WHAT WAS BORN AS A SINGLE LOCATION IN THE 1950S HAS SINCE BLOSSOMED INTO A SWEEPING, FULL-SERVICE ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OPERATION SERVING NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND BUT IT STILL OPERATES WITH A NIMBLE, FAMILY-OWNED APPROACH

BY JENNIFER KELLY PHOTOS BY ROBERT NUZZIE

When Martin Warshauer founded Warshauer Electric Supply in 1954, his dream for the Shrewsbury based business was to focus on providing exceptional customer service and competitive pricing. Today, after 71 years in operation, the company continues to honor and build upon that initial concept – even amid dynamic growth.

“Our current president, Jim Warshauer [Martin’s son], made it his priority to grow the business,” noted Jim Dunn, who currently serves as the executive vice president of Warshauer Electric Supply. “When I came on board in 1994, we were a single location headquartered in Tinton Falls. He brought me on with plans for expansion, and that’s exactly what we’ve done over the past 31 years.”

Together, Warshauer and Dunn launched three new branch locations over the course of four short years: New Brunswick opened its doors in 1996, Lakewood in 1998, and Parsippany in 2000. Dunn said those launches made Warshauer one of the fastest growing electric supply companies in the entire country.

In 2022, Warshauer acquired Broadway Electric Supply in Woodbury, which became its fifth location. Today, the family-owned business is now considered one of the largest independently owned distributors in the United States.

“We sell to thousands of contractors, and we are one of the last remaining American-owned electrical suppliers in the country,” Dunn said As a full-service supply house, Warshauer’s services extend far beyond retail energy alone. Dunn, an electrical engineer by education who was working for an electric manufacturer when Warshauer Electric Supply brought him into the fold, said the business takes great pride in its well-trained and knowledgeable sales staff. After the turn of the millennium, the business expanded to serve the design needs of its clients as well, launching the Lighting Design Center, which offers an exclusive selection of lighting products from the industry’s leading manufacturers. At the center’s state-of-the-art showroom in Tinton Falls, clients work one-on-one with certified lighting experts and shade specialists to custom select everything from chandeliers, recessed lighting, sconces, and outdoor lights to window treatments, furniture, and accessories. The center is touted as a one-stop shop, offering a bespoke, white-glove design experience for residential homes and large-scale commercial projects alike.

Offering expertise in switchgear, engineering services, generator sales/service/ rentals, commercial lighting, green energy solar solutions, and more, Warshauer Electric Supply also serves as an industry leader in instruction and education an incredible source of pride for the family-run enterprise.

“We offer training for licensed contractors, aspiring electricians, interior designers, and architects through various accreditations and certifications,” Dunn said.

Founded in 1999, the Warshauer Tech Continuing Education Program is a New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware state accredited and certified continuing education provider where professionals can receive state-approved continuing education units (CEUs) for Electrical Contractors, Architects, Inspectors, Interior Designers, and Green Professionals.

In 2001, Warshauer opened its first stand-alone training facility in Parsippany, and today there are four in total, the additional three in New Brunswick, Lakewood, and Woodbury. At these facilities, the Warshauer team has trained thousands of contractors and trade professionals over the past 20-plus years. “There are several arms of our education branch because just like doctors and lawyers, licensed electricians need continuing education,” Dunn said.

As Dunn explained, his business benefits from the efforts of Warshauer Tech. “We’ve hired dozens of graduates from our program to work for Warshauer because we know they are getting the best education and truly understand the product,” he added.

The company currently employs 200 people across all five Garden State locations and is focused on further growing its robust e-commerce business and staying on top of green energy initiatives.

“With future generations in mind, we’ve made it our goal to remove charging anxieties and help with a smoother transition toward electrification, while reducing consumption of hydrocarbons,” Warshauer notes on its website. “We hope to bring the adoption of electric vehicles one step closer by using our team of professionals to make your project a reality.”

Today, a third generation of Warshauers remains fully committed to that goal, as Jim Warshauer’s children, Stacey and Mike, have both entered daily operations.

“This is a great team of people, and we’ve already invested in our next generation of leaders,” Dunn noted. “It’s great to come to work every day, impart change, and see the improvements in real time. The Warshauer family has always invested heavily in this company and their people. They will continue to do that for decades to come.”

Warshauer Electric Supply

800 Shrewsbury Avenue / Tinton Falls / 732.741.6400