The Merit Gear Story

Our start was many years ago and from a very humble beginning. Merit Gear and Machine Company was founded in 1952 by two gear makers from Chicago. Their knowledge and experience, combined with the hard-working labor force of Northern Wisconsin, would give Merit a unique, sustainable advantage that would enable us to become one of the world's premier precision gear manufacturers.

Merit's first gears were for the tractor replacement market and for general machine applications, which developed into the core business for the company. Over the years, Merit grew in size and scope, invested in equipment, implemented quality methods and continuous improvement concepts, and developed new competencies that would enable us to exceed our customers' ever-growing quality standards. We have continued to reinvest the rewards of our labor in new technologies and have focused on maintaining the world-class skills that set us apart from other gear makers.

Merit's employees play a key role in our special ability to continuously improve our gear-making skill and knowledge. Many of our employees started at Merit decades ago as apprentice machinists and are now master gear makers who produce some of the world's finest precision gears.

Company milestones include:

• 1952 - Merit Gear and Machine founded
• 1979 - Moved to current location in Antigo, WI
• 1984 - Start of in-house heat treatment facility
• 1991 - Merit Gear Corporation formed
• 1998- Start of Custom Gearbox Assembly production
• 1995 - First of three expansions at current manufacturing facility
• 1997 - Obtained first ISO certification
• 2005 - Expansion of Gear Box Assembly Area completed
• 2008 - Achieved ISO 9001-2008 certification
• 2008 - Large gear and heat treatment expansion completed

Today our work force of over one hundred dedicated people is focused on supplying high-precision production and prototype gearing, and custom enclosed drives for the industry's most exacting customers. It is the skill of our work force that lies at the core of our ability to provide uniquely high-quality gears for our customers; and it is their experience and efficiency that enable us to provide great value. They are what make Merit Gear "America's Best Value for Precision Gearing."

We invite you to visit our facility and to meet our unique team in Antigo, and we would welcome the opportunity to show you how your company could benefit from a partnership with Merit Gear.