We used to make things in this country. #222: The Robbins & Myers Company of Canada,, Brantford, Ontario

 

Robbins & Myers was founded in 1878 in Springfield, Ohio.  In 1919, to meet the needs of an expanding Canadian market, a branch was opened in Brantford, Ontario, using space available in the Motor Trucks Limited factory (which had started out manufacturing Keeton cars under license from the Keeton Motor Company of Detroit).   Initial production was limited to vacuum cleaner motors but in the 1940's was expanded to include motors up to 75 horsepower. In 1978, the motor division of the Canadian company was sold off as a management buy-out, becoming Etatech Industries.  This lasted until that company went into receivership in 1987.  Robbins & Myers continued to have a manufacturing presence in Brantford until 1992 when the American parent company bought Prochem Mixing Equipment Ltd. in Brampton and moved all production to that facility.