Getting its start: Larry Mechem Sr. opened a music instrument store in Anderson in the 1960s (and later two other locations in Indiana). At some point, Mechem received a leatherworking kit for Christmas, and during a bad winter storm that kept everyone home for a few days in 1975, he pulled out the kit and […]
History: William Rees, a high school science teacher in California, began selling harps in 1972. He and his wife, Pamela, formed Wm. Rees Instruments in 1992 when he left teaching to build and sell instruments full time. In 1996, William’s 15-year-old son, Garen, started adding artwork to the harps. In 1999, the family decided the […]
Founded: 1969 History: Charles R. Walter Pianos, based in Elkhart, is among the few remaining U.S.-based piano makers. It’s also the oldest family-run American piano company. Charles R. Walter worked as head of piano design and development engineering at C.G. Conn—an instrument maker founded in Elkhart in 1876—where he researched musical acoustics. Walter purchased the […]
History: The company now known as KYB Corp. was established in Japan in 1919 by Shiro Kayaba and originally did business as Kayaba Research Center. The company initially made hydraulic dampers for aircraft but has since expanded into other items. It now also makes automobile and motorcycle shock absorbers, industrial hydraulic equipment and even seismic […]
A craft beer maker’s spent brewing grains are used in the production of I.P.A. Bites dog treats.
History: SMC Corp. of America, originally SMC Pneumatics Inc., was established in 1977 and moved from the northeast side of Indianapolis to Noblesville in 2009. The company is a subsidiary of Japan-based SMC Corp., founded in 1959, which has operations or subsidiaries in 53 countries and production facilities in 29 countries. It sells products in […]
How it started: As huge college sports fans, Connor and Christa Hitchcock started Homefield in 2017 after they felt the college apparel scene was lacking. “We really wanted to wear something thoughtful, something that captured the unique experiences of cheering for our teams and attending our schools,” Connor Hitchcock said. “Fortunately, IU first gave us […]
History: Dan and Donna Adams established Winzerwald Winery in June 2002 on a picturesque hill overlooking Interstate 64 in the southern Indiana uplands. Dan’s great-great grandfather Jakob Loesch was a winemaker and cooper (wine barrel craftsman) in Germany. Donna’s dad, Frank Mittelstadt, was a home winemaker where Donna grew up near Madison, Wisconsin. The couple […]
Products: JohnTom’s barbecue sauces are available in four varieties: Original, Sneaky Hot, Hoosier Heat and Peppered Gold, all made and bottled in Indianapolis. Sauce origins: JohnTom’s is named after John Tom Branson, who grew up in Mississippi and moved to Indiana in the 1940s. Branson became well-known around Muncie for his wood-smoked meats and for his homemade barbecue […]
History: Hitachi Astemo Indiana Inc.’s Greenfield manufacturing facility was established in 1989 by Keihen, an affiliate of (and major supplier to) Japan-based Honda Motor Corp. It was known as Keihin Indiana Precision Technology Manufacturing, and its products included automobile air and fuel management systems. Its parent company was Japan-based Keihin Corp., which was established in […]
History: Smith Brothers of Berne launched in 1926 as the Homer Manufacturing Co., but its first manager, Orv Smith, and his brother Les Smith soon bought majority share of the company and changed the name to Smith Brothers Furniture Manufacturing Co. At the time, the company was focused on chairs that were priced lower than […]
History: Ryboi Ltd. was founded as a die casting company in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1943. It established its North American headquarters in Shelbyville in 1985 as Ryobi Die Casting (USA). It also has locations in Mexico, the United Kingdom, China and Thailand. Growth: The company began production in Shelbyville with 12 employees and now has […]
Small start: The pastel-labeled jars of chunky peanut butter mixture carried in Walmart and Meijer stores across the country began out of a commercial kitchen in Zionsville. In 2013, Jon and Kathy Weed started grinding up peanuts with their three kids—Jackson, Julie and Sawyer—with the goal of teaching them what it means to run a […]
At the hearth: Best known for its hearth candles, Warm Glow produces more than 90 fragrances annually at its Centerville manufacturing facility and store, just off Interstate 70 in Wayne County. Hearth candles are often set near fireplaces or on tables to add hominess to a room. How they’re made: Warm Glow products are all […]
The product: Pioneer seeds are a nearly century-old brand of seeds for corn, soybeans and wheat. Corteva Agriscience produces them in four locations in Indiana—Plymouth, Rushville, Worthington and Tipton—and in numerous other sites outside the state. History: The company was founded in 1926 as the Hi-Bred Corn Co. in Des Moines, Iowa, by Henry A. […]
The product: T.C. Burton makes ballistic armor kits for single-rider all-terrain vehicles. The kits are made up of panels that fit onto the ATV, creating a maneuverable all-terrain vehicle that can protect the driver and withstand rounds up to and including those from AR-15 and AK-47 firearms. The armored vehicles can be used in a […]
Metal expertise: Aerofab, a division of Tube Processing Corp., manufactures components for engines used on commercial aircraft and military aircraft. The LEAP engine, or Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion, is an example of an engine that includes parts made by Aerofab. History: Tube Processing Corp. was founded in 1939 by Edward Seybert, and the company grew […]
History: Old Hickory’s origins date to the late 19th century, when Billy Richardson began selling hickory chairs and rockers on Saturdays in Martinsville’s town square. Old Hickory Furniture Co. was founded in 1892 and incorporated in 1899. The Richardson family owned Old Hickory until the 1960s, when it was purchased by hotel chain Ramada, which […]
History: Kraft established its manufacturing presence in the northern Indiana city of Kendallville in 1935, initially producing caramel candies. The operation began making Jet-Puffed products in 1961 and has since scaled up its production of “marshmallow innovations.” Now, over 400 hourly and salaried employees, whom the company calls “the guardians of our beloved and nostalgic […]
History: Nestlé’s history dates back to 1867, when Henri Nestlé developed infant cereal in Switzerland. In 1905, his company merged with Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. to create the Nestlé Group, which became a global dairy company. Over the years, the company expanded its traditional business, entering areas like frozen foods and pharmaceuticals. In 1939, Nestle […]
