MECS history

1945 - Mayville Engineering Company, Inc. was founded in 1945 by Mayville natives, Ted Bachhuber and his uncle Leo.

1963 - Due to continued strong growth, the company needed to expand even more.

1971 MEC is formally incorporated on August 2, with six members, and about $65 of operating capital.

1972 The first catalogue is produced: a single page, typed and taped to a door in the UBC Student Union Building.

1974 The year begins with a healthy membership of 700.

1976 The Board votes to return patronage dividends to members in proportion to their purchases.

1977 The Canadian Mountain Co-operative votes to be absorbed by MEC, and three members drive a U-haul full of gear to Alberta to open a store in Calgary.

1979 MEC and Hine-Snowbridge agree to set up a Canadian factory to make backpacks and panniers.

1980 The first ever member survey is conducted.

1981 MEC reaches 57,000 members and celebrates its 10th anniversary.

1982 The Vancouver store moves to West 8th Avenue, where it remains for a dozen years.

1983 MEC begins accepting payment by credit card even though the additional cost was a significant slice of our very slim margin.

1984 MEC reaches 90,000 members living in Canada, plus 1,000 international members.

1985 MEC opens a store in Toronto, a contentious decision at the time, as there are no “mountains” near Toronto.

1987 MEC establishes The Environment Fund and makes a donation to the Federation of Mountain Clubs of BC to purchase property containing the Smoke Bluffs, a climbing area threatened by development.

1988 In-house product development begins.

1991 20 years, 330,000 members and $36.5 million in annual sales.

1992 MEC opens a store in Ottawa.

1993 The Endowment Fund for the Environment is created as a charitable public fund to support the creation of parks and protected areas.

1994 MEC starts making fleece jackets and pants out of recycled polyester made from plastic soda bottles.

1995 One of the 47 environmental projects funded is a $100,000 land acquisition grant to aid the purchase of Jedediah Island and preserve it as a Provincial Park.

1996 - MEC earns the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award for the second time.

1997 MEC reaches 1 million members.

1999 - 163,000 sq. ft. facility for MEC Aerial Work Platform business completed in Beaver Dam, WI.

2001 - The Aerial Work Platform business is sold.

In 2002, the Lord provided an opportunity to purchase the church’s adjacent property to be used as the new school’s premises.

2003 MEC comes to Québec with a store in Montréal, and begins to translate all its communications into French.

2004 - MEC acquires Custom Metal Products and Phoenix Coaters businesses.

In May, 2005 the Educational School Project was created with the aim of defining the organizational structure, the vision and mission of the institution.

2007 MEC joins 1% for the Planet, a group of businesses that donate 1% of gross sales to environmental causes.

2008 - 50,000 sq. ft. added with the start-up of tube bending in Neillsville, WI. The specialty of this location is driven by its technology.

2010 - MEC is awarded Wisconsin's Distinguished Entrepreneurial Award and a spot on the Top 75 from Deloitte.

2011 - MEC is named the largest supplier of custom metal fabrications in a survey published by The Fabricator magazine.MEC acquires a 54,000 sq. ft. facility to expand the manufacturing capabilities in Neillsville, WI.

2012 - MEC is again #1 on The Fabricator magazine's annual survey.

2013 - MEC is named the #1 fabricator for the third consecutive year! MEC acquires Missouri-based APEX Clay Traps and introduces the MEC Clay Target Machines product line.

2014 Members receive a share redemption of $4.5 million.

2015 - MEC is named #1 on the FAB 40 list of the largest fabricators.

2019 - MEC is again named #1 on the FAB 40 list of the largest fabricators.

2020 - MEC is once again named #1 on the FAB 40 list of the largest fabricators.

2021 - MEC is named #1 on the FAB 40 list of the largest fabricators.