Johnston family knows industrial supplies

“My mom and dad started this business at 904 N. Glenstone selling industrial supplies to a few of the companies in town,” Susie Johnston said. “Zenith was here at that time, and we just grew from there.”

As the companies the Johnstons served grew, so did their own. They soon acquired Carthage Industrial Supply and Joplin Industrial Supply and merged the two to create Johnston Industrial Supply’s first branch office in Joplin.

And their growth continues.

Johnston Cos. consists of three divisions: Johnston Industrial Supply Co., which functions in essentially the same capacity as it has since 1968; Johnston Integration Technology, which came about in 1998 to provide automation and software applications; and Johnston Integration Technology Aviation, which formed in 1999 as the company developed customers in the field of aviation.

There are more than 3,000 customers, including Aaron’s Automotive, Paul Mueller and Tracker Marine.

Product search

Johnston Cos. represents more than 2,500 manufacturers and stocks more than 16,000 items.

Many of the products the Johnston companies sell mirror those the company sold in 1968. However, Susie Johnston said that much of the company’s focus is helping customers stay competitive among a glut of rivals.

“The best way to describe our services is automation of our customer’s tool cribs,” she said. “We use software and bar coding to organize their tool cribs so that they can cost account for each item that comes out of their crib each day.”

Johnston Industrial Supply Co. staff members scour the market for products that will best conserve their clients’ resources. One such innovation is a vending machine that distributes expendable products such as drill bits.

“An employee swipes their badge and enters the product number, just as if it was a candy machine,” Johnston said. “The badge records who they are and what project they are on. A computer relays that information to us, which allows us to bill the company for the product.”

These machines save employees time and provide their employer with information on the usage of items.

Automated sales

Although the company is long-established in the Springfield market, Johnston and Director of Operations Bruce Horine said that the companies are always looking for ways to evolve.

In January, the company will unveil a new Web site with online ordering and individual catalogs for regular customers. Even without the ability to take orders online at present, 30 percent of the company’s sales are automated.

“As we work to make our clients more efficient, we have an ongoing conversation on how to be more efficient ourselves,” said Horine.

While Internet ordering will undoubtedly streamline the Johnston comoanues, Horine added that salespeople will continue to visit clients in order to keep them abreast of products and services they may find useful.

Customer, family appreciation

In that vein, Johnston Industrial Supply holds an annual customer appreciation day at its 1435 N. Nias branch to showcase the products the companies carry.

“Our first one was last year. This year it is on June 14th,” said Emily Konrad, who handles marketing. “Basically, we invite vendors to come out and demonstrate their products for our current and prospective customers – it’s like a mini-trade fair. It’s a great benefit because customers can see interesting products that they may not know we carry.” Konrad said 200 people attended in 2005 and she hopes the 2006 event will draw 300 or more.

Johnston noted that as a family company, Johnston Industrial Supply Co. faces unique challenges. She believes that the company’s success is due to a strong team of employees and the work ethic instilled by her parents.

“I was always trying to watch and learn. Working full time and trying to start a company while raising three kids was a handful for both of them,” she said of her parents, who still hold some ownership but are no longer involved in day-to-day operations. “They worked so hard, and they did it right.”

Customer Appreciation Day

When: 10 a.m.–3 p.m., June 14

Where: 1435 N. Nias, Johnston Industrial Supply branch

What: Barbecue lunch, prizes, entertainment and a small-scale trade show

Who: Johnston Cos.’s customers and vendors; about 200 people attended last year

Johnston Cos. –

Johnston Industrial Supply Co., Johnston Integration Technology Aviation, Johnston Integration Technology

Founded: 1968

Owners: George and Patricia Johnston and daughters Susie and Christy

Address: 3121 E. Cairo,

Springfield, MO 65802

Phone: (417) 866-4141 or (888) 303- 9500

Fax: (417) 866-8780

Web site: johnstoncompanies.com

Employees: 98

Products: Tools and other supplies and software for streamlining industrial operations