Long Supply: Specialized products, customer connections

In May 2011, Jason Long and his wife, Michelle, purchased Strogen Metals from longtime business owner Dick Conover. Under the new ownership, Long Supply, Inc. has become one of the most comprehensive sources for sheet metal supplies in the Chicagoland area. “One of our big pushes recently has been gasketed duct systems, and acoustical spiral duct liner is growing extremely well for us too. We can pretty much handle anything but TDC or TDF ductwork and can cut right to size for the contractor,” said Long, owner and president of Long Supply. “We offer a very competitive price while still maintaining a very high-quality product. We’re a one-stop shop, so we take away the headache of going to multiple suppliers. We’re strictly sheet metal and the accessories around it.”

During its nearly 10-year history, the family-run business has seen steady growth. What started as a single shop in Aurora now includes a second location in Addison, where the team recently moved in October 2020.

“It’s a bigger facility but also gives us the opportunity to grow because it’s on 1.5 acres,” Long said. “It also gives us easier access to downtown. Our goal is to have two more locations within the next seven to eight years.”

When the pandemic hit the country early last year, Long said the biggest issue they experienced was a lag in shipping.

“Companies that we work with may have had to shut down for a few days due to COVID, so that affected shipping and our lead times extended,” he said. “When the economy started opening up again it was like playing catch-up. Now we’re anticipating price increases in shipping on January 1, so people are stocking up now causing more shipping delays.”

Missing out on in-person client meetings is another unfortunate side effect of the pandemic. “One of those things you really appreciate in business is that personal connection with customers. I really miss that part,” Long said. “I’m very passionate about what I do. It’s fun and I learn something new every day, and I think that’s what drives me. I love the customers and I love the business.”

For now, Zoom is working to stay connected to clients, and will eventually be used as a training tool and a way to keep customers up to date in the future. Long also hopes to offer customers a more streamlined online experience in the coming year by investing more into e-commerce.

“I want someone in the shop to be able to know exactly what we handle, how much it costs and be able to make an order online 24/7/365,” he said. “The easier it is to do business with us, the more it benefits everybody.”