Through generations of hard work, Magnolia Companies has grown into one of Washington DC’s most versatile plumbing and mechanical contractors
Founded 75 years ago, Magnolia Companies offers specialist plumbing and mechanical services to clients across Washington DC. This father-and-son success story spans multiple generations and is showing no signs of slowing down — as company President, John Magnolia, begins: “Our business started in 1950, with my father, Joseph J Magnolia. He founded the company alongside his partner, James C Brincefield.
“They met during the war and became close friends. Mr Brincefield had a background in engineering, and my father was in the Construction Battalion, as part of the Navy. There, he learned all about welding, and some other mechanical skills. Creating a company was initially Mr Brincefield’s idea, and he encouraged my father to go into business with him. They launched their plumbing and mechanical business together, working across Washington DC and the surrounding area.
“After a few years in business, they went their separate ways. Mr Brincefield was interested in land development, whereas my father remained focused on plumbing and mechanics. At that point, his accountant, Leonard Lipski, stepped in as partner. He took care of the bookkeeping and the financial side of the business more broadly, while my father oversaw operations.
“They worked together that way for about 20 years. In 1970, my brother, Joseph Magnolia, got involved in the business. He became the youngest master plumber in the Washington Metropolitan area, and once he’d developed his technical skills, he also took an active role in running the business.
“I went to the University of Tampa, in Florida, and eventually we bought Leonard out of the business, so that my father, brother, and I could share ownership. My father retained a 50 percent share, while my brother and I picked up 25 percent each.
“From there, the company continued to grow. It was still a relatively small operation when we stepped in. We had about 50 employees and remained a local business. Sadly, my father passed away in 1982, and after that my brother and I took over the entire company. We’ve continued to grow at a steady rate — we now employ over 400 people and have diversified into construction services.
“We’re one of the most versatile plumbing and mechanical contractors in Washington DC. We apply our skills in a variety of different ways, and our portfolio of work is very diverse as a result. We can offer stormwater management services, sewer system support, and building utility maintenance, new construction for plumbing, mechanical and site utilities. We really do it all.
“On top of that, we are fully equipped to service any systems or machinery that we install. This means we can offer lifetime support to our customers, which makes us a pretty unique company.”
Specialist services
Simultaneously staying true to its roots, and branching out beyond them, Magnolia Companies offers a range of specialist plumbing and mechanical services. As John details: “We do plumbing and mechanical work, including installation, emergency services and site utilities. We also offer internal and underground services, with 10 utility crews available for work throughout the Washington DC area. 
“We operate a large plumbing division that specializes in stormwater management. This involves municipal pumping, which essentially means taking the stormwater, separating the oil and water, and redirecting the debris.
“Solid materials are sent to landfill, and the liquids go to a centralized station called Blue Plains, which has the equipment required to process waste materials. We’re one of very few plumbers capable of providing these kinds of specialist services — it’s one of the reasons we’re able to set ourselves apart from the competition.
“Our stormwater management services have a vital role to play in maintaining the local environment. For systems and infrastructures to work properly, it’s important that there’s little to no oil or debris in the different waterways. We offer similar services to commercial clients, especially restaurant owners, as they see a lot of grease build up in their pipes. It makes a huge difference to people’s daily lives, and that’s really what’s important to us.
“Additionally, all our services are supported by a fleet of around 200 vehicles of which 15 are large top-of-the-range pumping trucks. We recently invested in some new additions to our fleet, which will help increase our capacity.”
With decades of success under his belt, John considers what’s next for the business: “I’d like to continue upholding the family legacy for as long as possible. I always tell people; I’ll be here when I’m 80. You never know what the future will hold, but I’ll be here for as long as I possibly can. The work keeps me engaged and driven. It offers purpose.
“I may take a step back as time goes on, but right now I’m still working at full capacity. We want to continue growing, while at the same time maintaining the quality of our service, and a sense of who we are as a business. We’re strategic about the work we take on, which keeps the company in good shape and ensures our staff don’t become overworked. Looking at the way things are going right now, I’m very optimistic about what the future might hold,” he concludes.