Muza Sheet Metal Celebrates 90 Years
The Wisconsin company founded by Leo J. Muza in 1928 is still going strong.
Posted: December 30, 2017
Muza Sheet Metal Company (Oshkosh, WI) was founded in 1928 by Leo J. Muza in downtown Oshkosh. He spread his love for the sheet metal industry to the town and surrounding areas. Due to his untimely death, the company was passed down to his son Leo Muza Jr. and his son-in-law Aloys Schuster. In 1957 the company expanded and diversified into the metal fabrication market with the division, Muza Metal Products. In 1976, the differences of production processes, market shares and business culture led them to disperse into two individual businesses. Schuster became the president of Muza Sheet Metal Co, and the president of Muza Metal Products in Oshkosh.
In 1985 Schuster’s sons, Charles and Thomas, succeeded him and bought the company. It was relocated to the present location at 51 West Fernau Avenue, in Oshkosh’s North Industrial Park in 1992. Along with relocating, they decided to add an additional 10,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, bringing the total to 20,000 sq ft, completed in 1997. The implementation of the expansion strategy increased their market share, and their ability to add more employees. In 1998, they decided to further expand into the industrial ventilation market by hiring Carven Blanck as a plant manager. He became a partner/owner in 2003. In 2008, Thomas Schuster retired, leaving his brother Charles and Blanck as owners of the company.
In 2009 Sam Blanck, the brother of Carven and the present project manager, was promoted as a partner/owner. He brought new dimensions to the company’s architectural design department. In 2011, Charles Schuster sold his entire portion of the company to the Blanck brothers. Although no longer a partner, he remains active with the company, sharing his wealth of knowledge in the sheet metal industry. In 2013, along with pursuing and implementing innovative production methods, the Blancks expanded their manufacturing space. They purchased and renovated a 10,000 sq ft building that is located diagonally to the main plant. Then in 2017, they increased production and warehousing space by adding an expansion of 25,000 sq ft to the existing building. The company is celebrating their 90th year in business in 2018.