Family Move ‘Marks’ Service Expansion

The Anderson family hasn’t wasted any time since buying Marks Electric & Plumbing Supply in January.

They’re moving fast to expand their service to include commercial and industrial customers. Until now, explained co-owner Gary Anderson, the privately held business has concentrated on residential builders and contractors.

The efforts are expected to increase Marks’ business by 30 percent over the next two to five years, said Keven Anderson, another partner.

Marks has a lot to offer commercial and industrial customers, because it has both electrical and plumbing supplies, he said.

“It helps out on deliveries, ordering. It’s one step instead of two,” he said.

The Andersons would not disclose what they paid for the business.

Marks operates from a 30,000-SF store just off of North Thompson Street on the north edge of Springdale and a 22,500-SF store at 2621 Hudson Road in Rogers.

The supply company was started in 1989 by Andrew and Karen Marks in a building south of its current Springdale location. It grew dramatically in the 1990s with help from the opening of the Rogers store in 1995. In 2001 the new building was built, and this year the Marks sold the operation to Gary Anderson and his children, Cindy Anderson Matteri and Keven Anderson. The trio operate the business together.

“It’s a perfect fit for us,” Gary Anderson said.

The Andersons are a longtime Rogers family. Gary Anderson retired from Hudson Foods in 1992 and purchased Sibley Industries Inc. of Anderson, Mo. During the eight years they owned the company, they watched the business grow to become a major supplier of poultry house heating supplies and livestock equipment.

Sibley was sold to Chore-Time/Brock Inc., a big producer of grain bins, in 1998. The two companies supplied the same customers, and the merger was a way to see the business grow, Gary Anderson said.

Anderson and both of his children stayed on and worked for the new company for a number of years, but each eventually left. Gary Anderson said he ended up leaving because the company’s growth came with pressure to permanently relocate to Indiana.

“Ultimately, we decided we wanted to start another family business in Northwest Arkansas,” said Keven Anderson.

Marks has 24 employees, but plans are to add customer service representatives as the company takes on more commercial and industrial customers.

“Marks is probably one of the prominent players in the residential market, and we’d like to grow,” Keven Anderson said.

The company has provided some light commercial supplies in the past but is now offering heavy-duty electrical and plumbing supplies for commercial and industrial customers, he said.

Keven Anderson is serving his first term as the District 96 state representative. The business expansion plans won’t affect his political career because of the family support, he said.

Marks’ major product lines include Delta, Hamilton Bathware, Kingston Brass, Eljer and Siemens.