Wisconsin has at least 50 Century Club Companies. Ownership status of these companies is similar to the national average for 100-year-old companies, with 12% of them public and 88% some form of private ownership (65% are generational family-owned firms; 3-5 are employee-owned; another is a co-op; one is a mutual - sort of customer-owned). As always, please comment if you know of a company that should be added to this list or if you have a correction to any of the information.
1845: Minhas Craft Brewery, Monroe (formerly Joseph Huber Brewing)
1848: Richardson Industries, Sheboygan Falls 6th generation (manufacture wood furniture & building products) Note: Wisconsin became a State in 1848
1949: Kusel Equipment, Watertown (manufacture equipment)
1849: Menasha Corporation, Neenah 5th generation (manufacture packaging products)
1854: Grimm Book Bindery, Madison (book printing, binding and repair)
1857: Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee mutual (insurance & financial services)
1873: Kohler, Kohler 4th generation (manufacture plumbing & bathroom products)
1874: Elk Mound Seed, Elk Mound
1876: Jockey International, Kenosha 3rd generation (manufacture apparel)
1876: Saeman Lumber, Cross Plains 4th generation (lumber & building supplies)
1880: Usinger's, Milwaukee 4th generation (sausages)
1881: Schwaab Inc, Brookfield 3rd & 4th generations (manufacture stamp products)
1885: Home Lumber, Whitewater 4th generation (lumber & building supplies)
1886: S.C. Johnson & Son, Racine 5th generation (manufacture household products)
1888: Reynolds Transfer & Storage, Madison 5th & 6th generations (moving services)
1889: Jones Dairy Farm, Fort Atkinson 5th generation (sausage & meat products)
1890: J.H. Findorff & Son, Madison (construction)
1891: Schroeder Bros., Two Rivers 4th generation (retail apparel)
1894: Wiedenbeck, Madison 4th generation (metal fabrication)
1895: Fiebing's, Milwaukee 3rd generation (leather care products)
1896: Horicon Bank, Horicon ESOP & Family (Sword Financial Corp)
1897: First Supply, Monona (wholesale plumbing/HVAC)
1899: Nelsen's Hall Bitters Pub, Washington Island
1899: Seroogy's Chocolates, DePere 3rd generation (retail confectionery)
1900: Banner Bancorp, Birnamwood (banking)
1900: Tomah Cash Mercantile Store, Tomah 4th generation (retail department store)
1902: Manitowoc Company, Manitowoc public (manufacture cranes/lifting equipment)
1903: Badger Corrugating, LaCrosse 5th generation + employee ownership (distributor of lumber & building products)
1903: Harley-Davidson, Milwaukee public (manufacture motorcycles) Note: numerous ownership changes over the years, including time as a subsidiary of another company
1904: Bliffert Lumber & Hardware, Milwaukee 4th & 5th generations (retail lumber & building materials)
1905: Badger Meter, Milwaukee public (manufacture meters & devices)
1905: National Presto Industries, Eau Claire public (manufacture small kitchen appliances)
1905: Wigwam Mills, Sheboygan 4th generation (manufacture textile products - socks)
1907: Kaap's Old World Chocolates, Green Bay (confectionery)
1908: Holler House, Milwaukee 3rd generation (tavern & bowling alley)
1908: Smart Motors, Madison 3rd generation (retail automotive)
1910: Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth co-op (cheese & cheese curds)
1911: Beaver Builders Supply, Holmen 3rd generation (lumber & building materials)
1911: Jack Andrea, Kenosha 4th generation (retail cafe & gift shop)
1914: Neckerman Insurance Services, Madison (insurance agency)
1915: Campbell Lumber & Supply, Superior employee-owned (lumber & building materials)
1916: Nina's Department & Variety Store, Spring Green 4th generation (retail apparel)
1917: Century Fence, Pewaukee 4th generation (pavement marking)
1917: Heiser Automotive, Milwaukee 2nd generation? (retail automotive)
1917: McFarlane Manufacturing, Sauk City 3rd generation (manufacture agricultural equipment)
1917: Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh public (manufacture trucks & equipment)
