Perhaps you’ve wondered about the origin of our unique name. Mar-Dustrial is a portmanteau that expresses our origin as ship chandlers. Ship chandlers are retailers who specialize in equipment for ships. In 1947, we were founded as a family business providing marine and industrial equipment to ships in Pacific Northwest docks—hence the name Mar-Dustrial.
It has always been critical to our success to keep storage facilities well-stocked with deck equipment, valves, fluid sealing products, and other ship necessities (known as “ship stores” in the maritime industry). Ship chandlers are key to the success of shipping ventures, as they allow ship crewmembers to get everything they need without finding stores within each port town. Moreover, chandlers typically extend a line of credit to the ship’s owner, so that crewmembers do not need to carry local currency. Finally, commercial shipping profits hinge on quick turn-around times, so a chandler who can provide required goods immediately is highly valued.
After thirty years of providing industrial supplies, we partnered with Falk Corporation to distribute pulp and paper industry supplies. Falk needed a distributor who could maintain a broad inventory of speed reducers and couplings for industrial plants across the Pacific Northwest. Given the high quality of Falk parts, we were thrilled to become the leading Pacific Northwest FALK supplier. Today, we are one of just three authorized Falk Renew repair outfits in the U.S.
Mar-Dustrial continued growing throughout the 1980s and 1990s, while maintaining our consistent focus on top-notch customer service. In 1986, we opened a new branch in Longview, Washington to better serve the pulp and paper industry. Ten years later, we added a third branch in Elko, Nevada to cater to the mining trade. As the new millennium dawned, we added an online “branch” where customers can surf our wide inventory of speed reducers, couplings, and other parts. While our site does contain some technical information, we continue to provide the most in-depth customer service out of our offices. You can always call, fax, or email us with questions and requests. We are always open, with someone on call to help solve industrial conundrums 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With nearly seven decades of proven service as industrial part retailers, you can always rely on Mar-Dustrial for expert advice and repair work. After nearly seventy years in business, we are looking forward to the coming decades of technological advancement and continued customer service.
[Photo from Ben Salter via CC License 2.0]
Posted under Articles on Thursday, February 19th, 2015