Midwest Automation was a family-owned leading manufacturer of industrial machinery and engineered systems for the wood, composite and metal industries made here in the U.S. Owned by Kenneth (Kenny) P. Holley for over 30 years, MWA was recognized for its expertise in engineering and design and has combined national scale with operational agility since 1959 when John Anderson founded the company as a machine shop.
Mr. Holley bought the company in 1986. Since then, MWA grew with the development of their own line of machines and by entering into strategic partnerships with Orma Machine, SPA, Omma Machine, Slr, and Extreme Panel Systems. This enhanced the company product and service offering while expanding their market reach. Soon after, MWA acquired Randbright Corporation in 2002 to add deburring and finishing applications in metal and Greco Manufacturing in 2004 for liquid urethane laminating, composite panel presses and 3D laminating machines to their capabilities. (See Company History for a timeline).
Midwest Automation was a vertically integrated industrial manufacturer, which builds innovative machines that improve the manufacturing efficiencies and through-put for very demanding customers including Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Emerson Electric, Eaton Corporation, U.S. Navy, Steelcase, Tesla, TRW and many more.
Midwest manufactured and serviced a full line of woodworking and composite laminating machines including a wide variety of flat and 3D panel laminating machines using continuous roller presses and hydraulic platen presses for water base, liquid and hot melt polyurethane (PUR) adhesives developed through years of application experience and design innovations. The line also includes specialized panel saws, and material handling machines.
TIMELINE FROM WEBSITE
1959: Midwest Automation was founded as a Minnesota-based contract machine shop owned by the John Anderson family.
1966: Acquired the rights to manufacture the “Cutting Station”, a postformed kitchen countertop miter saw designed by Hypaco.
1970: Acquired the rights to manufacture the “Corfab” kitchen countertop core fabrication machine from Possis Engineering.
1974: Acquired the rights to manufacture the “Bechtold” line of kitchen countertop laminating and postforming machines from Roberts Adhesive Company.
1986: Midwest Automation was acquired by Kenneth P. Holley.
1992: Introduced water-based laminating technology to the North American kitchen countertop industry.
1994: Started the ORMA/Midwest division to market a full line of hot and cold hydraulic presses manufactured by ORMA Macchine of Bergamo, Italy.
1994: Entered into an exclusive marketing agreement to sell complete line of glue spreaders and laminating machines manufactured by OMMA Slr of Limbiate, Italy.
1996: Moved corporate headquarters and manufacturing into a 44,000 square foot facility located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1997: Introduced PVA laminating technology to the North American kitchen countertop industry.
2002: Sold first PUR hot melt glue spreader in North America.
2002: Acquired the assets of Randbright Corporation of New Berlien, Wisconsin and expanded the product offering into the metal deburring, finishing and polishing industries.
2004: Acquired the assets of Greco Manufacturing Company of Dowajiac, Michigan and expanded the product line into liquid urethane laminating, composite panel presses, and 3D laminating machines and systems.
2004: Consolidated all companies/brands into Midwest Group One LLC.
2009: Entered into an exclusive design and technology licensing agreement with Extreme Panel Technologies of Cottonwood, Minnesota to manufacture equipment for the (SIP) structural insulated panel industry.
2014: Changed the corporate name from Midwest Group One LLC back to Midwest Automation LLC.
2015: Entered into an agreement with Composite Panel Systems to produce a proprietary vertical panel saw used in the fabrication of patented foundation wall systems.
2018: Evans Machinery acquired the Kitchen Countertop Division of Midwest Automation and will be known moving forward as “Evans Midwest”. Midwest retained ownership of the Wood (flat panel laminating), Metal and Composite divisions.
2021: The parent company of Evans Machinery, Choice Machinery Group, acquired the Laminating division of Midwest Automation. The machines and systems will be sold under the name “Evans Midwest”.