MISSION STATEMENT

Washington Air Compressor Rental Co., a family owned and operated business since 1931, with five locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan area, provides quality products for sale and rental, with and without operators, and reliable services for our customers’ needs. As we have continued to grow, our commitment to the employees has remained our top priority. Having quality staff enables us to continue to give the customer the attention needed to maintain the higher standards required to conduct good business practices in today’s environment.

OUR COMMITMENT

A family-owned company rich with tradition and commitment to serving its customers.

Before the Washington Redskins moved from Boston to Washington, DC and since the Empire State Building opened in 1931, my grandfather was helping local contractors with their equipment and labor needs. My father made sure our customers got what they needed, both day and night, and added additional infrastructure to serve the demand. Now, 75 years later, just as our father did, my brothers and I proudly carry on the philosophy of our grandfather - to take care of the customer.

As the Washington Metropolitan area has grown, so has our company. Not only are we one of the oldest rental companies in the United States, we are also one of the largest independently owned and operated in the area.

We are dedicated to providing quality products and represent many of the best lines in the business for both rental and sale. Quality service is a must in today’s competitive market so, as it has been our tradition, we have kept it our number one priority. We now have five convenient locations throughout The District, Maryland, and Virginia to serve our customers with fast, efficient service that remains one of the hallmarks of our business. As a full-service warranty dealer for many of our quality lines, we employ factory-trained service technicians. The Field Service Department is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With an extensive parts inventory representing more than 50 manufacturers, we are sure to help you find that hard-to-locate part.

For many years we have been known for air compressors, but since we have much more than air compressors and air-related tools we have compiled this easy-to-use catalog which emphasizes the core segments of what we offer – New Equipment, Rental Equipment, Parts and Service and Equipment with Operator – or simply, SALES, RENTALS, SERVICE, PARTS, OPERATORS. Our goal is to provide you with a complete solution to your equipment needs.

Washington Air Compressor Rental Co. values the relationships we have made over the years and will strive to provide all of our customers with dependable and friendly service. We look forward to working together for many years to come. We trust you will find this web site helpful to you and your staff. If you require a copy of our printed catalog, please click on the link located on most pages of this web site.

Sincerely,

Stephen J. Stecklein Executive Vice President

HISTORY

Little did he know back in 1931 that a chance would lay the groundwork for a family business whose 75th anniversary was marked in 2006. Albert E. Stecklein, Sr. took a chance and made something from practically nothing that year at the height of The Great Depression.

Mr. Stecklein, who once worked as an automobile mechanic for a Buick dealership, owned and operated an auto repair garage located at 1321 L Street, NW in Washington, DC where he repaired autos for the German Embassy. Having some available space at the garage, Mr. Stecklein leased it to a Pennsylvania contractor to store a pair of Schramm air compressors. The contractor was working in The District on a government project nearby. When he was finished the job and couldn’t pay the storage fees, the two portable air compressors were left to Mr. Stecklein in lieu of the rent. Since some people had inquired about using the compressors, Mr. Stecklein decided to rent them out and made it a sideline business to the garage. Mr. Stecklein’s favorite color was red, so it was only fitting that he would have the novelty idea of mounting the red Schramm air compressors on used Coca-Cola trucks. The truck-mounted air compressor was born and he would soon relocate to 2105 New York Ave, NW.

By 1940, the company had again relocated, this time to 65 G Street, NW next to the Government Printing Office, and was up to nine compressor trucks with one person in the office, one person in the shop, nine or ten operators and Mr. Stecklein collecting the bills and spending time as a salesman going out and seeing people. A compressor, jackhammer, rockdrill, tamper, saw or pump were available by themselves but the price for a compressor and operator to run them at the time was $3.00 an hour. During World War II the rate was frozen at $3.50 an hour.

When Albert E. Stecklein, Jr. joined the company in 1951, three or four trucks would have to be parked out on the street as they were out of space at the G Street location. In 1952, the company acquired a building at 1800 4th Street, NE, Washington, DC, where the business operates today.

As business expanded outside the city of Washington, so did the company. The Hyattsville, MD location was purchased in 1982 to handle the excess capacity. In 1989 a Virginia location was added, followed by the Rockville, MD location in 1995. 2005 marked the year for the fifth store located in Frederick, MD.

The business has remained within the family and the third generation of Steckleins consisting of Albert III, Steve, Brian and Kevin are handling the operation and look forward to celebrating 100 years in 2031.

LOCATIONS

We are conveniently located in the metropolitan DC area -

Visit our Store Locations to find the store closest to you or click on link below:

Washington, DC   Hyattsville MD   Chantilly VA    Rockville/Frederick MD 

If you live close to our locations, we offer a Pick-up and Delivery option.  

At Washington Air Compressor Rental Co. we offer a wide variety of services for our customers including generator and pump maintenance and more. We carry a substantial number of premium brands including Honda products.