About Progress Supply

Progress Supply Inc. has been in business since 1960. We started the business in Cincinnati, with 3 partners, Clyde Kessen, Bob Oaker and Jim Weddendorf. They believed that there was room in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Wholesale business for a company that could bring a dedicated level of service and knowledge to the area contractors. They took on many suppliers during the first years, Alco Controls, Ranco Controls, Certified Service, Johnson Controls, etc.. Sales from that first year were $179,752. By comparison, in the year 2004 we could match those sales numbers, not in a year – but in only 3 days.

In 1962 Progress Supply Inc. picked up the Chrysler Airtemp compressor line. Two years later we got the Scotsman Ice Machine line. We kept the Scotsman line until one of the partners left, and took it with him.

We opened a branch in Dayton, Ohio in January of 1965. This branch was closed in 1979 as part of the financial arrangements made When Clyde Kessen bought out his last partner.

We computerized our A/P, Inventory, A/R, G/L and Order Entry in 1983. As our business continued to grow, we moved from our original 5,000 sq ft location, to our present 35,000 sq. ft. location in 1984.

After sales of Hupp and Chrylser compressors slipped nationally to almost nothing during the 70’s, we were left with out a decent compressor line. Progress Supply Inc. decided to get back into the compressor business in the early 80’s. We started stocking R & D’s Copelametic compressors between 1980 and 1984, at which time we switched to A-1’s Copelametic compressors. We took on the Bristol Compressor line in 1981, and we added Manoir (Aspera/GPD) compressors in 1985 to fill out our line.

In 1986, Progress Supply Inc. updated its computer system, and began invoicing our customers right at the counter in 1987. This was a major step forward for a small company. A few years later we added Copeland Compressors as a key product offereing.

In early 1991, Chris Kessen and Mark Faessler purchased Progress Supply Inc. from Clyde Kessen, and during the same time period we opened a branch at 1282 Essex Ave., in Columbus, Ohio. We were able to take almost all of our existing lines that we had in Cincinnati, to Columbus.

A few years later, in 1994 Progress Supply Inc. added a Commercial HVAC Controls section to our business. We signed on with 18 new Commercial Controls Manufacturers (Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Krueter, Invensys, to name a few) and hired 2 people to get us into this field. This area has seen major growth since then.

In 1995 Progress returned to the Dayton market, opened a store on Stanley Avenue. The Dayton location has grown and flourished in the past 10 years.

In June of 1996, the latest ownership change took place. Mark Faessler bought out his partner Chris Kessen at that time. Mark has been working at Progress Supply Inc. since 1978. He started as a combination driver/warehouse/counterperson, and still likes to spend a couple of hours a day at the counter, taking care of customer needs.

At Progress Supply Inc., “Our goal is to get the product or information that our customers have requested, into their hands when they need it. We will go out of our way to meet their needs.” That is the guiding principle for how we run our business, it has led to adding key vendors, products and services so we can add value to our customers.

We feel that Progress Supply Inc. has continued to grow year after year because of our knowledgeable people that we put at the counter and on the phones, as well as the service that these people offer our customers. If we need them, all of our people with the exception of the office staff, can and do wait the counters and answer the phones. We also run delivery trucks all over our market area to serve our customers.

We’d like to thank all of you for our success. No matter how large our business grows, it’s our small business approach that will keep us successful . . . .“Take Care of The Customer!” Give us a call, find out about our level of customer service!

To see a recent article in the HVAC Distribution News – click here. This is a big file … 3.5 megs, it will cause problems with dial-up connections.