History

19th Century

James Mellowes emigrates from England to the U.S. and settles in Dayton, Ohio. In 1880, he and his wife give birth to Alfred Mellowes, whose vision and determination creates the companies that will become Charter Manufacturing.

1900s

Alfred Mellowes receives his engineering degree from Cornell University. He moves back to Dayton and works for Johns-Manville Company, where he starts development of an iceless refrigerator.

1910s

Alfred Mellowes leaves Johns-Manville and founds the Guardian Frigerator Company. He subsequently relocates the company to Detroit.

Guardian Frigerator is purchased by William Durant, the father of General Motors. The company becomes Frigidaire.

Alfred Mellowes moves back to Milwaukee, where he starts a refrigerator division for Briggs & Stratton.

1920s

Alfred Mellowes starts the Milwaukee Lock Washer Company based on a new approach to making lock washers. Alfred Mellowes made the business a success through continued innovation and determination.

Alfred Mellowes sells Milwaukee Lock Washer to National Lock Washer, becomes a director of the company and manages the Milwaukee plant.

1930s

Charter Wire is founded by the Mellowes family to produce the wire needed by National Lock Washer's Milwaukee plant.

Charles N. Mellowes, Alfred's son and a Cornell Engineering School graduate, is selected to run Charter Wire with a commitment to: "Do something different, do it right and end up with the highest-quality product."

1940s

At the request of Chrysler Corporation, the Mellowes family establishes Milwaukee Wire Products to manufacture dipsticks for the combustion engine and powertrain industries.

1950s

When National Lock Washer announces its plans to roll its own wire, the Mellowes family responds by creating its own company to produce lock washers. The Mellowes Company quickly becomes a leader in the niche market.

1960s

John Mellowes, Charles' son and a Cornell engineering graduate, joins Charter Manufacturing as manager of Positive Lock Washer, a New Jersey company that had been acquired by Charter.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $6.9 million

Charter Manufacturing acquires National Lock Washer, its chief competitor.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $8.7 million

1970s

John Mellowes returns to Milwaukee to lead Charter Wire. He removes the company's time clocks and replaces them with a system of "pay continuation," which, in effect, makes hourly workers salaried employees.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $11.4 million

John Mellowes becomes president of Charter Manufacturing.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $19.4 million

John Mellowes decides to grow the business through vertical integration by establishing its own melt shop and rolling mill.

Charter Rolling, the first phase of this bold strategy, is built in Saukville, Wisconsin, and becomes the first mill in the United States to capable of producing 4-millimeter wire rod.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $33.8 million

1980s

Charter Electric Melting is established through the purchase of a bankrupt melt shop in Chicago, completing John Mellowes' vertical integration initiative.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $50.2 million.

Milwaukee Wire Products establishes a sales office in Detroit to provide engineering, purchasing and assembly operations support for its automotive customers.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $87.4 million.

Charter Processing opens a new processing plant to clean, coat, anneal and draw wire for specialty steel markets.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $87.2 million.

John Mellowes establishes an Advanced Development Center to test new manufacturing processes and develop new products.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $93.5 million.

Milwaukee Wire Products adds valve spring retainers to its product line.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $123.2 million.

1990s

Charter's Saukville complex becomes a completely integrated mini-mill with the start-up of Charter Melting.

Charles A. Mellowes, John's son, becomes the fourth generation to join Charter Manufacturing.

The Mellowes Company is sold to Illinois Tool Works, ending 40 years in the lock washer business.

Charter Steel receives the Q-1 award from Ford Motor Company, an award given to a select group of Ford suppliers.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $112.3 million.

John Mellowes is named Charter Manufacturing's Chairman and Chief Executive.

Charter sells its Chicago melt shop, Charter Electric Melting, to J. Pitterick of Pittsburgh.

Charter Steel and Charter Wire achieve ISO 9002 Certification.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $165.9 million.

Charter continues its expansion into high-quality and niche markets, doubling the capacity of its processing plant.

Charter Steel is named a finalist in 33 Metal Producing magazine's TOPS award competition.

Milwaukee Wire completes the expansion of its 81st Street facility.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $191 million.

Charter Manufacturing is recognized as a Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Special Award Winner for Success through Employee Commitment.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $194.8 million.

Charter Steel completes a major expansion of its Saukville rolling mill and melt shop, which increases capacity to 400,000 tons annually.

Charter Steel and Milwaukee Wire Products achieve QS 9000 certification.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $233.0 million.

Charter Steel expands its processing plant to increase capacity. Milwaukee Wire Products receives the General Motors' "Supplier of the Year" award for the third time in four years.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $231.5 million.

Charter Steel becomes the first steel company in the nation to receive the environmental ISO 14001 certification.

Charter Steel expands its Saukville processing facility.

Milwaukee Wire opens a new manufacturing facility in Milwaukee replacing it's original manufacturing facility.

21st Century

Charter Manufacturing enters the stainless steel rod market with the construction of Charter Specialty Steel.

Charles Mellowes is named the Charter Stainless Steel's sales manager.

Charter Steel opens a processing facility in Fostoria, OH to serve it's customers with just-in-time deliveries (JIT).

Charter Manufacturing sales = $283.4 million.

Charter Specialty Steel begins production.

Charter Steel finishes construction of a wire and distribution warehouse.

Milwaukee Wire achieves ISO 14001 certification.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $272.5 million.

Charter Manufacturing acquires American Steel & Wire from Birmingham Steel and renames it Charter Steel - Cleveland. Charter Steel completes the expansion of its bar outlet facility in Saukville, which dramatically increased the rolling mill's capacity and size capabilities.

Charter Wire achieves QS 9000 certification.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $338.0 million.

John W. Mellowes is promoted to the position of Director of Strategic Planning and Business Development for Charter Manufacturing Company.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $392.5 million.

Charles Mellowes is promoted to the position of VP and General Manager of Charter Specialty Steel.

John Mellowes wins the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Charter Manufacturing is among the winners of The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin's Torch Award for Business Ethics and Integrity.

Charter Steel Announces Expansion At Ohio Facility - New $90 million melting facility will support existing bar and rolling mill in Cleveland

Charter Manufacturing sales = $623.1 million.

Charter Steel begins a $12-million furnace expansion project at its coil processing and distribtion facility in Fostoria, Ohio.

Milwaukee Wire acquired the assets and joined forces with ProTube Design Limited, which was a small startup company that is located in London, Ontario. This acquisition will allow Milwaukee Wire to expand their guide manufacturing operations and to explore other high volume automotive tube applications.

Charter purchases the assets of the Emerald Steel coil processing plant located in Centerline, Michigan, from Emerald Steel. The assets will be combined with Charter Steel, which has steel-making and coil processing facilities in Wisconsin and Ohio.

Charter Manufacturing makes Deloitte & Touche's Wisconsin 75 list and receives the Recognition Award for Corporate Leadership. This award recognizes the quality and vision of the company's key management and directors, and how that leadership has helped the company succeed.

In December of 2005, Charter Steel completes a $12-million furnace expansion project at its coil processing and distribtion facility in Fostoria, Ohio.

Charter Manufacturing sales = $652.7 million

John W. Mellowes is promoted to the position of Vice President and General Manager of Charter Wire.

In June of 2006 Charter Steel conducts the first heat in it's new melt shop located in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio. The $130-million expansion project at the Cleveland-area mill is intended to increase Charter's coil-making capability and offer a wider range of products to our customers. The melt shop has an annual capacity of 500,000 tons and will be expandable to 700,000 tons.

Charter Manufacturing sales for 2006 = $719.6 million. The end of the 4th quarter 2006 marked the 56th straight profitable quarter for Charter.