In 1881, eight years before Washington became a state, our business began operations as a retail hardware store. The retail hardware store filled a vital role in supplying hard goods to the growing farming community. As the area grew and prospered, so did the store, known as Yakima Hardware Company.

To fill an increasing need for wholesale hardware distribution in Central Washington, the company began a wholesale division and in 1912 built a three-story warehouse to house the wholesale inventory. The wholesale operation has developed over the years to the point where today Horizon Distribution serves the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Alaska, Utah and Hawaii.

The company also serves eastern Washington and Oregon and northern Idaho with an Industrial Division. In 1956, the decision was made to strictly focus the company's efforts on the wholesale operation. The retail store was liquidated at that time.

Horizon Distribution has always been at the forefront of industry trends. In 1963, the company affiliated with the Pro Group so that it could offer to hardware stores and lumberyards a retail stores program of advertising, buying and merchandising.

In 1968, the company entered the age of computers by installing a computer system that is constantly being updated. With bar code tags, laser scanners and "Faxback" order confirmation added in 1995 and a "LAN" system added in 1997, HDI has continued to keep pace with the technology of their industry.

By 1996, Horizon Distribution had outgrown its old warehouse. The company moved its operations into a new state of the art distribution center in February 1997. The center has allowed HDI to better serve its customer needs with broader product offerings and increased efficiency.

Horizon Distribution is always looking to develop unique and flexible programs that best serve the needs of its customers. One such program is Farm Mart, which HDI developed in 1990 to serve the unique needs of the independent Farm Store. The PRO Group is now marketing this program and you will find Farm Mart stores nationwide. In 1994 HDI responded to the changing marketplace by developing "Contractors Source", a marketing program for the contractor oriented lumberyard. A "Partners for Profit" program was also added for Industrial customers.

Recognizing the constantly changing demands of the industrial market, the company recently joined the industrial purchasing and marketing group, Affiliated Distributors. This alliance will give the company better purchasing power with the top vendors in the industrial market. It will also give the company access to new value added services for industrial accounts.

1999 was the year the company changed its name after over 100 years as Yakima Hardware Company to Horizon Distribution, Inc. The name change is the culmination of several years of reengineering the company has undergone, including the move to the new distribution center, the upgrading our computer network and the developement of an interactive website. These steps were critical to give the company the logistical capacity for future growth. One of the final steps in the reengineering was a look at how the company name reflected the company's image in the marketplace. The decision was made to leave the 19th Century heritage and move into the 21st Century with a name that reflects a progressive distributor poised for the future.

Horizon Distribution continues to respond to the needs of its customers by providing them with the products they need at the right price and with the best service available.