History of The Wagner Companies

1850	Julius Wagner starts a blacksmith shop in Buffalo, New York.
1870	Julius Wagner moves to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and opens an iron shop.
1890	Adolph F. Wagner begins working at the J. F. Wagner Iron Works and becomes owner in 1890.
1923	Adolph A. Wagner joins his father, Adolph F. Wagner, at the A. F. Wagner Iron Works in 1923. Founder of what we now know as R & B Wagner, Inc., Adolph A. Wagner grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Under the Wagners’ creative hands, the Iron Works becomes one of the city’s largest and most important industrial enterprises. The company fabricates structural steel, miscellaneous and ornamental iron, wire work and metal products for all types of industrial, manufacturing, municipal and residential buildings; and bridge and viaduct railings. The A. F. Wagner Iron Works is known for bridges throughout the country.
1947	Adolph A. Wagner develops the hydraulically operated tractor loader and acquires the first patents. Wagner dominates the market until 1953 when other companies begin to compete with the loaders.
1955	Adolph finds his capacity for invention as strong as ever. At the age of 59, he begins working on the products that R & B Wagner, Inc. is famous for today. With his basement as his work shop, he designs approximately forty products – basic fittings including two sizes of elbows, flanges and connectors. Today those forty-some products have grown into over 11,000 catalog items.
1964	Advance Stamping Co., Inc. is purchased. The companies had been operating in the same location with Advance Stamping Co., Inc. manufacturing the products that R & B Wagner, Inc. distributed.
1965	Robert A. Wagner joins his father, Adolph A. Wagner, at R & B Wagner, Inc. with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
1968	Barbara Wagner Karol joins the Wagner team.
1985	Advance Stamping purchases Superior Polishing to provide in-house polishing services.
1987	The company moves to a 77,000 square foot facility on Milwaukee’s northwest side.
1993	Johann Tube and Pipe Benders, Inc. is purchased. Johann was established in 1935 to serve the bending and end forming needs of local industrial firms.
1997	J. G. Braun Co. of Skokie, Illinois joins the Wagner family. With a history that dates to 1887, the Braun reputation, product line and staff expertise add to the continued success and strength of Wagner.
2001	R & B Wagner, Inc., J.G. Braun Co., Advance Stamping Co. Inc., Johann Tube and Pipe Benders, Inc. and Wagner Ornamental combine to form one legal entity – R & B Wagner, Inc.
2002	The three facilities of R & B Wagner, Inc. in Wisconsin move to one central location – 10600 West Brown Deer Road on Milwaukee’s north side.
2005	R & B Wagner, Inc. celebrates it’s 50th Anniversary! A Calypso waterjet cutter is added and H & R Polishing is purchased to expand Wagner’s custom polishing capabilities.
2007	R & B Wagner, Inc. has 27 presses – many with coil feeds, straighteners and coil handling equipment; 15 rotary benders; 2 induction benders; 2 roll benders, saws; cut-off machines; 12 polishing and finishing machines; welders; hand finishers; a complete tool and die shop with CNC milling and wire EDM machines; CNC lathe; and material handling and storage equipment to meet the needs of our customers.
2008	This was Wagner’s year to focus on ISO certification and education. Wagner staff became more effective at doing their jobs. Customer Service, Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Accounting all benefitted from ISO. Wagner added CNC equipment in several areas including a 6-axis tube laser. Wagner’s product focus continued to be on code compliant products and handrail systems.
2009	Following nine years as Chief Operations Officer, Rick Kettler is promoted to President of The Wagner Companies with Bob Wagner continuing in his role as CEO.
2010	Addition of Architectural Glass Systems – a line of glass spiders and hardware for structural glass façades and curtainwall.
2011	New ERP implementation to better meet the requirements of the changing marketplace.