KLEIN PRODUCTS' HISTORY
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Greetings
It’s been more than 69 years since my father, Richard Klein, founded Klein Products. And in those 69 years, we’ve grown from a small business born out of my father’s passion, dedication and talent into the undisputed leader in our industry.
But we didn’t get to where we are today by accident. Our success is the byproduct of extraordinary hard work, remarkable leadership and our unwavering commitment to doing things the right way — a core value that my father instilled in the company from the very start.
Repeatedly, throughout our history, our innovations have completely changed the game for our customers, inspiring imitation from our competitors and permanently shaping the direction of our industry. We consistently set the standard our customers appreciate and our competitors aim to achieve.
Just as our products have evolved over time to provide better solutions for our customers, our own business has evolved as well.
KLEIN PRODUCTS' HISTORY
The Klein Trap Tank
Our TRAP tank is just one example of our pioneering leadership. Prior to this innovation, most tanks were either round or rectangular. With a trapezoidal shape, our patented TRAP tank dramatically improved safety, offering better visibility around the machine, increased stability and a lower center of gravity. It was also stronger and more durable. With so many benefits, the trapezoidal tank shape we invented quickly became the new industry standard.
The PortoTower®
Another of our most exemplary innovations is the Klein Porto-Tower®, a portable water tower capable of filling water-distribution vehicles at a rapid rate of up to 7,500 gallons per minute. The Porto-Tower® revolutionized dirt excavation contracting and is now a prerequisite for every large dirt-moving job.
Throughout our history, we have expanded to new facilities on multiple occasions to accommodate our growth. I am especially proud of the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility we built in Texas beginning in 1995, which allowed us to complete all manufacturing in-house and expedite our distribution process — improving quality control and service for our worldwide customers. In one of many efforts to reduce our environmental impact, we also constructed an advanced, state-of-the-art paint facility designed to recycle materials and reduce pollution. Temperature and humidity controlled, this paint facility is always ready to perform regardless of weather conditions. We even collaborated with our supplier to develop earth-conscious paints, again demonstrating our environmental leadership. I am equally proud of the beautiful West Coast facility we built in 2016, which allowed us to further expand and enhance our operations, as well as lay the foundation for future growth.
We have also continued to broaden our service area throughout the years. In the 1970s, my father began to build relationships with major equipment manufacturers, which helped fuel our expansion across the U.S. and into foreign markets. When I was named company president in 1991, I felt that further pursuit of global expansion would provide a buffer for the ups and downs of the U.S. economy, so I continued to strengthen these relationships and focus on exports. As a result, Klein Products reached a new peak during the Great Recession, a time when many companies in the industry were struggling.
As our company continues to grow and change, we never stop pushing ourselves to achieve. I am proud to say that in 2017, and renewed in 2020, 2023 and 2026, Klein Products of Texas’ factory achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management — allowing us to support our promise of quality with procedures that meet internationally recognized standards and deliver even greater value to the many individuals and companies that rely on our products every day.
We’ve also attained NTEA MVP status, and American Welding Society, AWS certifications for procedures and performance.
In the past 69 years, we have grown from a very small repair business with a one-man staff into an international company with a skilled team of more than 150 people. And our annual output has grown from just a few projects per year to a capacity of more than 600, leading to both revenue and bottom-line growth.
To all who have been a part of our business so far, thank you. We have accomplished a tremendous amount together in these 69 years, and I look forward to many more shared successes in the future.
With sincerest appreciation,
Klein History Timeline
Klein Products Founded
Early Tractor Scraper
"The New Look"
PortoTower® Prototype®
Ontario, CA Plant
Invented / Patented Trap Tank
