A detailed history, written by former KTS Industries president Brad Coombs, is available in the VintageMachinery.org wiki: History of KTS Industries.
The timeline of company names is as follows:
- Williams, Smith & Co. (1867-1873)
- B. S. Williams & Co. (1873-1889)
- Williams Manufacturing Co. (1889-1904)
- Kalamazoo Tank & Silo Co. (1904-1967)
- KTS Industries, Inc. (1967-2004)
The earlier companies manufactured windmills, silos and tanks, among other products. The first product of interest to this Vintage Machinery website appeared in 1939, the "Kalamazoo" line of metal-cutting horizontal band saws. These products were in great demand during World War II. The company's Riverside Foundry manufactured their own castings until 1972 when the foundry was closed and KTS Industries entered into a relationship with British conglomerate 600 Group, whose Startrite division manufactured horizontal and vertical bandsaws.
In 1980 KTS began selling cold saws manufactured by Italian maker MEP. In 1981, in the midst of a recession, KTS terminated their agreement with 600 Group (Startrite) and began manufacturing their own vertical bandsaws. In 1985 the Riverside Foundry & Galvanizing Co.—a subsidiary that operated the iron and brass foundries and the galvanizing operation—was closed. In the late 1980s, in the face of increased competition from European and Asian imports, they introduced new products and a new sales force. This effort was successful until 1994 when they sold their Kalamazoo Saw division to Clausing Industrial.
That was the end of KTS's manufacturing of items of interest to us. KTS Industries, Inc., was formally wound down in 2007.