From the archives: Image of the original Lake City, Minnesota manufacturing plant.

Here’s the short of it: we are 100% American made, and have been committed to supplying the best quality metal fabrication equipment in the marketplace since 1942.

If you get excited about the details, and want to know more – keep reading!

Images from the earliest publication of the Di-Acro product line – O’Neil-Irwin Manufacturing Co. Minneapolis, MN. Printed in Steel, December 15th, 1941. 

Before we break into our bulleted history, we’d like to say how honored we are to continue the tradition of solid, American craftmanship. Manufacturing in the United States does not come without its challenges; particularly in cost competition with foreign product. However, we believe that our product value speaks for itself – in durability, longevity, and aesthetics.

Our equipment is proudly made by American hands and always will be.

Now, onto where we came from:

1930’s – Irwin Manufacturing is started by Justice Irwin. First product is a small hand bender.

1937 – Al O’Neil becomes Irwin’s partner. Company name changes to O’Neil Irwin Manufacturing.

1941/42 – O’Neil Irwin Manufacturing Co. rolls out the Di-Acro product line.

1947 – O’Neil buys out Irwin and moves the company to Lake City, MN.

1958 – Company name changes to Di-Acro (die-less duplication).

1965 – O’Neil sells company to Houdaille, a holding company originally based in NY. At one point, Houdaille owned 22 companies, many of them tied to the sheet metal fabrication industry. Other holdings included: Strippit in Akron, NY; Powermatic in McMinnville, TN; and Fairmont Tool in Cleveland, OH.

1984 – Houdaille closes doors at the Di-Acro plant amid increasing foreign competition and a lingering strike by union employees. Production of Di-Acro turret presses, press brakes, and manually operated equipment is shifted to Strippit Houdaille in Akron, NY. Processing of K-Prene urethane (for tooling) is sold to three Di-Acro employees, and Acrotech Inc. is born.

1985 – Strippit starts to manufacture some of the remaining Di-Acro line (including the manual equipment) in Taiwan (1986) and then in Mexico (1987).

1988 – Strippit sells production rights of Di-Acro Press Brakes to Pacific Press and Shear (a.k.a. Pacific Press Technologies).

2000 – Strippit sells Di-Acro name and line of manual equipment (shears, finger brakes, benders, notchers, slip rolls, rod parters) and power benders to a firm in Canton, OH. The new owners attempt to bring the manufacturing back to the United States.

5/2006 – Due to ongoing production problems, Di-Acro is sold at auction to Acrotech, Inc.

6/2006 – Di-Acro patterns, inventory, etc. moves back to Lake City, MN. After a 23 year absence, the name returns and manufacturing is 100% back in the USA.

9/2006 – First machines ship from Di-Acro, Lake City, MN.

7/2012 – Acrotech sells Di-Acro division to Mischo, Inc. DBA Di-Acro in Oak Park Heights, MN.