Koch Air history

In support of the new law and increased war efforts, George Koch Sons built a new plant in 1942 on Upper Mount Vernon Road in Evansville.

He officially began his career at George Koch Sons in 1943.

In 1952, the Atomic Energy Commission awarded Koch a $50 million contract, the largest sheetmetal project ever awarded to one firm in American business history.

In April of 1953, the company was awarded a $30 million contract to design, fabricate, and install all of the ductwork for a new Portsmouth, Ohio, atomic energy plant.

In 1956, after steady increases in yearly sales, the company added both production equipment and personnel to accommodate increased orders.

In 1958, Koch's industrial division entered into a joint venture with the Memphis, Tennessee-based Wilco Machine Works, Inc., a woodworking machinery distributor.

The following year, Uniseal, which had been in operation in Evansville since 1961, opened a second facility in St Louis.

He later became president and chairman of the board in 1962.

Gibbs, which was founded in 1966, was located in Henderson, Kentucky, and provided machined aluminum die casting, machining, assembly, and die building.

Business continued apace, and by 1980 Koch was once again aggressively growing its business.

In 1984 the company acquired Uniseal, Inc., a manufacturer specialty sealant, adhesive, and cellular rubber products for automotive, industrial, and communications companies.

In 1988 the company traded the assets of the Metalcraft business to L.J. Koch Jr. and his family for their shares in George Koch Sons.

In 1990, GKS entered their first ever joint venture and global market with Page-Koch Europe Limited, now known as George Koch Sons Europe Limited.

In 1994, Koch Air acquired Carrier Midwest, a Carrier equipment distributor with offices in Indianapolis and Louisville.

In the spring of 1995, Gibbs Die Casting announced that it was planning a $44 million expansion of its facilities, which would eventually add 250 jobs.