Marshalltown Company history

The brothers and salesman Albert Higgin officially incorporated “Marshalltown Trowel Company” in 1905.

In 1909, however, Jesse and Al embarked on a large marketing campaign.

10, 1913, and included the Lennox brothers and Jesse C. and Lester E. Williams, owners of Marshalltown Trowel Co.

In 1918, the firm purchased the Bogardus-Nelson Co. of Marshalltown, and began manufacturing pressure gauges.

The company changed its name to Marshalltown Manufacturing Co. in Jan, 1919.

By 1927, their machinery line included throatless shears, bevel shears, slitting shears, bending rolls, inclinable punch presses, flue welders, and special iron- and steel-working tools.

MARSHALLTOWN introduced its Xtralite® Finishing Trowel in 1928—the forged aluminum mounting was a big change and upgrade from the heavier, malleable iron mounting that had been used for decades.

By 1930, MARSHALLTOWN was the largest exclusive manufacturer of masonry tools in the world.

In 1969, MARSHALLTOWN bought the power trowel line from Construction Machinery Company (“CMC”) in Waterloo, Iowa.

The company earned the Presidential E Award in 1975 for outstanding performance in export sales.

MARSHALLTOWN introduced its Quality Line Tools (“QLT”) brand as another alternative in 1992.

In 2002, MARSHALLTOWN broadened its paint and wallpaper line when it purchased Embee (formerly Murray-Black) out of Springfield, Ohio.

Marshalltown Trowel changed its name in 2003.

In 2010, MARSHALLTOWN welcomed Cleform Tool Corporation’s “The Power of Red.” Its acquisition of the St Joseph, Missouri company encompassed a large array of concrete products, Gilson concrete and mortar mixers, a broad range of shovels and long-handled tools, and asphalt and seal-coating tools..

MARSHALLTOWN acquired Spin Screed, the world’s first lightweight power roller screed, in 2018.