A Brief History of Mill Supply, Inc.

A Brief History of Mill Supply, Inc.

In the midst of the heartaches of World War II, the discovery of concentration camps, D-Day, and the debut of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet", one man, Milbert Moritz (Mill), began a sole proprietorship selling paint and body shop supplies to local auto and truck repair shops. It was a business plan that would be an uphill climb, but in 1944 there was no reason to hold back, it would succeed or fail, and succeed it was. During those early years Mill adopted the philosophies that Mill Supply, Inc. still uses today. He discovered what his customers really wanted; fast shipping, quality parts, and competitive prices.

All Businesses Need to Grow

As the years passed and customer demands increased, Mill expanded his business to sell to fleets, hence Mill Auto Supply became a supplier for Step Van Parts. Growing involved moving into a larger facility and in 1968 Mill Auto Supply moved from 65th and Hough to 33rd and Superior in Cleveland, Ohio. By doubling their size with the new facility there was enough room to take on other products and he began selling aftermarket automotive replacement panels that were no longer available from dealers.

It's Time to Sell

In 1975 Milbert Moritz decided it was time to sell but not retire. In fact, Mr. Moritz never did retire until he was laid to rest in 2002. Many can still remember when he would call in an order from his home in Florida. It was his desire to have personal contact with each local customer and as far as we know, he did.

Some Names Linger

By 1981 Mill Auto Supply began selling to others besides fleets and body shops. A name change was in order, hence Mill Supply, Inc. became the official name. Even at the turn of the century our original customers still used the old name without any intention of changing, though it was a change that was needed. For in 1986 Mill's market was expanded to include snow plow parts. Today our "Discount Snow Plow Parts" catalog reaches snow removal professionals across the country. The line includes parts for Meyer, Western, Fisher and Diamond plows plus many other related winter items. You can view our current offerings www.millsupply.com/snow-plow-parts/ and discover the variety of related products we now offer to the snow plow industry.

Busting at the Seams

Thirty years in one place is enough. Lofts and second levels in rooms that were designed for one floor were choked to inefficiency. The travel between a local second warehouse wasted time for packers and warehouse employees. Office space was saved by using smaller desks and cubical walls were used to absorb some of the sound. We had maxed out all available space renovation options and it was time to move on. After literally years of searching, an adequate facility with sufficient warehouse and office space for both the present and future needs was located in Warrensville Hts, Ohio. With careful planning Mill Supply, Inc. made its major move in one weekend after months of preparation; no down time, no slack in order fulfillment.

With the increase in warehouse space, expansion was next. Our product lines grew to include; auto body repair panels, stepvan parts, snow plow parts, medium duty truck parts, and RV / Motorhome parts. Milbert Moritz' dream began in 1944. Three generations of owners later the dream still grows with the same original principles; fast shipping, quality parts, and competitive prices.