Business View Magazine | December 2019

61 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 part of the operation for over 60 years. Business improved as welding gained a foothold in the industry; electric welders began to appear in the mid-1920s and further expanded the company’s product line. Sutton-Garten became the first General Electric distributor in the country in 1926. The company expanded its operations to a new building in 1930. The shop area was enlarged and the repair business grew rapidly. It was also a way of introducing the new concept of welding repair to skeptical customers. An early offer to repair the touring Liberty Bell was unfortunately rejected, but many others saw the benefits of welding and ended up purchasing welders for their own operations. During the 1930s, the supply business suffered due to the Depression, but the repair business continued to be strong. In fact, no one was laid off all through the Depression. By 1936, equipment sales picked up and the supply business grew rapidly. During World War II, the company helped train welders for jobs in the defense industry. By the late 1940s the shop business was only a minor part of the operation, and was discontinued in 1953. William F. “Bill” Garten, son of Ray and Rena Garten, joined the company in 1938, and became President of the company in 1969. After his death in 1974, his son Pat joined the company and has managed the company since that time. In 1986, Sutton-Garten moved to a new headquarters and warehouse building, approximately twice the size of their former facility. The new building included a 2,000-sq.-ft. showroom, expanded dock facilities, demonstration area, and expanded offices. The company was recognized by the National Welding Supply Association as the oldest distributor in the United States under continuing management. In 1997, the company installed an expanded cylinder filling operation, to fill on-site oxygen, ChartBeverage.com • ChartParts.com • 1-800-247-4446 Carbo-Max® NSF Certified Bulk CO 2 Beverage Systems Perma-Max™MicroBulk CO 2 Systems High flow rates to meet demands of multiple brewery operations such as carbonation, purging, transfer, kegging and bottling. The Perma-Max 1400 XHP increases CBD oil extraction output. GeN 2 ® Series Nitrogen Generators by South-Tek Systems Dispensing draft beer with a mixed gas blend of CO 2 and N 2 helps ensure the correct presentation and flavor. C O N V E N I E N C E • Q U A L I T Y • S A F E T Y • S AV I N G S with Chart’s Competitive Advantage. SUTTON-GARTEN CO.