Sidney Lee Welding Supply

Sidney Lee Welding Supply, Inc. is a family-owned business with humble beginnings rooted in hard work and sacrifice. The company was founded in Sunnyside, Georgia in 1968 by Sidney Lee, a man with an entrepreneurial spirit who was not afraid to take a risk. 

 

Realizing a need for the supply of compressed gas and welding equipment distribution south of Atlanta, Sidney left his steady job at Delta Airlines and struck out on his own to build his business and fill a niche. More than 55 years later, Sidney Lee Welding Supply, now run by Sidney’s sons Steve and Zane, has grown substantially, supplying compressed gas and welding equipment throughout Georgia and Florida. Customers who rely on Sidney Lee for exceptional products and services include: the food and beverage industry; construction trades; the film industry; maintenance and repair; mechanical trades; the medical and scientific industries; welding students and welding hobbyists. 

“Our dad saw an opportunity and worked seven-days-a-week to get it off the ground in our backyard,” said Zane. “In 1983, we opened our original store in Hampton and started doing business with United Bank not too long after that. Mr. Joel Edwards remembered our mom from school and immediately called her by her first name. My parents knew then that United Bank was a good fit for our family business, which consisted of only my parents and a couple of employees back then. The Bank has really been with us through a lot over the years.” 

During the last 10 years, Sidney Lee Welding Supply has experienced significant growth, and United Bank has been there every step of the way. In addition to their original location in Hampton, the company now has Georgia distribution facilities in Doraville, Douglasville, Conyers, Macon, East Dublin as well as one in Lake City, Fla.

 

“We are a capital-intensive business,” said Steve. “Our core business is compressed gases from helium to the gases used in the welding industry. We supply compressed gas for home or farm shop use, manufacturing, plant maintenance, laboratories, dental and medical offices, soft drink carbonation for restaurants and bars and even the Georgia Aquarium. Our business exists behind the scenes of these forward-facing establishments, but it is essential to their functionality. United Bank understood the importance of the services we provide all those years ago and continues to be an important part of our success today.”

“This is why it’s important to do business with a community bank,” continued Zane. “The folks at United Bank took time to understand what we were doing. We had conversations with bigger banks in the past and many didn’t understand our business model. They thought we were a welding shop and dismissed us as a small business with no potential. Mr. Edwards took a different approach and we’re grateful for the Bank’s partnership.”

Nat Doughtie, Senior Vice President for United Bank’s Corporate Banking Division, has served as Sidney Lee Welding’s primary lender for the past 15 years and sees parallels between the Bank and the company.

“United Bank and Sidney Lee Welding are family-run businesses that have been on a great growth trajectory during the last two decades,” he said. “Both are big enough to offer a wide array of products and services, but not so big that the leadership of the business is not accessible to customers. That makes a huge difference. In many ways, the Bank and Sidney Lee Welding have been growing in a similar manner during the years of our partnership.”

Sidney Lee Welding relies on the Bank’s lending services for real estate, working capital and equipment and they also leverage the full suite of business banking services.

 

“From a community bank standpoint, companies like Sidney Lee Welding are a great partnership fit: locally-owned, growing strategically and filling a need within our footprint,” Nat continued. “They’ve been deliberate about their expansion and are great collaborators. Many of our conversations are not necessarily about loans – we spend a lot of time bouncing ideas around. Businesses like Sidney Lee are the backbone of communities as well as community banks. We’re proud to call the Lee family customers and friends.”

The next generation of Lees are now becoming part of the business. Both Zane and Steve have sons working for Sidney Lee Welding Supply as well as a nephew and hopefully grandsons who will soon be ready to join.

“It’s our hope that Sidney Lee Welding Supply will be around for generations to come, and we’re grateful for our friends at United Bank,” said Steve.

When asked what’s it has meant to carry on a successful family business Zane commented, “There’s great satisfaction in what we’ve accomplished. We have a group of employees that is truly the best of the best in the business, and we’ve stayed plugged in to our communities. We believe local strong relationships mean a lot along the way – that’s certainly been the case with United Bank.” OS