About Us
G&H Distributing is a locally owned and operated family business headquartered in Sioux Falls, SD. Between two locations Sioux Falls, SD and Rapid City, SD, the company employs approximately 30 people with jobs ranging anywhere from sales and accounting to warehouse operations and assembly work. Our sales and product experts have anywhere from 5 to 40 years of industry experience, making G&H the ideal company to work with when sourcing products needed in general business, manufacturing, and warehouse operations.
With the ideal location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the junction of Interstates 90 and 29, and also being just minutes away from the Iowa and Minnesota borders, G&H has been able to efficiently serve industrial companies in the urban areas as well as the rural agricultural based customers and companies across the Midwest.
Our Story:
In 1946, the then called G&H Distributing Company was a small local furniture repair business in Sioux Falls, SD owned by the partnership of R.O. Goodale and L. Haarberg. Business was good following the post World War II population boom Sioux Falls saw. Through the next 25 years, changes in the furniture market and a demand to mobilize items pushed the small business into specializing in the accessory item of casters wheels. Soon, wheels and roller assemblies became the backbone of the company as wheels were in high demand for office chairs, bed frames, work tables, hospital beds, etc. The company also recognized a need for similar products to move heavy objects leading to the company to take on various furniture movers, carts and dollies as product offerings. This is where the Material Handling Division of todays business was born.
In 1976, local businessman Larry Olawsky and his wife Marcella purchased the established business. The couple soon got to work building a business focused on supplying the Sioux Empire region with quality products and helping rural welding shops source hard to find items when repairing farm equipment. In the early 1980's the company was approached by manufacturer of rubber hoses to be the stocking warehouse for their product in the region. G&H got to work storing and fulfilling bulk hose orders. Soon business transitioned to cut lengths and the corresponding fittings, and in a few short years, the manufacturer brought in a crimper machine and G&H personnel started assembling hydraulic hoses for the customers.
As business continued to grow, they added several new key employees, including now President and company owner Joel Flier in 1982. By 1984 the company growth prompted the company to become and incorporation, officially changing the name from G&H Distributing Company to G&H Distributing Inc. G&H continued to see successes in the Material Handling world in which it was founded, but the hose products line was increasingly becoming more sought after and was showing much expansion potential into related components and parts. Additionally throughout this time, G&H sales representatives still continued to ask rural welders what they needed help with getting, and overwhelmingly the response was Auger Flighting. This laid the groundwork to becoming one of the nation's largest aftermarket auger flighting stocking distributors.
By 1990, G&H had moved to its current location at 900 W Russell St, had 30 employees on staff, and second location getting its start in Rapid City, SD. Business continued to see success throughout the 1990's and in 2000, looking to transition out of ownership, the Olawsky family sold both G&H businesses to their two long term employees, Joel Flier and Richard Goss. Despite the economic struggles throughout the 2000's, G&H continued to evolve under new ownership. New opportunities added to the growth of the Hose Products Division, and in 2002 G&H Distributing Inc was honored by becoming 1 of 11 Parker Hannifin Certified Hose Assembler's in in the United States, changing the business forever and solidifying their place as the premier hose products distributor for the tri-state region. As a Parker C.H.A., G&H services their designated territory's Original Equipment Manufacturers by providing them with unmatched high-quality hose products and distributor service.
In 2012, following the retirement of the business partner, Joel Flier and his wife Beth took sole ownership of both G&H locations. Over the next 12 years, business continued to recover and rise steadily. New production equipment allow for higher production output and helped G&H meet the ever changing demands of the OEM customer base.
2024 marks the 40th Anniversary of G&H Distributing Inc's incorporation. The company celebrated by officially becoming a family business as Joel and Beth's 3 children, Amber and long-term employees Bruce and Kara joined company ownership as Joel sets his sights on retirement. South Dakota and our region is growing and G&H is proud to be a part of the successes of local and regional manufacturers. Even after 75+ years, our casters still remain one of G&H's primary product lines, and have helped push into be the industry-leading, supply company for caster wheels, replacement parts, and accessories in the region.
