When Sylvester and Helen Smith initially took over accounts from AIRCO, and established S.J. Smith, they set up shop in their first of four locations in Davenport, Iowa.

Their first location was 410 W. River Drive, and it opened on Nov. 1, 1950. They ran ads in The Daily Times, and The Democrat and Leader, announcing their opening day. 

The advertisement states that S.J. Smith is an “authorized AIRCO dealer” and will provide “prompt attention on all your welding and cutting needs.”

The business then moved to 706 E. River Dr. in 1956, and then by 1963, S.J. Smith was located at 1837 W. Rockingham Road.

S.J. Smith location on Rockingham Road – S.J. Smith archives

Both of these buildings are no longer standing, save for in the memories of those who visited them. 

Below is an invoice from 1963, which features the AIRCO logo, along with a list of products available at the time.

1963 S.J. Smith invoice – courtesy Dan Klavine, Klavine Motor Co., Geneseo, IL

The business then moved to its current location at 3707 W. River Drive and opened there in 1966. At the time it was a one-story building, but it was a great increase in building and lot space, allowing S.J. Smith to expand.

Original 1966 building – S.J. Smith archives

A second floor was added in 1994 and today, the site includes two buildings as well as four tanks. This was the sole S.J. Smith location until 1976, when the company expanded to Muscatine.

What started off as a small welding supply company in 1950, has become a dynamic, problem-solving organization that focuses on providing top-notch service to all our customers, large and small. S.J. Smith uses the latest technology, training and experience to serve customers with the best solutions, whether that is in engineered laser gas installations, mobile app cylinder tracking capabilities, micro-bulk technology, weld training specific to your needs or certified equipment repair and more.

Our philosophy is to treat our customers and vendors with professionalism, responsiveness, and honesty. Our goal is to add value to business partner organizations, with our commitment to continuous improvement, innovation and mutual satisfaction, prompt responses and sound problem-solving advice. We work and live by our values of honesty and integrity, safety and customer-driven excellence, and our mission is to make our customers successful by providing cutting-edge solutions and quality products.

Over the past 75 years, the company has spanned three generations of the Smith family, and a few generations of employee families as well. In 2025, we celebrate our past, and look forward to a bright future. Follow us on social media and check for updates at sjsmith.com to learn more.