Masterbilt,
Incorporated began as South Bend Machine Works in 1944 where
inventors Columbus Harris and William Egly designed and manufactured
industrial parts. The company soon changed to Masterbuilt
Products Corporation and invented the Traveling Sprinkler. The
sprinkler was featured in the June 13, 1949 issue of Life Magazine
and gave Masterbuilt its impetus for growth. Masterbuilt
Products continued producing the sprinkler through 1960 but
the direction of the company began to change in 1950 when Masterbuilt
received its first government based manufacturing contract.
Through this contract, Masterbuilt
began supplying Pratt and Whitney and soon added Bendix and
Joy Manufacturing to their customer base. Seeing the potential for this new business,
Ray Kowalewski purchased the company in 1960, ceased production
of the sprinklers, and concentrated on supplying precision
manufactured products for the aerospace and defense industries. Incorporated
in 1961, the new Masterbilt grew to become a leading supplier
to many of the top corporations of these industries.
In 1992, Ray’s son Larry Kowalewski and Bob Michalak
bought Masterbilt after working on the shop floor for more
than 20 years each. Holding fast to Masterbilt’s
tradition of impeccable quality and customer satisfaction,
the new owners carefully grew the company by investing in technology
to enhance the manufacturing process and taking its expertise
into other fields, including medical and industrial.
Masterbilt continues advancing its
manufacturing technology to improve efficiency, expand its
capabilities, and meet or exceed quality expectations. Management has always maintained
a streamlined workforce and has made constant process improvements
to ensure competitive pricing. Masterbilt has separated
from competitors by its commitment to developing and maintaining
a superior personal relationship with customers. A rich
history, manufacturing expertise, and continued focus on customer
satisfaction make Masterbilt a premier supplier of precision
machined parts.
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