2014 Business Class Honoree: DeLong Plumbing LLC

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average U.S. household consumes around 100 gallons of water each day, 75 percent of which is drained or flushed away in the bathroom. Considering that its success relies on those flushes, DeLong Plumbing LLC is surprisingly green-minded.

“Besides recommending environmentally-conscious products, we are obsessive recyclers,” says owner Molly DeLong, who, along with her children, runs the 48-employee company based in Springfield. “We believe conservation is a series of little steps.”

Founded in 1993 by Vietnam veteran Garry DeLong, the business ran for nearly 10 years as a plumbing-only company before he added heating and air-conditioning products and services.

Business boomed around the turn of this decade, as recession-deferred repairs and replacements became necessities. Around the same time, health issues forced Garry to take an early retirement, and his son J.W. and long-time foreman Michael Johnston took over operations and began pursuing new business opportunities.

DeLong’s business currently comprises 60 percent commercial and 40 percent residential customers. It has developed additional avenues for business in piping and steam apparatus for commercial agriculture businesses including Schreiber Foods in Carthage and the Dairy Farmers of America, as well as larger traditional plumbing and HVAC clients such as Silver Dollar City.

Additional business has been in work related to the city of Springfield’s Public Works private sewer repair pilot program, part of a joint effort with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. According to the city’s website, the $50 million dollar Early Action Program supports private sewer repair as a means to divert runoff water from downspouts, sump pumps and drains that are improperly connected to the sanitary sewer system.  

All of this has resulted in a healthy bottom line, as evidenced by an average annual revenue increase of more than 12 percent since 2010. Concurrently, the business model was retooled and management restructured, resulting in profit growth of more than 200 percent during both 2012 and 2013. The company also renovated its offices with energy efficiency in mind, taking a further step towards practicing what they preach.

“We believe our job is to educate our customers on what’s best for them, based on their unique situation,” says Johnston, who has been with DeLong Plumbing since its inception. “We asked them lots of questions about their habits and usage to determine what makes the most sense. It’s not about pushing a product or equipment, but promoting a mindset.”  

Along with broader environmental stewardship, DeLong Plumbing supports a wide variety of local civic, professional and charitable organizations. As a family and a company, they offer the gifts of time, talent and corporate treasure to Boys & Girls Town of Missouri, The Kitchen Inc., Children’s Miracle Network, Springfield Arts Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks.[[In-content Ad]]