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In many ways, the evolution of the Alabama Machinery and Supply Company parallels the historical development of Montgomery. Founded just after the turn of the century as the state entered an era of industrial progress, the company has recorded a rich corporate history. Alabama Machinery and Supply Company was established April 1, 1902. Brothers Arthur and William K. Pelzer foresaw a need for a supplier to the state's growing number of industrial, lumber, and mechanized farming concerns. By 1906 the company had outgrown its original space and purchased two adjacent buildings on Coosa Street, comprising almost 100,000 square feet of warehouse space. The company grew and prospered at that landmark location, which is today listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1922 Alabama Machinery and Supply Company acquired the G.W. Barnett Hardware Company and began distributing hardware to dealers across Alabama. In 1926 the company opened the Daylight Machine Shop and Bama Foundry on North Court Street. The machine shop was so named because of its innovative steel construction with extensive use of glass windows, providing much improved interior lighting over brick constructed buildings. These two new operations were to supply parts and do repair work for the local mills. As Alabama became an important lumber-producing state, the company decided to manufacture its own sawmills. The popular Bama Saw Mill was the first in the South to have its carriages and mandrels equipped with roller bearings. In 1966 Alabama Machinery and Supply Company was purchased by F.G. "Micky" Reinehr. After 20 years of experience in the management of wholesale hardware, industrial supply, and steel fabricating companies, Mr. Reinehr recognized the changing trends in merchandising. In response to the area's building boom, he discontinued the company's wholesale hardware line and opened, instead, building products and construction supply divisions to serve home builders and heavy contractors. In 1974 he established a wholesale metal-working cutting tool specialty division, Cobal-Tru, which markets drill bits, taps, endmills, holesaws, and threading dies nationwide. Today the company continues to be operated with a progressive eye by C.M. "Mike" Reinehr. After earning a B.S. in mathematics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance from Georgia State University, Mike Reinehr returned to the family business and learned the ropes under his father's direction. In 1995, after 93 years, Alabama Machinery and Supply Company moved from its original location into newer, modern facilities on Bibb Street. The move was clearly necessary to prepare the company for doing business in the twenty-first century. Alabama Machinery and Supply is known throughout the region as a responsive knowledgeable, and dependable general-line maintenance, repair and operating supply distributor. With a loyal clientele composed of industrial, construction industry, and other commercial accounts, the company maintains in inventory, or has available through direct shipment, a literal smorgasbord of supplies and equipment. Alabama Machinery and Supply Company is known and appreciated for its willingness to listen to customer needs, find the supplies they want, and make them available quickly and responsively. "Our only true business is customer service," said Reinehr. "We are here solely to serve Alabama's construction and industrial businesses." As an example, the company has moved quickly in recent years to stock a variety of safety and environmental bioremediation products to help their customers respond successfully to an increasing number of OSHA and EPA mandates. But perhaps the company's strongest sales tool is its dedicated staff, made up of expert individuals. "We have always been a very people-oriented company," said Reinehr. "We value our employees as individuals, and we try to make this a satisfying place to work." That philosophy has paid major dividends in the form of employee longevity and expertise -- two major reasons customers keep coming back. A diversified approach to business has, over the years, helped soften the blows of temporary economic downturns or the seasonal swings commonly associated with the construction industry. According to Reinehr, business has been on the upswing since the early 1990s, and the potential for continued growth is encouraging. "If we are aggressive, innovative, and maintain our market share, our sales will grow as the economy in Alabama grows." To its credit, Alabama Machinery and Supply Company has found a way to balance a great tradition of service with a strong vision for the future. The company stands prepared at the threshold of a promising new century, dedicated to meeting the dynamic needs of Alabama's modern industrial and construction markets. |