Our History

2015: Barry-Wehmiller acquires German-based companies, Winkler+Dünnebier GmbH and POEM GmbH (W+D) from Körber AG.

2015: Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman & Raj Sisodia releases to critical acclaim.

2014: Inc. magazine names Barry-Wehmiller one of its Most Audacious Companies in the area of culture.

“Chapman believes that the only bottom line that matters is how leaders treat people,” said Inc. editor Scott Leibs.

2014: Barry-Wehmiller featured in bestselling author Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last.

Sinek’s new TED Talk, promoting the book and its concepts, calls out Barry-Wehmiller’s leadership model as well.

2013: Barry-Wehmiller University held its first CST class entirely comprised of external participants.

2013: Barry-Wehmiller University trains US Air Force professors to teach Communication Skills Training to airmen.

2013: Barry-Wehmiller acquires first French company, Paris-based Arcil SA.

2012: Barry-Wehmiller launches charitable Hearts to Hands (H2H) Fund to help team members in need.

2012: Bob Chapman’s Truly Human Leadership blog launches.
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2012: Barry-Wehmiller featured in Discovery Channel documentary “Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami” about reducing medical errors.
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2012: Bob Chapman delivers TEDx Talk at Scott Air Force Base, IL.

Bestselling author and speaker Simon Sinek hosts the event focused on “Service to Others.” Since then, Chapman’s TEDx Talk has been viewed almost 50,000 times on You Tube.

2011: Vision of Service created to replace Customer Relationship Covenant.

2009: Economic downturn delivers its blow to Barry-Wehmiller: 40% drop in new equipment orders creating financial uncertainty. Drawing upon the ideals of the Guiding Principles of Leadership and the company’s vision of “measuring success by the way we touch the lives of others” to offer direction, CEO Bob Chapman devised a way past the crisis through shared sacrifice with a furlough program.

I asked myself, “What would a caring family do when faced with a crisis?” The answer: Everybody would each take a little pain so that no member of the family would have to experience dramatic loss. Business rebounded well ahead of the broader economic recovery; fiscal year 2010 was a record year in earnings.

2008: Barry-Wehmiller revenues surpass $1 billion.

2008: Barry-Wehmiller founds Barry-Wehmiller University (BWU), a continuous learning program that provides a dynamic educational experience to team members, enabling them to grow, develop, learn, advance and share their gifts with others.

2007: St. Louis Business Journal names Barry-Wehmiller one of Best Places to Work in St. Louis.

2006: Barry-Wehmiller introduces Take Time to Take Care wellness program.

2006: Living Legacy of Leadership, or L3 Journey, was created to integrate our people-centric leadership with Lean thinking.

2005: Barry-Wehmiller acquires Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) in Green Bay, WI.
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2005: Barry-Wehmiller launches GPL SSR leadership recognition program to honor those team members who embody the traits articulated in the GPL.

Tracy Williams of MarquipWardUnited was one of the first winners. “This award is of the most amazing things that ever happened to me,” she said. “When that car came home, my kids said ‘Wow, Mom. You did that!’”

2003: Safety Covenant and Customer Relationship Covenant created.

2002: Guiding Principles of Leadership (GPL), Barry-Wehmiller’s cultural vision statement, is drafted and becomes the cornerstone of the culture.

“The document we created exemplified how we wanted everyone to treat each other,” said Maureen Schloskey, a member of the GPL creation team. “We had described a ‘perfect culture’ that we would all like to aspire to achieve. One of the proudest moments of my life was when I was asked to put my signature on the bottom of the original GPL document.”

2001: Barry-Wehmiller develops CIA² sales forecasting program developed.

2000: Consulting firm Barry-Wehmiller International Resources (BWIR) launched, with headquarters in St. Louis, MO.
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2000: Marquip, Inc. of Phillips, WI, is acquired.

A 2002 acquisition of Ward Machinery Company and United Container Machinery change the name to MarquipWardUnited.

1999: Barry-Wehmiller acquires Fleetwood Systems in Romeoville, IL.

The name is changed to FleetwoodGoldcoWyard in 2005 after subsequent acquisitions.

1997: Barry-Wehmiller launches e3 sales coverage and lead-sharing program.

“This ground-breaking program allowed people to get recognition for introducing another division’s products into an opportunity,” remarked Bob Chapman. “Instead of one sales executive covering the market, through the e3 program, he suddenly had a team of sales execs enhancing the opportunities.”

1997: Hayssen, Inc., in South Carolina is acquired.

The subsequent acquisition of Sandiacre Rose Forgrove in 2006 changes name to HayssenSandiacre.

1997: Barry-Wehmiller acquires Minnesota-based Accraply, Inc.

1995: Thiele Engineering Co. is acquired in Edina, MN.

1998 merger of BPMC and Thiele Engineering creates Thiele Technologies.

1989: Barry-Wehmiller acquires Pneumatic Scale Corporation in Quincy, MA.

It becomes PneumaticScaleAngelus after acquisition of Angelus Sanitary Can Company in 2007.

1988: 'Strategy for Growth, Value & Liquidity' established to identify companies and products that fit the vision of an ideal packaging machinery company.

“This strategy helped us focus on creating a business that experienced sustainable and consistent success,” said Tim Sullivan, Group President. “We began seeking out companies that complemented our business…ones with a long history and a large installed base of equipment that were struggling and would have a motivation to sell to us.”

1987: Barry-Wehmiller completes first acquisition, ABC Conveyor & Auto-Flush Systems, Ltd.

1987: Barry-Wehmiller spins off two-thirds of the company in a $35 million IPO offering on the London Stock Exchange, divesting control of its European-based company while retaining ownership of its historic brewery equipment business. This dramatically enhanced Barry-Wehmiller’s financial strength and marked the beginning of the modern chapter in the company’s history. Harvard Business School subsequently wrote a case study on this event in the company’s history.

1986: Barry-Wehmiller Design Group, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, is formed.
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Early 80s: Sluggish markets, global recession and other economic conditions trigger period of financial decline. Bank pulls the loan a second time. The leadership team challenges itself to reposition the company by redefining the core business and financial strategies.

1979: Barry-Wehmiller establishes an operation in Clearwater, FL, specializing in the design and manufacture of Italian fillers for the Western beverage industry.

1976: Bob Chapman becomes Chairman and CEO after father’s sudden death from heart attack.

“Within days of my dad’s death, our banker visited and told me they were freezing our line of credit, recalls Chapman. “I remember thinking ‘I am not going down!’ In my mind, I had no other choice than to take direct control, cutting costs and implementing disciplines that ultimately moved the company into record profitability and financial stability within nine months.”

1969: Bob Chapman joins Barry-Wehmiller.

1963: Ownership passes to the Chapman family.

1953: Bill Chapman succeeds Fred Wehmiller as president.

With the growth of canned beer, nonreturnable glass and German competition, the company struggled to stay in business.

1950: Bill Chapman joins Barry-Wehmiller as treasurer and general manager. Bill had been involved with the company as an Arthur Andersen accountant.

1885: Thomas J. Barry opens a machine shop in St. Louis, MO, to provide conveying and transportation equipment to malt houses. Barry and brother-in-law Alfred Wehmiller soon expand the product line with a machine that soaks and washes refillable bottles.

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