About Us

Since our establishment in 1973, Gladwin has specialized in bringing the top names in metal fabrication equipment to our ever expanding customer base. Whether working with a new start-up company with limited resources, or a fortune 500 company seeking the latest in manufacturing innovation, our experienced staff prides itself on having the proper solution for the project. No job is too large, or too small!

WHAT MAKES US GOOD AT WHAT WE DO?

EXPERIENCE:
In a business where knowledge and experience is everything, we have been blessed with an incredibly dedicated staff, low turnover, and the expertise that comes from stability. Our sales engineers are constantly being educated on the latest trends and products, using this information to the customers advantage by proposing leading edge solutions to their manufacturing problems. The inside support staff is anchored by specialists averaging 10 years in this business and they are always available to process orders, quote tooling requirements or procure parts for the products we represent.

INDUSTRY LEADING PRODUCT LINES
Our 27 years of steady sales growth is a direct result of our insistence on representing only the best product lines the industry has to offer. Our commitment to this philosophy has been of great benefit to our customers, with whom we have built lasting relationships. We continually review our product offerings to stay on top of the latest technological offerings.

STRATEGICALLY LOCATED FACILITIES WITH INVENTORY
Unlike many in the fabrication business, we do not operate out of office suites without inventory. We have made the commitment of placing warehouse/office facilities in close proximity to our customer base and will continue to expand locations as necessary. The ability to demonstrate equipment under power enables the client to evaluate machines "hands on". Our strategy also allows each location to periodically host large open house shows with an extensive variety of machine builders represented on site.

DEDICATION TO SERVICE
Each location is staffed with trained service technicians dedicated to the set-up, training, and on going support of the products we represent. This is an area we will continually strive to make improvements, as it is critical to customer loyalty.

USED EQUIPMENT BUSINESS
Since our business inception we have always been heavily involved in the used equipment industry. This has helped clients control costs of equipment acquisitions, update capacity through trade-ins, or to outright dispose of excess manufacturing capacity. We inventory a wide range of used equipment in each of our warehouses and encourage you to contact us for any of your machinery requirements. Despite the changes in the used market we will continue to expand in this important area.

The History Of Gladwin Machinery

In 1973 Robert Gladwin, Richard King, and Roy Gastuch decided to combine their 60 years of experience in the steel industry to form Gladwin Machinery & Supply Co. Seeing an opportunity to provide quality metal fabricating equipment to an under represented marketplace, they pooled their resources and opened the first small facility in Minneapolis consisting of 2000 sq. feet of space. The mainstays of their original product lines included Lockformer, Chicago Dreis & Krump, Roper Whitney, Pexto, and WeltyWay (now Iowa Precision Ind.). The founders forged strong relationships with customers and builders, many which still exist today.

After 10 years of steady growth the business, still located in Minneapolis, was purchased by the second generation of Thomas Gladwin and Todd King. At the time there were only 5 employees working out of a single facility. Today the business has grown into the largest fabricating equipment supplier in the United States with multiple locations in the Midwest and over 50 employees. Along the way, several key individuals have been added to the ownership and management team. Stocking locations include Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago and Kansas City with more site expansion planned. In addition we have offices in Iowa, Nebraska, and St. Louis. Gladwin’s uninterrupted pattern of annual growth has been primarily due to the business principals laid down by the original partners, the great employee staff, and an ongoing commitment to making the customers satisfaction the number one priority.