The story of Dealers Supply Co. began in 1920 with Austin Francis and his three sons George, John, and Carroll opening Francis Brothers Feed and Seed in Portland, Oregon, shortly after moving from Nebraska. The Francis family endeavored to make a living supplying Portland’s farmers with feed, seed, and farm supplies; something they knew a lot about since they had been farmers for generations. The business of selling farm supplies was very successful, and soon three stores grew to five. This success brought “Dealers Supply” into existence in 1927, when the Francis brothers decided to purchase their primary feed and seed supplier. Over time, Dealers Supply expanded by purchasing nearby and adjoining structures and in 1976 relocated their offices to the other side of the block, where they remained until 2013.
The founding Francis brothers always listened and responded to their customers’ needs. Their first entry into selling roofing was a result of their customer’s needing rolled roofing for their chicken coops and other structures. The feed and seed business may have petered out as Portland grew into a metropolitan city, but the business of selling building materials, particularly roofing products, is alive and well to this day. Dealers Supply has grown to become the premier source for roofing, waterproofing, coatings, weather barriers, insulation, and related building materials in the region.
The product offerings may have changed with time, but Dealers Supply’s primary philosophy has not. Dealers Supply differentiates itself by having the best, broadest, and deepest selection of roofing products, accessories, and related tools in the industry. We also focus on customer service as our top priority. The company has always understood that its strength derives from its people, that’s why Dealers Supply is constantly investing in its workforce and provides the best possible benefits package and workplace environment for its employees. We’ve also always done everything in our power to make the roofer’s job easier; one way we have delivered on that promise is by pioneering rooftop loading in the 1960’s. Dealers Supply was possibly the first supplier of roofing materials in the nation to load roofing to the roof using equipment by mounting a modified hay bale conveyor to the back of a flatbed truck. Innovation and convenience remain core values practiced by Dealers Supply to this day.
In 2013, Dealers Supply made a huge commitment to the building industry in the region by relocating its operations to a much larger facility located in the heart of Portland. With this relocation, Dealers Supply established one of the largest and most modern warehousing and distribution facilities servicing the roofing and construction industry in the nation. From its new headquarters, Dealers Supply is ideally situated to service the industry and respond to its customer’s needs more completely and efficiently. This new location also allows for continued growth, to further its core values, and to accomplish its ongoing mission of being an indispensable component of the building industry in the region and beyond.
From its inception to this day, Dealers Supply has been a local and family-owned company. Dealers Supply recognizes and embodies the value that independent distribution brings to the industry. We are proud to have been members of the NEMEON Coop for 21 years. The company strives to have the best products and services its customers demand at a fair price and at all times. The fifth-generation owners continue to operate the only independent roofing distributor in the region. “A Uniform Standard of High Quality and Service” is the motto created in the beginning, and still the motto we live by today.
