True to Its Values

B.C.-headquartered Delco Elevator Products builds on its future while holding strong to a storied past. 

Headquartered in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, British Columbia, Delco Elevator Products Ltd. prides itself on being a dynamic, independent, family-owned company that has served customers for more than 45 years. With fewer than 10 employees, Delco operates two warehouses — one in Burnaby and the other in Ferndale, Washington — and has expanded into the U.S. South and East Coast. It is led by President Anya Codack, who took over from her mother, Maike Marnet, in 2019, with a strong entrepreneurial background in software, marketing and management. Delco’s leadership team is rounded out by General Manager Cindy Li; Market Development Manager, U.S. South Alberto Jasso; and Regional Sales Director, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Andrew Basso. 

Overcoming Challenges

Delco has overcome many challenges over the years, and intends to face and overcome its 2022 challenges, chief among them global supply chain issues and product price increases. Codack says: 

“We also see these challenges as an opportunity. Understanding how critical it is for our customers to be able to find the products they need for their projects, we’ve made a commitment to keeping products in stock. While this may sound simple, the reality of making it happen is not so simple. It means we have to forecast, plan and order approximately six to nine months ahead of time. As a result, we have invested heavily in inventory for both of our warehouses. Further, we are constantly looking for ways to bring products to market that can help our customers save time and money.” 

One such product is Delco’s new D-MRL package, a complete machine-room-less elevator package that includes guiderails, machine, enclosure, suspension means, door/entryway, hoistway components and a car cab in a variety of interior finishes. D-MRL, according to Delco, allows “customers to benefit from the convenience of working with one supplier and having the flexibility to install the controllers and fixtures of their choice.” 

An Array of Non-Proprietary Products

Delco specializes in working with independent elevator contractors, but has also partnered with major OEMs on projects in both Canada and the U.S. Its components and parts are all non-proprietary, code-compliant and “proven in the field for many, many years,” Delco states. Its complete product line includes: 

• Standard governors
• Self-resetting governors
• Governor tension devices
• Shackles
• Roller-guide assemblies
• Oil buffers
• Door edges
• Barricades
• Door closers
• Cartop stations
• Temporary run stations
• Emergency-stop systems
• Parts and tools

Canadian customers, Delco observes, benefit from the company’s ability to import and ship directly within Canada. For U.S. customers — including those in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico —Delco staff manages all cross-border costs and time lags. As business has expanded into the southern U.S., Delco ensured its website is in both Spanish and English and that customer service representatives are bilingual. “Keeping promises and focusing on personal customer service have seen the company rise to become a small, but favored, industry supplier,” Codack says. 

An Interesting History

What was then known as Delco Industries Ltd. was originally founded in 1972 by Beate Breuers. It held a few patents, such as for the Snake Eye safety screwdriver, a pressure gauge and a rope oiler. In 1984, the company was bought by Marnet and Manfred Godow (who passed away in 2011). The pair were instrumental in rebranding and rebuilding the company from the ground up. Under their leadership, Delco established offices in Vancouver, Toronto and New York, providing elevator contractors across North America with a wide variety of small parts, components and even complete, custom-designed elevator packages. 

In 2000, Delco Industries was purchased by German conglomerate Wittur, which closed it down two years later. This left many elevator contractors stranded, and resulted in the birth of Delco Elevator Products. Marnet and Godow built on long-term relationships with companies in China and Korea to source quality components and parts. 

“Keeping promises and focusing on personal customer service have seen the company rise to become a small, but favored, industry supplier.”

— Delco Elevator Products President Anya Codack

Codack says: 

“The success of Delco Elevator Products is due to [my mother’s] tenacity, belief and unwavering commitment to suppliers, staff and, above all, her valued customers who are treated more like family and friends. Her core values — fairness, hard work and placing long-term relationships over quick bucks — have become Delco’s values. She, and Delco, treat every link in the chain with the same warmth and respect.

“My mother has a gift for starting and growing businesses. And while she was busy building this business, she also has given back to the industry over and over by supporting industry associations such as the Canadian Elevator Contractors Association and National Elevator Contractors Association (NAEC).” 

Marnet has also helped many young people get their start in the elevator industry. “I have some big shoes to fill!” Codack says. As Delco works to expand, it plans to stay true to its values as “a friendly, family business at heart.” 

In line with those values, Delco’s marketing is based on “good, old-fashioned methods like great customer service and word-of-mouth,” Codack says, as well as providing high-quality brands, easy access to documentation and a modern website. The company also focuses on attentive customer support, with a vow to have a live elevator product consultant respond to all phone calls and emails, pack and ship orders within 24 h of being received and guaranteeing its products for one year from the invoice date. 

Delco plans to attend the NAEC 73rd Annual Convention and Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky, next month and looks forward to seeing and speaking with all of its customers, also known as friends. Li always quotes John D. Rockefeller when she says: “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.”