The Story of Atlas-Lenco Wholesale

The story begins in 1954 with Bill Renouf and Alex Stuart joining together to form Seneca Supply Company, a welding supply company in Windsor, Ontario. Being close to the US border, Seneca Supply was easily able to import welding supplies from the USA to distribute in Canada.

Bill was approached by Paul Leonard, founder of Lenco Inc. in Missouri, to produce the Lenco line of arc welding products in Canada. That same year, Lenco Welding Accessories Limited in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was formed, taking over the former Seneca Supply Company.

One of the first products made was the L-400 electrode holder, which is still made to the same specifications today.

Larry Rycroft (Bill’s son-in-law) and Jeff Edwards assumed control and eventually ownership of Lenco Welding Accessories Limited. Jeff retired in 1988 while Marian Rycroft stepped in.

Steve Rycroft (son to Marian and Larry) was named president and eventually became 100% owner. Lenco is still owned and managed by Steve today.

Lenco has evolved to add more suppliers and less manufacturing. Some of the original product manufacturers are still supplied by Lenco today, including Aladdin Welding Rod, Goss Equipment, Seal Seat Co., Weld-Aid Products, Western Enterprises and Wypo.

Lenco purchased the remaining wholesale welding inventory of Fibre-Metal Canada and took over sales of these products in Canada.

Most recently, in 2020, Lenco purchased the wholesale welding supply division of Atlas Welding Accessories in Troy, Michigan. A new company, Atlas-Lenco Wholesale, was formed to sell to distributors in USA.

Today, Atlas-Lenco / Lenco are proud to supply products from more than 110 different manufacturers to distributors in both the United States and Canada. We have also provided products to more than 15 different countries.