Wilson Tool Celebrates 50 Years
What began as a basement shop with nine people grew to 800 employees with operations around the world.
Posted: June 10, 2016
Wilson Tool International (White Bear Lake, MN), one of the largest independent manufacturers of tooling systems for punch presses, press brakes, and punch and die components for the stamping industry, recently celebrated their 50-year anniversary. When Ken and Ruth Wilson opened the Wilson Tool Company in a basement shop in St. Paul, MN, they never would have imagined that 50 years later it would become an international leader in tooling solutions for fabricators and manufacturers around the world. “Starting your own business was just what people did back then,” said Ken.
The company received their first patent in 1969, and decades of growth and expansion followed. The basement shop moved to White Bear Lake and now houses 350,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, a research and development division, business offices, an international sales desk and the “Well at Work” employee wellness center. Through numerous acquisitions and expansions, they grew to include offices or plants in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, England, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy and China.
Innovation came naturally in tandem with business expansion. From the first computer grinder that was patented before the company experienced significant growth, they went on to receive patents for the first “shimless” punch assembly, the first punch press tooling with interchangeable punch tips, forming tools that rolled on (rather than penetrated) the sheet, and many others. To date, 56 patents have been granted to the company.
Growth allowed the company to become a leader in industry progress, including lean manufacturing processes and application training. Emerging as a thought leader in the industry, lean seminars, webinars, training opportunities, and industry forums gave them the opportunity to connect in meaningful ways with customers. Dedicated to delivering “exceptional customer service, along with the most reliable and innovative products and solutions so our customers can be more successful,” the Wilsons maintain that customer relationships and their company’s employees are essential elements to their success.
“Although we ultimately owe our success to our customers, we could not have become the world’s largest independent tooling manufacturer without the commitment of our dedicated employees,” Ken wrote when celebrating the company’s 30-year anniversary. “I am very proud of the fact that our business is a family-oriented company. Each individual is a member of the ‘family’ and deserves to be treated with the same dignity and respect afforded our customers.”
Ken and Ruth spoke at the celebration from the international headquarters and a video of their address played at all international locations. Second and third generation members of the Wilson family – many of whom work for the company – were in attendance at different locations throughout the world.
Part of their celebration included the debut of a Living History Center (LHC) at the company headquarters that is dubbed “living history” because the permanent small museum will feature past and present innovations produced by the company, with additional museum space dedicated to showcasing future innovations as they become available to the market. Items on display in the LHC include Ken’s first patent for his “locking vise with true and square jaws,” vintage product catalogs, original punches and dies, retro photographs from the basement shop, and more artifacts that will guide visitors through the past to present-day innovation.
The LHC also features the progression of the Wilson Golf Group, a sub-entity of Wilson Tool Enterprises that owns and operates nine golf courses across the country. Founded in 1985, this venture now employs over 400 people at courses in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Ken designed several of these golf courses, the drawings of which are on display in the center.
Minnesota governor Mark Dayton issued a proclamation that June 2 will now be known as “Wilson Tool International Day” in the state, honoring the contributions of the company to the people of Minnesota as one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers of tooling systems for punch presses, press brakes, and punch and die components for the stamping industry. Products are manufactured at their world headquarters in White Bear Lake, as well as manufacturing facilities in England, China, Brazil and Italy. Exacta product lines are manufactured in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Their network of sales engineers and international distributors operate in virtually every industrialized nation around the globe.
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