Location

History

Kings′ Heating – 65 Years & Still Growing

Founded in 1946, Kings′ Heating & Sheet Metal, Inc., has reached its 65th anniversary. The business is located at 137 South Work St. in Falconer and is the exclusive Carrier Factory Authorized heating and cooling equipment dealer for the area. Carrier, the inventor of air conditioning, is a world class leader of heating and cooling equipment in the industry today.

The family owned and operated business, originally known as Thorpe and King, was founded in 1946 by Paul H. King and Clifford Thorpe and was located at 33 West Main Street in Falconer. Mr. Kings′ son, Conrad (Connie), began working for the company later that same year. Eventually Mr. Thorpe sold his share of the business to Connie. At this point, the business changed its name to Kings′ Heating and Sheet Metal, Inc.

As the business grew and needed more space, it relocated to 137 South Work Street in Falconer. After Paul King′s retirement in 1968, Connie and his wife, Betty, became the sole proprietors. The company continued to grow during the next two decades with the next generation of Kings learning the business and purchasing the property next to the current facility. A building was constructed to join two existing buildings to allow for additional work space and office space.

The business has since expanded three more times, once in 1980 with the purchase of 140 South Work Street to accommodate heavy fabrication equipment, in 1994 when more warehousing space was added to the existing structure at 135–137 South Work Street, and again in 1998 with the addition of more than 4,000 square feet of warehousing space at the rear of the property.

In 1987 the retirement of Connie King officially saw the next generation take charge of the business as his sons David, Douglas, Leslie and Terry became the new owners and officers. The combined work experience of the four sons, the third generation of Kings, totals more than 100 years. In addition, three members of the fourth generation, Wayne, Mike and Bill King, have also joined the business work force. Mike has recently been promoted to a commercial estimating and supervision position due to the untimely passing of Douglas in 2003.

David King began as an apprentice at his grandfather's and father's business in 1965, and apart from four years in the U.S. Navy, has never worked anywhere else. ″Working with family you get along with so well is a very appealing thing,″ says David. ″We′re a very, very close family. In fact, we all continue to live within one mile of each other.″

Terry is the youngest brother, but he now serves as General Manager of the family–owned business. ″Our father had the foresight to diversify our training and talents,″ recalls Terry. ″We all learned different sides of the business. Our dad made sure we were never in competition with each other but were complimenting each other in our work.″

″It's the diversity of services that makes Kings′ stand apart,″ adds Les, who serves as production manager. ″All of our technicians must go through a four-year apprenticeship in sheet metal to round out their training. That way we can offer the most complete range of services, from installing the latest air conditioning technology to operating our own computer-controlled plasma cutting layout table for custom–made fittings and ornamental work.″

While other companies have to buy materials off the shelf, Kings′ is able to design its own duct work for the best fit and highest efficiency. Kings′ is also able to work with heavy structural materials, and materials such as copper, to match architectural designs from blueprints.

Kings′ Heating began its business by making the home a more comfortable place to live. This aspect of the business is still important and continually growing due to the fact that today′s customers are demanding the comfort of not only heating and air conditioning, but air purification and humidification as well. Today, Kings′ is also heavily involved in the commercial and industrial markets as well as the residential market.