HISTORY
Al and Debbie met in grade school. They continued dating through high school. They married, after Debbie completed college and Al enlisted, in November 1967.
With three small children Allen and Debbie took a leap of faith and started their own business to be able to provide for their family. Southern Copper was incorporated on December 11, 1987. SCS opened its doors on January 4, 1988. They started very small. Southern Copper’s first office was in the Riha family’s laundry room and quickly expanded to include the kitchen.The need for more space became quickly apparent, when they rented a small 1800 square foot building. For most of the first year, Southern Copper operated with just 2 employees -Debbie ran the administrative side of the business, while Al did everything else. Before the end of the first year, Al and Debbie realized the need for an additional employee and hired a family friend, George.
In 1989, Al and Debbie realized the need for a permanent home for Southern Copper. The building of our current facility began in 1990. We expanded in 1991 when the warehouse next door was put up for sale.
As they expanded,Southern Copper hired an outside salesman and warehouse employee to help the growing business. Al and Debbie’s oldest son, Matt, joined the business as part of the warehouse staff. In 1994, he joined the sales team.
Over the years, we have received tremendous support from our vendors. With their support and positive feedback we were able to reach heights that we never dreamed were possible.
The Machine Shop opened in 2012 to accommodate the growing needs of our clients.
Southern Copper is still located on the same property that was purchased in 1989. We now employ 25 individuals and our facility is now over 30,000 square feet.
Southern Copper has grown tremendously over the last 30 years. From starting in a laundry room to a multi-building permanent location. One thing that is still the same is the dedication to excellent customer service that is taught and passed down from generation to generation. We look forward to continuing this Southern Copper family tradition and supplying your business with quality material and excellent customer service for many years to come