About Us

Company Formation

In 1927, a former school teacher named Joe Eshelman, Sr. formed the J. W. Eshelman Company, Inc., a manufacturer’s representative agency headquartered in Birmingham, AL. The new firm focused on selling primarily combustion controls, boilers, and control valves to the process and electric utilities industries. As the Company prospered during the 1930s and 40s, business growth led Mr. Eshelman to come to represent The Calgon Company, which helped them expand into the water treatment market with a well-respected name.

In the 1950s, the primary focus of the Company was industrial – control valves, boilers, combustion controls, and water treatment chemicals and services for electric utilities. During the late 60s and even more so during the 70s, the company sought new directions as the electric utility industry began cutting back on the construction and expansion of power plants. The implementation of the Clean Water Act of 1972, which called for new methods in water treatment, initiated a genesis of an emerging industry that filled the gap left by those electric utility cutbacks, and the Company adapted its historically-industrial focus towards helping to fill those needs. Several of our long-term affiliations are the result of those efforts.

In 1992, the decision was made to change the Company’s name from J. W. Eshelman Company, Inc. to its current title: The Eshelman Company, Inc. Later, having outgrown its original location in downtown Homewood, AL, in 1998 the company relocated to a new 5200 square foot office and warehouse space in the Bessemer Cutoff area. With this relocation came the desire for extended representation in the Southeast, leading to the establishment of our Nashville office in 2000.

Leadership

Beginning with the leadership of Joe Eshelman, The Eshelman Company has seen five generations of leadership and control. With the passing of Joe Eshelman, Sr., in 1960, the company continued under the control with Ced Ellis, Joe Eshelman, Jr. , and Bill James. Following Ced Ellis’ retirement in 1979, the third generation of leadership fell to Ernie Warren, Bill Putney, Joe Eshelman, Jr. and Tom Buckingham. When Joe Eshelman, Jr. retired in 1987, the leadership was established with Ernie Warren and Bill Putney. In 2000 we entered into our fifth iteration of leadership with Ernie Warren, Ed Moore, Wade Warren, and Stacy Crews.

Pat Morris joined the Company in 2016, bringing an effective mix of contracting, engineering, and proven sales experience that has proven to be an immediate and effective boost to our efforts. In December 2017 Ernie Warren retired, after over fifty years of service. Bill Putney retired in May 2018, after a similar tenure of service. While the efforts of Ernie and Bill are certainly missed every day, the focus of the Company remains the same – providing proven solutions for our customer’s needs. And it is with that focus that we move into the future…

Moving Forward

The tenure of our employees range from one to over thirty years, and our staff includes engineers, as well as business administration managers and support staff. Our diversity enables us to focus a unique mix of support, as well as strong technical capability for our clients, including the detailed analysis of hydraulic and process systems, CAD support, preparation of specifications and other supporting data, retrofit and/or field service, repair, and maintenance of existing equipment. As well, the strength of our employee base has enabled us to implement succession plans, which will ensure the continuation of the company long into the future.

Celebrating in 2017 and Beyond!

In 2017, we celebrated the 90th anniversary of our founding! Few companies can claim a history of serving their customers for that long… And though some of the names of the manufacturers we work with have changed over the years, and there are new faces among our ranks, the sole focus of The Eshelman Company, Inc. has remained unchanged for that entire time: to provide top-tier, proven solutions utilizing the best available technologies and products for the industrial, utility, and municipal markets. These products cover a broad range of applications – from process controls and systems, to equipment for industrial applications, to pumps and process equipment for water and wastewater treatment, to disinfection technologies, and others. Big or small, it is likely that The Eshelman Company, Inc. has a proven solution to offer for your application!