1919: Baird, Milwaukee employee-owned (banking & financial services)
1919: First National Community Bank, New Richmond 3rd generation (banking)
1919: Gordon Auto Parts, Racine 3rd generation (retail auto parts)
1919: Standard Electric Supply, Milwaukee 3rd generation (electrical products distributor & supplier)
1919: Woodman's Market, Janesville employee-owned (retail general merchandise)
1920: Snap-on Tools, Kenosha public (manufacture tools)
1922: Wells Print & Digital, Madison
1923: Superior Die Set, Oak Creek 4th generation
To learn more about how these companies have prospered over 100 years and more, see the book based on my research: Lessons from Century Club Companies: Managing for Long-Term Success, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble on-line
I am afraid you missed at least one company in Wisconsin by the name of Schwaab, Inc. The company was founded in 1881 by Andrew Scwhaab as the Northwestern Stamp Company. It was incorporated on May 8, 1888 as the Schwaab Stamp and Seal Company.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info on Schwaab Inc. I will add them to the list!
ReplyDeleteJH Findorff was founded in 1890
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info on JH Findorff - I will add them to the list. Do you know if they are still owned by the Findorff family?
ReplyDeleteVilter Manufacturing. Founded in 1867 in Milwaukee, now in Cudahy. Industrial refrigeration equipment.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your message; however, since Vilter was acquired by Emerson it no longer qualifies for my Century Club list of independent companies.
DeleteRuder Ware L.L.S.C. just celebrated its 100 year anniversary
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on Ruder Ware - I will add them to the list!
ReplyDeleteWells Print & Digital was established in 1922 under the name of Quality Printing in Madison
ReplyDeleteElk Mound Seed was established in 1874 as Elk Mound Grain and is still in operation today.
ReplyDeleteHow about Superior Die Cast Corporation - Oak Creek 1923.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info on Superior Die Set - I will add them to the Century Club next year!
ReplyDeleteBradlee's Department Store Closed in 2001 - I do not believe they are still in business.
ReplyDeleteI guess I probably should have sad Bradley's closed in 2001 and probably should be removed from the list since they are no longer in business.
ReplyDeleteThanks - I will delete Bradley's
ReplyDeleteNeenah Foundry in Neenah WI - 1872
ReplyDeleteMinhas Craft Brewery in Monroe WI - 1845 (This is the oldest WI company that is still running today)
ReplyDeleteThis is also the 2nd oldest brewery in the United States.
DeleteNelsen’s Hall Bitter’s Pub on Washington Island - 1899. They are the oldest bar to continuously serve alcohol. They got a special permit to serve Angostura bitters shots during prohibition.
ReplyDeleteEthan W: thank you for these 3 companies. I will add Nelsen's Hall Bitters Pub and Minhas Craft Brewery to my list of Century Club Companies, but not Neenah Foundry, since they are no longer an independent company (they are owned by Charlotte Pipe & Foundry)
ReplyDelete1908, Smart Motors - founded by O.D. Smart. Originally in Waukesha, WI. Has remained family owned and operated for 115 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info on Smart Motors - love finding out about centennial family-owned companies!
DeleteFiebings' Co., est. 1895
ReplyDeletehttps://fiebing.com/heritage/
Thank you for the info on Fiebing's - I have added it to my data base
ReplyDeleteKusel Equipment was founded in 1849 as a Hardware Store in Watertown WI, would become DF Kusel Incorporated 50 years later and go through a few changes over the next 125 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I will add Kusel Equipment to my list!
DeleteI have a stock certificate for TERRA FUEL & MANUFACTURING COMPANY dated May of 1920 , does this fit for Wisconsin old companies ?
ReplyDelete