated team of managers, sales staff, office and support staff, delivery drivers, warehouse, and fill plant staff Central Welding Supply experienced an average 12% growth rate over most of the decade between 1994 and 2004. In 1994 Ark Welding Supplies of Ballard, Washington was added to the family. In 1995 the Bellingham, Washington location was opened. 1997 saw the acquisition of Issaquah Welding Supply based in Issaquah, Washington and in 1999 a South Seattle branch was opened on 4th Avenue South in Seattle, Washington. Central Welding Supply acquired the Bellingham branch of Air Liquide Corporation in 2001 and integrated it with the existing CWS Bellingham operation and 2003 saw the purchase of the welding supply portion of Key Electric, based in Port Townsend, Washington, which launched service to Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Sequim and the greater Olympic Peninsula. Also in 2003 the company launched two new wholly-owned divisions of Central Welding Supply - The Xpress Cryogenics division, based in Seattle, Washington serving cryogenic bulk and specialty gas customers, and Welders-Direct, an internet sales division devoted to providing welding equipment to home-hobbyists and small businesses throughout the United States.
Central Welding Supply reached its 30th
year in 2005, and continued it's careful growth in the region. In
September 2005, Central Welding added its 9th location in
Woodinville, WA. Then in August 2006, construction of our 10th
location, a new facility in Marysville, WA, was completed, serving
as Central Welding Supply's new Corporate Offices, Cylinder Fill
Plant, and Distribution Facility. The 2 acre site allowed for
continued expansion into both new markets and new products.
In October 2007 Central Welding
Supply launched its 11th location by acquiring D & B Welding
Supply of Renton, WA. - D & B had been serving the region as a
family-owned business since 1965, and helped Central Welding
Supply better serve its new and existing customers in the Kent
Valley.
2008 saw the opening of a full 5700
sq ft retail store in Smokey Point, WA. The new facility,
located across the street from the Central Welding Supply Fill
Plant and Corporate Offices, will enhance deliveries and
customer service to the ever growing and expanding North
Snohomish County region.
Additional acquisitions and growth
plans for 2008, 2009 and 2010 are already in motion.
Though the company has grown from
one small store to eleven locations, two divisions, and nearly
100 dedicated and experienced employees, Central Welding Supply
has stayed true to its initial objective - Provide the regions
most responsive customer service along with convenient locations
and the best products, while holding on to the core values and
traditions of a family-owned, family-run, local business.
Currently Central Welding Supply is
owned and operated by Mickey Wilton, President, Dale Wilton,
Vice President, and Diane Wilton, Secretary-Treasurer.
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