For Conklin Metal Industries, 2009 marks the 135^th year of service to the sheet metal industry throughout Georgia and the Southeast. The company was founded by Charles A. Conklin in 1874 as the Chas. A. Conklin Mfg. Co. The initial nature of the business - as printed on company letterhead - was “Tin Plate, Metals, Tinner’s Stock, Stoves, Etc.”

Beginning in 1891, business was conducted out of a newly constructed four story, 40,000 square foot warehouse at the corner of Marietta Street and Jones Avenue in Northwest Atlanta.  An article in the Atlanta Constitution referred to it at that time as “the largest factory in the southern states and one of the largest in the country”.  This building was situated along the Western and Atlantic Railroads offering ease of unloading for the heavy materials stored on the first floor such as tinplate, sheet iron, wire, zinc and copper. The second floor was used for packaging and inventory storage. The third and fourth floor employed over 100 people and was used exclusively for tin ware manufacturing.

This warehouse is still in existence and is used as loft apartments in the newly revived Luckie Marietta District near Centennial Olympic Park.

The tin ware manufacturing portion of the business was sold to the American Can Company in 1902 and the business continued out of the same warehouse under the new name of Conklin Tin Plate and Metal Company.  In 1925, the company purchased a piece of property at the corner of Moore Street and the Georgia Railroad.  This property was across the street from the Atlanta Paper Company and next door to where General William Sherman stabled his horses during his 1864 “March to the Sea.” 

The owners, Charles Conklin and John N. Goddard, devoted the business exclusively to “the distribution of Sheet Metals, Metal Roofing and Sheet Metal Shop supplies.” Another warehouse in Savannah, Georgia serviced the southeast area of the state until World War II when the warehouse closed due to the difficulty in buying materials.

Mr. Conklin remained as President of the company until his death in 1929. He was succeeded by Mr. Goddard, who served until 1949.

Harry B. Thompson, Sr. came to Conklin in 1898.  He served the company for over fifty years before he became President of the company in 1949. He held that position for only four years but by that time had established a foundation for a family legacy that would span four generations.

Harry B. Thompson, Jr. came to Conklin upon graduation from Georgia Tech in 1928 and served as Vice-President until 1953 when he succeeded his father as President. He served as Chairman of the Board from 1971 until his death in 1977.

Harry B. Thompson, III, also a graduate of Georgia Tech, came to Conklin in 1962 and served as Executive Vice President until his election to President in 1971. He held this position until his retirement in 2003; it had been 105 years since his grandfather first started as a billing clerk.

Conklin remains a strong, growth-oriented company committed to taking care of our customers by providing quality products at competitive prices with exceptional service. This is possible because of our hard working, dedicated employees; our strong, long-standing relationships with our suppliers; and our flexibility in responding to our customers’ needs.