Business Evolution: Tinley Company Went From Typewriters to High-Tech Office Equipment

showroom in their Tinley Park headquarters, 18630 S. 81st Ave., is stocked with wall-to-wall equipment, a far cry from the two typewriters that started the company more than 70 years ago.

Joseph McGrath started McGrath Office Equipment in 1936 with two typewriters. He learned how to fix typewriters as a trade after only receiving a grade-school education. So when the opportunity to open a business arose, he jumped on it.

For three generations since then, the family has provided office equipment and repair services to businesses. Today, they serve the south suburbs and Will and Kankakee Counties with business solutions and technology tools that allow the companies to be as “efficient and productive” as possible. Their products help reduce cost, increase profitability and maintain the company’s competitive edge. 

Martin Whalen Solutions boast top of the line copiers by providing systems from Kyocera and Canon, their main supplier that was ranked among the most admired companies in 2011.

McGrath moved his family from Hammond, Ind., to Joliet to open a royal typewriter repair business. After losing his two service technicians because they went to serve in the war, McGrath started selling office supplies to help fill the gap. From the 1960s to 80s the business grew from typewriters to office supplies then to office furniture.

“Copiers really started in the 1980s and today they represent probably 90 percent of the business,” McGrath’s grandson Dan Whalen said. “We have evolved with time.”

Joseph McGrath ran the business until 1970 when he passed it down to his son-in-law Martin Whalen. Whalen worked side-by-side with his father-in-law from 1958 until McGrath retired. Martin Whalen worked tirelessly to continue to maintain and advance the company his father started, Dan Whalen said. The elder Whalen also made sure he taught his children discipline and good business ethic and in 1990 he passed the torch to his three sons, sparking a third generation of businessmen. He practiced what he preached, his youngest son said.

 “My father was an example because he put in a lot of long days,” Dan Whalen said.

For their eighth-grade graduation present, Martin gave his children the opportunity to go to work with him the next day.

“Every summer while the other kids were out screwing around in the neighborhood we were cleaning typewriters,” Dan Whelan said. “I think that was a good way for my dad to instill work ethic in us and also to keep us out of trouble.”

While Martin Whalen’s three daughters opted out of the family business, all three of his sons work for the company. Martin Whalen, Jr. works in the Bradley office, Joe Whalen works in the Channahon office and Dan Whalen runs the company’s headquarters in Tinley Park. In 2004 the brothers changed the name of the business to Martin Whalen Office Solutions to honor their father.

“Also to better reflect our offerings as ‘solutions’ instead of ‘equipment,’” Dan Whalen added. “We provide much more than equipment, with all of the software and other programs we have.” 

This includes document management systems and a Smart Print Program that “controls the cost of printing and improves productivity by properly distributing current assets and replacing inefficient devices.”

Being progressive and staying ahead of the trends has been one of the several keys to their success. Their employees are some of the other keys.

“Our business is successful because of our employees,” Dan Whalen said. “We care for customers and we really bring a lot of value to offices. We consider what we do as mission critical to our customers.”

For 75 years the company has understood their clients and met their needs. All of the Whalen sons have children. With that, “we look forward to 75 more.”