Our 50-Year Journey
Connecting People, Responsible Tech & Possibility with Trust
From a bedroom office and a two-car garage, to a 240,000 sq ft global operation — IW’s story is one of belief, grit, and showing up.
For 50 years, we’ve grown not by chasing the next sale, but by answering the call — when it matters most.
Because real partnership isn’t built in the boardroom. It’s built one register, one store, one relationship at a time.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH US
THE BEGINNING
1974
THE INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Our Founder, Al Moorhouse, wasn’t trying to start a business. He just saw something others didn’t.
While working at a leading cash register company, he watched the industry shift from mechanical machines to electronic registers... A tech revolution was underway.
But there was a catch: Big manufacturers didn’t offer trade-ins. If a company had six stores and needed a seventh register but the model was discontinued, they had to replace all seven. No trade-ins. No reuse.
Al saw the gap and decided to fill it with a smarter, more sustainable solution.
1976
IW is BORN
IW didn’t begin in the boardroom. It started in Al’s bedroom, with a two-car garage as his warehouse. His home… a tight 700 sq ft… became the launchpad for something big.
He began calling retail giants himself. Just belief.
“I’ve got cash registers. Buy from me,” he’d say.
Macy’s said yes. One register became hundreds. Then thousands.
1980s-1990s
GROWTH BY GRIT
The company grew organically — not through flashy pitches, but
by answering the phone when others didn’t.
Al’s philosophy was simple:
“Don’t just answer when a customer’s placing an order. Answer when they need help.”
“Don’t just answer when a customer’s placing an order. Answer when they need help.”
From those 700 sq ft, the space grew:
1,000 sq ft - 5,500 - 125,000
1,000 sq ft - 5,500 - 125,000
IW became the go-to name in refurbished POS — selling, storing, and shipping for the biggest names in retail, grocery, QSR, convenience, hospitality, and pharmacy.
In a world just waking up to sustainability, IW was already living it... long before it became a trend.
In a world just waking up to sustainability, IW was already living it... long before it became a trend.
2000s
EXPANSION THROUGH TRUST
With a formal name Illinois Wholesale Cash Register Corporation, IW built deeper partnerships and a more robust supply chain.
The office space grew to 240,000+ sq ft... With 2 office buildings...
The model?
Start small. Prove yourself. Grow together.
The model?
Start small. Prove yourself. Grow together.
Maybe just a scanner. Then a register. Then a full rollout.
The result?
Customers who’ve stayed for 30+ years.
The result?
Customers who’ve stayed for 30+ years.
Because trust, like hardware, lasts longer when it’s well cared for.
2019
FROM POS PROVIDER TO
FULL LIFECYCLE MANAGED SERVICES PARTNER
The services expansion wasn't a pivot. It was a response to a question we heard over and over again from our longtime customers.
You already sell us the POS hardware.
Can you help us install it? Maintain it? Manage it?
Can you help us install it? Maintain it? Manage it?
Our request became a repeat service. Countless requests evolved into repeated services.
A few installs turned into full-scale national rollouts and long term maintenance opportunities.
And what started as help became a whole new arm of the business.
A few installs turned into full-scale national rollouts and long term maintenance opportunities.
And what started as help became a whole new arm of the business.
IW supports the entire technology lifecycle:
- Staging & Maintenance
- Annuity Onsite & Depot Maintenance
- Structured Low Voltage Cabling
- Audio, Telephony & Loss Prevention
- Ad Hoc Installation, Moves, Adds & Changes (IMAC Services)
- Physical Asset Reclamation and Disposition Services
- Recycling, E-Waste, Logistics, and Warehousing
We didn't chase new business. We built on pent up demand and trust we already had.
And now, we're proud to be the largest seller of POS cables in the world, and a go-to partner for retailers and enterprises looking to operate more efficiently, reliably, predictably, and more sustainably.
“If a customer needs help, we pick up the phone. No matter what.
That’s not policy. That’s just who we are.”
-
Al Moorhouse
THE FUTURE
2026
50 YEARS OF BUILT TRUST
As IW turns 50, we're not just proud of what we've built...
We're proud of how we built it:
We're proud of how we built it:
- With customers who've trusted us through every industry shift
- With a service-first mindset that puts people over transaction
- With team members who've stayed for decades, growing with us
- With new-gen talent who bring fresh skills and ideas
- And with a quiet commitment to doing things sustainably...long before it was popular
For us, sustainability has never been a slogan. It's ben our default:
Refurbishing instead of replacing. Reusing instead of discarding. Serving with long-term care instead of short-term gain.
Refurbishing instead of replacing. Reusing instead of discarding. Serving with long-term care instead of short-term gain.
"I don't fire people. But if someone doesn't pick up the phone to help a customer, they're out."
—
Al Moorhouse
50 Years, One Promise: Always Show Up
