Welcome to General Broach. We’re proud of our 70+ years experience in the broaching business. And, we’re committed to providing our customers with exceptional quality, value and service.

1942
Karl Eklund, Paul Symanski, and Walter Lofstrum opened a plant on Weston Road near Morenci, Michigan. The plant, Wayne Production Broaching, utilized a relatively new process called “pot broaching” to produce automotive gears such as window regulator pinions, starter gears, and body hardware items. Three years later, in 1949, a new plant was built at 307 Salisbury Street in Morenci. Wayne’s broaching operations were moved to the new location.

1964
Karl Eklund asked Hal Bachelder (Wayne’s plant manager) about the possibility of making simple broach tools. Since a building across the street at 322 Salisbury Street was empty, Hal enlisted the services of three men–Doyle Collar, Ken Shadbolt, and Corky Cheesbro to start a manufacturing division there, which they later called the Eklund Broach Division. In 1969, a 6,000 ft addition had to be added due to increased growth and expansion of the plant’s operations.

1979
Growth and development prompted Eklund Broach to begin planning for another plant addition. However, during that year Wayne Production Broaching was moved to Detroit (and in 1982, to Cadillac), leaving their facility empty. That provided a solution for Eklund’s cramped manufacturing environment, and between the Christmas of 1979 and New Year’s Day, the Eklund Broach Division was moved to the vacant Wayne building at 307 Salisbury-the company’s current location.

1987
The entire corporation–including all its divisions-was purchased by its president, Robert Roseliep. Eklund Broach became a subsidiary of General Broach & Engineering, Inc. In 1991, Roseliep sold the company to Utica Enterprises, Inc., who renamed the tool manufacturing division the General Broach Company-the company’s current name.

1997
Spline Rolling Division created to produce a new line of electro-mechanical driven spline rolling machinery, and to design and manufacture spline rolling rack tooling.

1999
The U.S. Patent Office awarded General Broach Company a patent for a unique design used to retain blind spline broach tools and tool holders. The principal features of the design are two precision-machined flat supports which accurately position the cutting tool in place and eliminate any radial movement of the tool.

2002
Spine Rolling Division and Broach Machine Division relocated from Shelby Twp., Michigan to company headquarters in Morenci.

2003
Doyle Collar retires as General Manager after 43 years with company, S. David Graham named as new General Manager.

2007
Larry Stover takes over as General Manager of Broach Tool Division. Jack Raney takes over as General Manager of Broach Machine Division & Production Division. General Broach also starts up newly formed Aircraft Broach Division and EDM Division.

2009
Larry Stover takes over as General Manager for all five divisions of GBC.