Fourth-generation leaders Josh and Erich Haun are doubling down on the culture that helped build the company.

Nearly seven decades in, Haun Welding Supply continues to strike a balance between honoring its legacy and charting a forward-looking path.

Officially incorporated in 1958, Haun’s story actually starts decades earlier. In 1930, Orval Haun was building welders for U.S.L. Battery Co. in Niagara Falls. A decade later, he moved to Syracuse to help launch welder manufacturing for the Syracuse Owen-Dyneto Co. There, he and a colleague devised a new, more efficient way to build welders. When management passed on the innovation, Orval didn’t. He started building his own machines from his basement, selling them on weekends.

By 1948, Orval was expanding beyond equipment and into the supply side of the business. In 1955, he made the leap, leaving his job to focus full-time on running a full-line distributorship. His son, Ken, joined the newly formed business after graduating from Syracuse University and serving in the Air Force. In 1957, they exited the manufacturing side entirely to focus on distribution. One year later, Haun Welding Supply became official.

Today, the company is led by the family’s fourth generation. Ken’s son, Mark, serves as Chairman of the Board. His grandsons—Josh and Erich—are co-presidents, and Kyle Haun plays a key role in the sales team. What started in a basement is now a 23-location business stretching across the Northeast. The growth has been steady. The values, unshakable.

Branching Out and Building Up

“We’ve always looked for smart growth,” says Co-President Josh Haun. “Some of it’s been through acquisition, some of it through opening up new branches. But at the end of the day, it’s about spotting the right opportunity—and having the right person to run with it.”

That mindset has helped Haun grow from its Headquarters in Syracuse, NY, to a 310-person company that spans from southeastern Pennsylvania all the way to New Hampshire and Connecticut and up to the Canadian border. The physical footprint is impressive. But they’ll be the first to tell you: the secret isn’t geography.

“If we don’t have someone in place who fits our values, who understands the market and has the relationships—it’s tough,” Josh says. “We’ve had branches that would start off and be stagnant for years, because we didn’t have the right people in place. It makes a huge difference. We’ve really tried to focus on having someone in place that fits our values and is knowledgeable in the industry and has connections in their market.”

The 4Hs and a Clear Identity

The focus on fit and culture isn’t lip service at Haun—it’s codified. In 2021, as the company prepared to transition from its third to its fourth generation, the company worked with a consultant to capture what employees had been saying for years: Haun just feels different.

“We put a name to it,” says Co-President Erich Haun. “We call it our ‘4Hs.’ Humble, Helpful, Heart-Driven, and Honest. That’s what we hire for. That’s how we lead. And when it’s not the right fit, that’s how we know.”

And while the culture has always been strong, it’s not immune to change. With many longtime employees reaching retirement age, the leadership team recognized that knowledge and relationships were walking out the door.

“We were stretched thin,” says Erich. “We had two sales managers for five states. One VP overseeing every branch, which at the time was 17 branches. It wasn’t scalable. We had outgrown that model. And we weren’t present enough.”

Their solution? Regionalize and reorganize. Today, the company is divided into four territories, each with a dedicated sales and operations manager. That structure has opened pathways for internal promotions and allowed them to stay connected at every level.

Learning by Doing

Josh and Erich both joined Haun full-time in 2010. Josh left a middle school teaching job in Charlotte. Erich had been running a painting company. But, as most multi-generation GAWDA members can attest, they weren’t handed a silver spoon. Both of them proved their mettle working up the company ladder.

“I didn’t feel ready,” Erich says about his first job of running the company’s Albany branch. “I’d only worked the counter and warehouse. But I had a mentor who had been here 15 years, and he showed me the ropes. That’s how I learned.”

Josh, meanwhile, jumped into the credit department, replacing a retiring manager.

Those early years were formative. However, the ultimate test came just a decade later when, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the brothers assumed the role of co-presidents.

“It was a very challenging time to transition leadership,” Josh says. “But it was also a really good opportunity, because it gave us a challenge to overcome. It brought our team together. It forced us to communicate, and act, and come together as a team to keep our employees safe and productive.”

Future-Focused, Value-Driven

In the past ten years, Haun Welding Supply has doubled in size. But that growth hasn’t come at the cost of its identity. If anything, it’s sharpened it.

“We’ve gotten really clear on what we’re good at,” says Erich. “We used to carry everything—all kinds of tools. But customers can get that anywhere. Now, we focus on our core. Where can we add the most value?”

That clarity extends to their customer relationships, too. With more information at their fingertips, today’s buyers are more educated—and more demanding.

“They’re not just looking for a supplier,” Josh says. “They’re looking for a partner. Someone who can help them improve efficiency, solve problems, and make their lives easier. That’s what we aim to be.”

To meet that standard, the company has continued to fine-tune its ERP system and streamline operations across locations.

“We’re building the infrastructure now to support where we’re going,” Erich says. “That’s how we make sure the experience is consistent no matter which Haun branch you walk into.”

All About People

At the end of the day, for all the systems and strategies, Haun Welding Supply’s success still comes down to one thing.

“It’s our people,” concludes Erich. “That’s what drives everything—growth, culture, relationships. If we’ve got the right people in the right spots, we’ll be just fine.”

Nearly seventy years in, that formula speaks for itself.