Intro
The History of WAXIE Sanitary Supply
AN INDUSTRY LEADER With the infrastructure of the industry’s best facilities in place, and veteran leadership to help steer the course, Charles looked to the future with great optimism. Anticipating the digital revolu- tion that would transform many businesses, WAXIE invested in 1989 in a computer system permitting the company to custom- ize the services it provided to its many customers. In 1989 WAXIE invested in a computer system that would transform the way business was done, allowing the company to customize its technology to suit the ever-changing needs of the business. This upgrade would sustain WAXIE for the next 15 years. While employee training has always been of paramount im- portance to the company and key to their success, technology created the need to catapult an already strong training program to a new level. Despite a sluggish economy in the ‘90s, WAXIE roared into the new decade by building a new 45,000 square foot facility in Tempe, Arizona. Another strategic move was made in 1994 when WAXIE joined Network Services, a group of independent distributors assembled to support national account coverage. In 1995, the company broke ground on a new 58,000 square foot addition for corporate and San Diego regional offices along with warehouse space. Completed in 1996 WAXIE’s San Diego headquarters boasted more than 100,000 square feet. This would become the “signature architecture” for future WAXIE facilities. Morris, who passed away in 1996, expressed the sentiment of the entire WAXIE family when he said, “It’s been marvelous to watch the growth of our company. It has exceeded all of my expectations.” Although the Morris Wax chapter ends here, the legacy he left behind continued. That same year WAXIE entered yet another market, venturing north to the San Francisco Bay Area opening a facility in Hay- ward. WAXIE would then go on to build two new state-of-the-art facilities before the close of the decade, supporting exponential growth in Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Salt Lake City, Utah. WAXIE forged into the new millennium as a faster, leaner, more productive company with a desire to continue expanding its borders, if the right opportunity came along. Denver, Colorado became the next right spot, and in 2000, WAXIE entered the market. As technology developed and became more robust, the age of the internet and e-mail was becoming more prominent in business; WAXIE prepared for the next wave of technological investment—this time in the warehouse.
Morris Wax was known in the industry as a man of high integrity and a philanthropist who never stopped giving back
Morris Wax had great influence on the redefining of the JAN/ SAN industry by his drive to set the standards high. In a small circle of industry greats, Morris stands out as a visionary, a businessman committed to serving the customer, a leader who raised the standards for others to follow, a man high in integrity, and a philanthropist who never stopped giving back. A bronze plaque in his likeness can be found at the USO in downtown San Diego, recognizing him for his generosity and commitment to providing a “home away from home” for the men and women who serve in our armed forces. From their humble beginnings in Southern Utah, Morris and his older brother Harry left an indelible mark on the sanitary sup- ply industry. Amongst their many legacies, they will always be remembered as the founding fathers of WAXIE.
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