Consolidated Supply Co.’s Kennewick branch opened in 2008

Consolidated Supply Co., which has a branch in Kennewick, celebrates 90 years in business this year.

The Pacific Northwest wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating and water supplies strives daily to put its motto of “doing ordinary things extraordinarily well” into action.

“The company takes care of its employees internally and the customers, externally,” said Shan Tasci, who has worked with the Kennewick branch since it opened 10 years ago and has been in the plumbing wholesale business for 19 years.

He does outside sales for Consolidated Supply Co., which sells pipes, valves, fittings and plumbing fixtures. The company offers major brands such as American Standard, Bradford White, Uponor and Toto, to name a few.

“We support plumbing contractors in town, but individuals are welcome to come in to choose parts and fixtures as well,” he said.

Consolidated Supply Co. was established in 1928 when four supply houses in Portland, Oregon, merged. During the Depression, the Neupert family bought the company and remains at the helm today. Corporate headquarters and the company’s largest branch are in Tigard, Oregon, along with 16 additional branches – four in Idaho, seven in Washington and five more in Oregon.

The four-and-one-half acre Kennewick shop at 621 N. Kellogg St. opened in its existing building in 2008 with seven employees. Today, there are 14 full-time employees.

The 17,500-square-foot building includes about 2,000 square feet of offices, 13,500 square feet of warehouse space and a 2,000-square-foot fixture gallery.

Customers can stop by The Fixture Gallery to see myriad fixtures – bathroom and kitchen fixtures, sinks, shower heads, tubs, toilets (with and without bidets), including high-tech faucets that “sense” when a person in near and turn on and off automatically.

“(The showroom) has heated floors and working fixtures,” Tasci said.

One change that has occurred in the industry over the past several years is that people are “thinking of tubs in their master bathrooms as pieces of art,” he said.

Consolidated Supply Co. provides materials for plumbing, service and mechanical contractors, with a bulk of its business supplying commercial contractors.

The Kennewick branch also provides plumbing needs for area school districts, cities and municipalities.

“If a main line breaks, we can provide materials for the city to repair it. We have faucets, pipe fittings and our water heaters are in a lot of the Pasco schools. We sell from residential to commercial size water heaters,” Tasci said.

The Kennewick branch is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but offers emergency contracts for after-hours emergencies.

“Plumbing emergencies don’t keep hours,” Tasci laughed.

Because Consolidated Supply Co. also has branches in Spokane and Wenatchee, the Kennewick branch serves an area from LaGrande, Oregon, to Cle Elum, with multiple deliveries throughout the region each day.

“We’ve always kind of catered to these areas but are always looking for growth within,” Tasci said. Deliveries are made to customers with large orders. Local contractors generally swing by the Kennewick building to pick up their orders, which are prepped and ready as “will call,” Tasci said.

The company also does its part to be involved in the Tri-City community.

“Any time we get an opportunity to help in the community, we jump on it,” Tasci said. Kennewick employees and customers participate in an annual food drive for the Union Gospel Mission. The company also has adopted a family in need around Christmas and rotates annual contributions to local organizations, such as Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The company also contributes to local charity golf tournaments.

“We love this community. We support each other, so it’s cool to have that partnership. Together, we’re enhancing the lives of Northwest families and Tri-Cities residents,” Tasci said.

The company’s 90th anniversary celebration will last throughout the year with a variety of events for vendors and customers.

“To be celebrating 90 years in business says a lot about the Neupert family,” Tasci said. “We take pride in and stand behind the quality products we provide customers.”

Information: ConsolidatedSupply.com; 509-783-9340; Facebook.