Company History
The origins of Western Supply Company date back to 1949 when Howard Bentley, Henry Howe and Willis Martin formed a company to supply wholesale plumbing and heating products to the trade. During the 1950s the group opened locations in Great Bend and Dodge City, KS. The wholesale products were sold to tradesmen serving residential markets.
In the early 1960s the company began to manufacture heating and air conditioning units under the brand name Westernaire. In the late 1960s, Bentley and Howe split off the manufacturing operation and Mr. Martin became the sole owner of Western Supply Company of Great Bend. The Dodge City location had been closed due to flooding and the Hutchinson facility had been converted to manufacturing. In 1973, Mr. Martin suffered a stroke and his son, Jack, began helping out in the company despite the fact he was attending college. Jack began working full time at Western Supply in 1982. In 1985 Jack formed Western Supply Company, Inc. to buy the assets of the Great Bend operation and later that year opened the current 14th Street location in Hutchinson. In 1989 Western Supply purchased the Hays location of The Lee Company and moved it to a larger facility in 1994. In 1995 Western Supply returned to Dodge City and in 2000 moved to the larger Trail Street location.
The company growth continued when in 2002 Western Supply acquired the then 106 year old Colladay Hardware Company which operates as a division selling hardware and industrial supplies. Later in 2008 Western Supply bought Allied Wholesale in Great Bend and integrated the two Great Bend operations into the current 9th Street location.
Today, Western Supply Company, Inc. staffs 41 employees with combined years of service of over 500 years. There are four Kansas locations: Hutchinson, Great Bend, Hays, and Dodge City. A Kansas Employee owned Wholesale Plumbing, HVAC, and Sprinkling supplier proudly serving Central & Western Kansas.
Our Hutchinson & Hays showrooms provide an opportunity for the homeowner to have one on one design consultations with our showroom sales associates and view a wide selection of products on display. With all of the design possibilities, our showroom associates can help guide your client’s dream Kitchen or Bath into a reality.