With all that has happened this year in industry, there are still many bright spots for small businesses. Ohio Fabricators Company (OFCO), a custom manufacturer of filters, strainers and diffusers for a wide range of industries, is proud to announce a celebration of its 75 years in business.
Founded in 1944 in Coshocton, Ohio, halfway between Columbus and Cleveland, OFCO began by manufacturing filters for airplane motors in support of the war effort. Though much has changed since Lemuel Forman, Joseph Rokovan and Ivan MacKeiler started OFCO, the company’s commitment to third-party audited quality management, exceptional delivery times and the highest level of customer service has sustained its legacy and kept customers coming back.
OFCO’s products range from penny-sized metal filters to 20-inch diameter strainers. Industries supported by OFCO are just as diverse and include construction, farming and mining to oil and gas production, hydraulics, automotive/transportation and virtually any industry that needs to filter liquids.
“It’s our owners’ investment in technology and people that keep us ahead of the competition,” said Chief Executive Officer Mike Shaw. The company’s 70 veteran employees, housed in a 45,000 square-foot facility, are as committed today as they were during the company’s wartime beginnings. Shaw said that the current ownership team acquired the company in 1964. “We’ve grown the business by providing U.S.-manufactured products that meet the very highest quality standards and tight delivery timelines our customers demand.”
In celebration of its founding, OFCO is unveiling a new logo, website and an aggressive marketing program. According to Sales Manager Mike Smith, “though our existing customers know what we stand for, we’re not exactly a household name in the filter business.” That is largely because OFCO sells a great deal of its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and through private-label resellers. The new communications program will reinforce OFCO’s core values, expand the OFCO brand, and increase the business’s reach.
In addition to its custom-manufacturing strength, OFCO also stocks many standard products and parts for just-in-time delivery to its customers. “One of our business objectives this year is to expand and promote our line of standard products,” said Smith. “It’s a part of our business that hasn’t received the attention it deserves, and our customers want this from us.”
With 75 years in the rearview mirror, OFCO is looking forward to the future. According to Shaw, “the industries OFCO sells to are a vital part of the global economy and we’re positioned to support them for another 75 years.”
