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Mile Stones in
the History of K&B Manufacturing
1946 Founded by
John Brodbeck and Lou Kading
1955 Merged with
Allyn Manufacturing
K&B bought
out Allyn
Owned by Nabisco
Briefly
Sold to Aurora
Plastics
K&B acquired
Veco Products
Sold to Leisure
Dynamics
1981 Leisure Dynamics
dissolved and K&B was sold to John Brodbeck, however he
had a silent partner, William G Bennett, Owner of Circus Circus
Enterprises.
1990 K&B built
a new 50,000 sq ft facility in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and
began the move from Downey, California.
1996 William Bennett
placed new management in an attempt to turn a profit.
Mid 1999, the
management of K&B was planing on moving K&B to Las
Vagas. Randy Linsalato, owner of MECOA and RJL Industries
was offered K&B Mfg by Mr. Bennett as an alternative to
moving the factory to Las Vegas. Mr. Bennett was disappointed
with the management and staff in place at K&B so he decided
to to sell to Randy Linsalato. Randy was a long time friend
to the Brodbeck's and to Mr. Bennett and was in the industry
with MECOA and RJL for 20 years at the time..
Late 1999 K&B
was sold to MECOA (RJL Industries) and the move back to California
began. Now located in Monrovia, Ca., about 25 miles north
of the old Downey location.
For MECOA the purchase
of K&B was unexpected. At the time MECOA - RJL Industries
was deep into a contract developing and building oxidant air
pumps for Ballard Power Systems, a daughter company of Ford
and Daimler.
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