LEPCO (formerly known as Lawn Equipment Parts Company) is a wholesale, multi-line distributor of outdoor power equipment, parts, and accessories. We serve nearly 1,000 dealers in the Northeast US and represent seven quality brands with lawn care products for both consumer and professional landscaper use.
From the Trunk of His Car…
In 1970, Merrell Clark and Jay Hertzog founded Lawn Equipment Parts Co., which continues to serve as a family-owned and operated wholesale distributor of quality outdoor power equipment, parts, and accessories. Originally, LEPCO operated as an aftermarket parts distributor to independent lawn equipment dealers, with our first customers being Brandt’s Mower Service and Arcade Equipment.
The original warehouse was an 800-square-foot rented facility. Local customers had the key to the building, so they could pick their own parts and leave Merrell a note to bill them later. At that time, all packing slips and invoices were written by hand until a Wang computer system was installed later in the 1970s. The culture of trust, hard work, and personal service still rings true today.
As the company grew, operations moved into various new and larger locations until arriving in the current space in 2007. Our story includes:
Merrell first sold aftermarket parts out of the trunk of his station wagon
The company’s first delivery truck was a rented vehicle with an elephant painted on the side
The first equipment line was MacKissic
LEPCO began distributing ECHO in 1975 when the total US volume was just $5MM
LEPCO is an original founder and investor of Exmark since 1983
We have been distributing each of the current lines for multiple decades each, demonstrating longevity in the market and a deep understanding of product knowledge
What started humbly is still growing strong. Today, we’re a third-generation family with over 85 employees.
Fertilizing Our Future
Over the years, LEPCO has continued to grow, becoming one of the preferred distributors in the industry. LEPCO completed a 131,000-square-foot warehouse expansion in 2021, a solid investment for the future. By investing in our people, our capital assets, and technology advancements, our commitment is unwavering.
Maintaining our reputation for outstanding customer service to our dealers, our brand partners, and our community continues to be our everyday focus. When we provide quality products and services to our group of independent dealers, they in turn provide a higher level of service and support to the end-users for all of the brands we represent. We see the value of each channel partner amplified through our core programming.
We sell exclusively to retail dealers in our region, consisting of: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Jenn Ridgeway, ERP Systems Administrator
ERP Systems Administrator since 2020
LEPCO has so many respectable company values, but I think teamwork is at the heart of it all. Every employee is a team player and I think that naturally leads to accountability, quality and motivation. Having assembled a reliable team of employees, LEPCO is able to withstand and overcome any obstacle.
Robert Rhone, Warehouse Associate
Warehouse Associate since 2017
Great people, fun place to work at.
Kayla Ellsworth, Marketing Assistant
Marketing Assistant since 2021
Everyone at LEPCO is highly knowledgeable and happy to help anyone that needs it. It’s a great learning environment. Every project is collaborative in some way which leads to valuable feedback to encourage constant improvement.
Christy Doran, Credit Specialist
Credit Specialist since 2015
I love working at LEPCO because of their values. Everyone experiences a sense of belonging from the owners and management team.
Lance Robicheau, Territory Manager
Territory Manager since 2009
LEPCO’s superpower is ‘opportunity translation’, better known as ‘problem solving’ to the rest of the world. Tried and true methods take lefts and rights daily. Everyone at LEPCO understands that our industry-best service is not automatic.
Glen Burkholder, Service Manager
Service Manager since 1994
LEPCO has been generous. After 2 years as Assistant Service Manager, I was promoted to Service Manager. I was young and a bit green, but LEPCO gave me the chance to prove myself. Things worked out well and again I was given the opportunity to grow into the parts purchasing role about 10 years ago. I am grateful and thankful for those opportunities and for LEPCO’s generosity. Many employees and management I consider friends and not just coworkers.
Glen Burkholder, Service Manager
Service Manager since 1994
The success of LEPCO started with Merrell and continues today with Jeff, Mark, and Andrew. Today’s changing business model is dynamic and LEPCO finds a way to be a successful business partner and employer.
Dustin Kauffman, Credit Specialist
Credit Specialist since 2018
It is great to work for a company who truly cares about their employees.
Michael Shafer, Territory Manager
Territory Manager since 2013
Both the relationships I’ve made within the walls of LEPCO and the ones outside with our dealers are like no other. I love to grow and help my dealers grow. LEPCO is my home – the people have helped me grow. I’ve learned that my smile is my logo, my personality is my business card, and how I leave others feeling after they have an experience with me is my trademark.
Robert Kintner, CFO, Director of IT & Human Resources
CFO, Director of IT & HR since 2020
LEPCO is a first-class company that has built a culture based on solid values and leadership. It’s very apparent that the long-term growth and the successes of the company have taken a complete team effort by its employees. The leadership is exceptional which begins with a gracious and exceptionally thoughtful ownership that flows down through a talented management team and hard-working conscientious employees.
