Gordon Water Systems can trace its origins as one of West Michigan’s leading water conditioning companies back to 1973 as Duisterhof’s Soft Water. But nobody could spell it correctly on checks, so Mr. Duisterhof made a simple change to his first name.
Gordon began his career as a Lindsay Water Softener Dealer out of his house. Realizing he needed more space, Gordon rented space in a small old lumberyard served as the office, warehouse, and showroom. Having his wife and children around, he also needed it to host decorative painting lessons plus space for his kids to work and play.
The city of Kalamazoo came calling for the building in 1979, so Gordon had to purchase a new building – a dry cleaning business on the corner of Walter & Vine.
The new space quickly started serving as a showroom, warehouse, and cabinet business rental unit. Oh, and our first bottled water production plant. It was in that building that Gordon was asked by the Lindsay corporation, “Do you want to keep selling Lindsays or Kinetico?” His reply was, “Thank you. I will sell Non-Electric Kineticos.”
His son and now President of Gordon Water, Steve, joined the company in 1987.
Growth required more space and trucks, so Gordon & Steve bought the 18,000-square-foot former VW dealership across the street in the early 1990s. We filled it with bottled water service trucks, bottles, and production equipment, plus all the things needed to support significant growth in Non-Electric Kinetico Water treatment sales. Son Tom joined Gordon Water Systems on June 1, 1996.
We wanted to be one of the premier water conditioning companies in the state, so expansion into the Grand Rapids & Holland markets came in 1998. Sales efforts, along with the purchase of Tulip City Water Service, made this a reality. We rented space on Michigan Street near Plymouth and ran bottled water trucks for Holland/Grand Rapids out of that location until the “S Curve” was torn out.
The early 2000s saw the addition of a building in Portage on 300 E Centre. It was a showroom, small warehouse, and comfortable location for customer pickup.
We purchased 100 54th Street SW in 2010, cementing our home in Greater Grand Rapids. At the same time, we were talking with Don Hart about buying his Kinetico Dealership that covered Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties. Hart Water became part of Gordon Water Systems in January 2011. Gordon Water Systems is now the Authorized, Independent Kinetico Dealer for seven entire counties: Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Barry, Allegan, Van Buren, and Kalamazoo.
