Dayton Metal Finishing has been acquired by Wilse, Inc., an Indiana holding company that acquired DMF's parent company, Miller Consolidated Industries, Inc. (MCI), a metal treating and steels supply company.
“We are delighted to welcome MCI to the Wilse, Inc. team,” says Irvin Vanderpohl, president of Wilse. “MCI, led by Tom Miller and his team, have an outstanding reputation as solution providers and bring extensive knowledge of the industry. My management team and I are excited to work together to build on their reputation and expand the services offered.”
MCI is made up of operating units Quality Steels (established in 1929), Metallurgical Services (which got its start in 1946), Dayton Met Finishing (founded in 1980) and Met Lab (established in the late 1980s). Their services range from commercial heat treating, supply of tool steels, metal finishing and black oxide processing to metallurgical testing.
Dayton Metal Finishing specializes in black oxide, deburring, and drying of both tool and production parts. DMF says it has an inspection department providing 100% inspection with their lab for quality assurance of parts.
“It’s tough to find companies that do multiple things well, and (MCI) does that,” Vanderpohl told the Dayton Business Journal. “They’ve got heat treating, steel sales, testing capability for metals and black oxide … We think there’s quite a bit untapped of potential to drive synergies between those organizations.”
The DBJ says MCI is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wilse, with Vandelpohl and his wife operating as the primary owners. Tom Miller, president and chief operating officer of MCI since 2005, plans to retire. The paper says branding for the company’s existing divisions will be retained, though the MCI name will likely be phased out in the longer term. The DBJ says that hiring is the next step for Vanderpohl, who said he plans to onboard 20 new MCI employees in Moraine within the next two years. Currently, the company has about 44 local workers.
“They used to have 150 people working there, so we think there’s a lot of potential for growth within those existing facilities,” he told the DBJ. “If we get to the point where we need to expand out of that, we’ll certainly look at other facilities in the Dayton area.”
From the MCI website:
MCI had its start in 1969 when William “Bill” and Alice Miller and their three boys made a life changing decision to purchase a tool steel warehouse named Quality Steels Corp. With the help of those sons (Bob, Dick and Tom), the company soon flourished into a successful business known for supplying specialty tool steels in a timely manner to the Tool & Die manufacturing communities of Southwest Ohio and Southern Indiana.
With his prior experience in specialized steel product, Bill soon became recognized as the man who “knew steel.” When his customers came to him with questions about the different uses of tool steel and heat treating that steel, Bill realized that there was a real need for a local and comprehensive heat treating service. In order to provide that service, the Miller family acquired a commercial heat treating company - Metallurgical Service, Inc. - in 1973.
With the addition of this new company, and with the help of their knowledgeable employees, the Millers soon found that satisfied customers always want more. The next venture for the Miller family would allow them to establish Dayton Metal Finishing on the property of Quality Steels Corp. This newest company, a metal finishing company, finally allowed Mr. Millers dream of a “one stop” steel company to be realized. Dayton Metal Finishing was formed in 1980; and Miller Consolidated Industries was established in that same year as the parent company of all three of the Miller owned steel related companies.
Over the years, as the customer base grew to include companies with auto industry, aircraft and military customers, the need arose to for testing and certifications on steel products produced both locally and nationally. To fill this need, Metallurgical and Environmental Testing Laboratories (M.E.T. Lab) was created in 1987; and at last the company was complete.
In the ensuing years, there have been many changes in the Miller family. As the sole remaining member of the original Miller family, Thomas Miller became President and Chief Operating Officer of Miller Consolidated Industries in September 2005. Thomas is a hands on owner and he remains involved daily in every aspect of the companies. In this, he often relies on the assistance of his two sons, Nick and Michael and Bob’s daughter, Christie; all of who are helping to guide the family business into its third generation of success.
Under this leadership, the company continues to experience strong and solid growth and finds itself strategically positioned to fill the varied needs of its customers. During the economic downturn of 2008/2009, Miller Consolidated was able to take advantage of the slower markets to incorporate some diversity in its own business by expanding its own product lines to include stainless steel, aluminum and more. The sales teams are listening to the customer needs and have developed an expanded quote system and streamlined delivery schedule for all of it customers, no matter how large or small. As Miller Consolidated Industries looks to the future, there are more changes to come as it moves to accommodate the expansions expected in the Tool & Die and Aerospace Industries.
