The warehouse of ABC Supply Company Inc. in Evergreen brims with potential. Scrolls of aluminum hang on one wall, waiting to be sectioned off and molded into seamless gutters. Finishings in every color from seagrass to slate wait to be fastened to vinyl siding, while stacks of shingles and sheets of siding fill the outdoor yard. 

But General Manager Craig Metzler said the business is more than the sum of raw materials. For him, being part of the construction supply chain is all about building quality relationships with builders and contractors.

“I like the people that come into this place,” he said. “These guys that are building homes, doing things for other people.” 

That sentiment is exactly why Kenneth Hendricks founded ABC Supply, which stands for American Builders and Contractors Supply. The son of a contractor, Hendricks recalled the long wait times and rude interactions his father often withstood when purchasing supplies for his jobs. In 1982, he and his wife, Diane, purchased three properties in Wisconsin to serve as a contractor-focused supplier of siding, roofing and other exterior building materials. 

“There was no special place for them to go to,” said Metzler. “We kind of fill that void.” 

ABC Supply has since expanded to include more than 700 locations across the United States, including four Montana locations. The Kalispell store, located at 2301 U.S. 2 East, opened in 2023 under Metzler’s direction. 

Despite the company’s broad sprawl, Metzler said a localized management approach and family roots give ABC Supply the homegrown feel of a much smaller business.  

He started his own career with the company 15 years ago, after suddenly finding himself out of work following a move to Nebraska. The local ABC Supply store had an opening for a delivery driver, and Metzler applied even though he had no experience in the construction field. 

At first, the job was both physically and mentally taxing. Metzler spent months familiarizing himself with the minutiae of the different siding, window and roofing options that the company carried as he lugged pallets of shingles from the truck bed and onto half-finished roofs. 

“I think I lost 40 pounds in three months when I first started working at ABC,” he laughed.  

As the general manager for the Kalispell ABC Supply, Metzler now spends more time sitting behind a desk than he does carting materials around, but he continues to learn about new materials and brands as building trends come and go. A few years ago, everyone wanted vinyl siding in warm earth tones. Now, darkly colored wood composite siding is all the rage. 

“In this industry, everything is always changing,” he said. “We’re constantly evolving, constantly learning new technologies.” 

That also goes for the equipment builders use on the job. A selection of tools and personal protective equipment clutters the entry of the remodeled house that now serves as the ABC Supply offices. Bottles of caulk line the shelves between display windows. On the floor, just inside what was once a dining room, a miniature model of a peaked roof showcases a foam cushion that secures to the housetop, providing a secure seat for roofers.  

A handful of Cougar Paw boots line the other side of the model. The soles of the shoes have extra grip that can help prevent falls during roofing work, explained Metzler. A sharp thud rang through the room as he slapped the sole of one boot against an upright sheet of tin to demonstrate the magnetic technology included in models designed for use on metal roofing. The shoe slid a few centimeters, then clung to the sheet of metal. 

Metzler hopes to add even more products in the coming years, following renovations to the interior showroom and expansions to the outdoor supply yard. For now, his team can order anything stocked by ABC Supply stores across the country. All products are delivered directly to the job site, with photo confirmation of the drop-off. 

Everything, said Metzler, goes back to the original strategy of putting contractors and builders first — “Whatever is going to help their job and make it easier,” he said. 

For more information, visit abcsupply.com or call (406) 755-3388. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 406-758-4433 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support

    A display for Cougar Paws roofing boots and pads, designed to reduce the risk of slips and falls on shingle and metal roofs, at ABC Supply Co. in Evergreen on Tuesday, July 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider