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Company
History
Our Beginnings
The year was 1912. Our company began as an automotive repair shop
in St. Louis, Missouri.. J. R. Medart was one of three mechanics
who bought Hoffman Magneto Co. in 1925. The first product line was
magneto sales and repairs, then came car clocks, starters, generators,
alternators, carburetors, windshield wiper motors, etc.
In 1930, the
company's name was changed to Medart Auto Electric Co., Inc. The
Auto-Lite service station contract became the major line. Service
training for dealer customers began. The company also operated a
drive-in/tune-up shop. In the 50's and 60's, an automotive warehouse
distributor business was developed. By 1968, the founder's son,
Speed Medart, was elected president of the company. The Medart Automotive
Warehouse was sold in 1983.
Air- and
Liquid-Cooled Engine Business
In 1932, the engine business began with a Briggs & Stratton Service
Station contract to serve eastern Missouri and the southern Illinois
region. An initial investment of a few hundred dollars was invested
in parts, tools and one engine. The tools cost more than the parts.
This industry
"really began" in the 50's with the development of lightweight aluminum
engines. Soon a rotary mower was in almost every home. We represented
mower manufacturers for their parts distribution. Education of engine
technicians became a major focus. Warranty for the engines was a
major concern. In the early 60's, Medart Engines and Parts division
was created to distribute Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh and Kohler.
Next came the Kansas and western Missouri region in the early 60's.
We opened a facility in Lenexa (Kansas City area), Kansas , in the
early 70's. Speed Medart served as President of the Engine Service
Association (E.S.A.) in 1974 and 1975. J. R. Medart passed away
in 1978, at the age of 80. The 80's were years of growth. In Fenton
(St. Louis), Missouri, a new headquarters (office/warehouse) was
built and occupied in August 1980. Then the assets of a company,
representing Tecumseh, in Memphis was purchased in 1982, and we
were in the engine business — serving Tennessee, Arkansas,
Mississippi and western Kentucky. In 1986, Medart Engine (TN) was awarded
a Kohler distributorship. In 1987, we built a new office/warehouse
in Memphis, TN, and in 1990 expanded the facility to 34,000 square
feet. In 1985, The Nebraska and Iowa regions became our responsibility
for Tecumseh and Kohler. We continued to serve this region from
our Lenexa, Kansas facility until 1994. In 1985, market forces justified
a splitting of the engine franchises. Diamond Engine was born in
our remodeled facilities in mid-town St. Louis. Michael Medart,
a third generation Medart, became Sales Manager of Medart Engine
and John Sulack V.P. of Sales re-focused his efforts solely on
Diamond Engine.
Diamond Engine became an exclusive Briggs & Stratton Central Sales
and Service Distributor. Medart Engine continued as an exclusive
central distributor for both Kohler and Tecumseh.
In 1988, the
corporate name was changed to Medart, Inc., to better reflect the
diversification of the company.
By November
1990, the assets were purchased of a distributor in Tulsa, representing
Tecumseh and Kohler in the Oklahoma region, plus a branch in Oklahoma
City. The distributor was formerly known as Mico Engines.
Listed are
some of the manufacturers we represent or have represented in the
small engine and power equipment parts field: Reo, Lawn-Boy, Heineke,
Moto-Mower, Eclipse, West Bend, Atlas, Bolens, Aircap, MTD., Murray,
I.D.C./Ryobi, Noma, A.Y.P., Homelite, McCulloch, etc.
By 1992, we
consolidated the Oklahoma City branch into our Tulsa facility. Dave
Strubberg, current executive V.P. and C.F.O. of Medart Inc. became an associate
in October, 1992. In the fall of 1993, ground was broken in Edwardsville,
Kansas (western Metro Kansas City) for a 54,000-square-foot facility
for Medart Engine/Medart Marine. By October of 1994, this facility
was fully operational. In November of 1994, we remodeled our existing
Lenexa, Kansas's (southwest Metro Kansas City) 35,000 square-foot
facility for Diamond Engine's new divisional headquarters. In July
1994, Michael Medart was named President of Medart, Inc. On May
5, 1995, J. Speed Medart, age 64, passed away. In July 1995, Scott
Price joined Diamond Engine and became V.P. in January 1998. By
the fall of 1996, we consolidated the Tulsa operation into the Edwardsville,
Kansas facility. During the early summer of 1997, we sold our downtown
St. Louis Diamond Engine facility and moved into leased space in
Earth City, Missouri, for two years. By the fall of 1997, Medart
purchased 9.1 acres in the south St. Louis Metro region (Arnold,
Missouri). Within six months another 4.6 acres adjacent to the 9.1
acres were acquired. In July 1998, we broke ground on two buildings,
totaling 121,000 square feet. One of the two buildings was for Diamond
Engine (East); the other building was for Medart Engine/Medart Marine.
By March 1999, both facilities were operational and represented
the finest industry state-of-the-art thinking. By the late summer
of 1999, the Colorado region became Medart Engine - Kansas City's
responsibility for Tecumseh. In April 2000, we completed an 20,000
square-foot mezzanine expansion in our Edwardsville, Kansas facility.
In January of 2003, the new 42,000 square-foot Diamond Engine headquarters was completed in Edwardsville, Kansas.
In December of 2003, the new 90,000 square-foot Memphis distribution facility was completed in Olive Branch, Mississippi.
As of the spring of 2004, all facilities totaled 325,000 square
feet. Quickly changing market pressures forced the sale of
many Briggs and Stratton distributors to just a few nationally.
Our Diamond Engine division was sold in October 2004 to Midwest
Engine of Chicago. Midwest Engine leased the new facility in
Edwardsville, Kansas.
In February
2000, Michael Medart was elected Treasurer of the Outdoor Power
Equipment Distributors Association (OPEDA). In 2002 Michael served as President of the newly formed Outdoor Power Equipment and
Engine Service Association (OPEESA) which was formed through the merger of OPEDA and the Engine Service Association (ESA).
Medart Engine
and the former Diamond Engine have consistently been in the top
quartile of performance and/or service, including technical
education, with each of the various manufacturers represented.
Marine Supply
Business
When we purchased the marine assets from the then St. Louis Toro
Distributor, Sterling Distributing, in 1972 the Medart Marine Supply
was born and was operated in a separate location in mid-town St.
Louis. By 1980, we moved the Marine Division into our new Fenton
MO facility. Also, we operated the Marine Supply business from our
Memphis facility. The towboat market was entered in the early 80's
when NABRICO, manufacturer of winches and deck fittings, awarded
Medart Marine a distributorship. By the early 90's, due to
extreme customer consolidation, we exited the commercial marine
market. In September 1991, Speed Medart was elected President of
the National Marine Distributors Association (N.M.D.A.). In 1994,
we expanded the Marine Division into our new Kansas City area facility in Edwardsville,
Kansas and in 2004, we expanded the Marine Division into our new Memphis
area facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Medart Marine was moved
in 1999 to our present Saint Louis area home. For the last several years, Michael Medart has served as a
board member of the National Marine Distributors Association (NMDA).
Michael Medart is currently serving as President of the NMDA.
In November 2004 we purchased Beacon Marine/Hardware Marine, based
in New Orleans, LA with a branch in Mobile, AL. Due to the
sudden passing of a key family member of Beacon, the remaining
family choose to sell the business. Beacon's long marine
heritage was a good fit to the Medart family. Because of our
Memphis area location and the close proximity of the Mobile facility, we did not need the New Orleans location.
Having said that, we did need the Mobile facility and today it is Medart Marine
Mobile. In 2006 we launched, Boaters Advantage to further help
our customers market their companies. In the future this will
become a great national program. Our company was recognized by
PLANSPONSOR Magazine January 2006 issue as having one of
the best 401K/Profit Sharing Plans in the country. This
puts our company among a very special group of rewarding companies
to be part of. 2007 marks 35 fun and proud years in the marine
industry for the Medart family.
People Business
Our people history is long-term also. Today a handful of third-generation
associates are a part of Medart, Inc. Many associates have been
with us for 10, 20 and 30 years. Medart, Inc., has a long history
of a generous profit sharing 401(k) plan that began in the 50's
with insurance annuities. Today, Medart's average contribution levels
over the past 15 years places it in the top ½ of 1% of all U.S.
companies, public or private. The working culture within Medart,
Inc., is as rewarding as our profit-sharing program.
Looking forward,
we see additional locations to better serve
some customers as well as new ones. Today, e-commerce will
continue to be a
big plus for most customers. If business in general, full employment
and moderately priced money (capital/loans) continues, boating and lawn
& garden equipment sales will continue to grow. In the marine
industry, we sell a "want" or a "dream" for many people. In the
engine (power equipment) industry, we sell a "need." Part of Medart's strategic plan
is continually understanding our customers changing needs and wants
and then working hard to exceed those expectations.
Our high integrity
and devotion to building long-term customer relationships have been
a hallmark for three generations of Medart's.
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