Central Industrial Sheet Metal Works, Inc., Kansas City, MO -- designer, builder and installer of industrial and commercial projects

Mid-America Commerce & Industry, Mar 01, 1999

Central Industrial Sheet Metal Works. Inc., Kansas City, Missouri, is observing its 75th anniversary this year. Founded by Gustav Blaich, the business is still owned by his descendants and is now operated by third and fourth generation family members.

Gustav Blaich came to the United States at the age of 16 from Illigen, Germany. Two of his sisters, Minna and Rose, helped bring him over, He came through Ellis Island in 1906, speaking only German. He somehow made his way to Kansas City. where he was employed as a helper in a hardware and tin shop. He started Central Industrial Sheet Metal Works in 1924.

Gustav had married Viola Good in 1913 and they had five children. Erma, Ronald, Thelma, Jean and Calvin all worked at Central Industrial at one time or another. Ronald and Calvin are both past presidents of the company. When Calvin retired in 1995, Ronald's son, R. Scott Blaich, took over the presidency and is still running the company.

Unlike many sheet metal shops, Central Industrial Sheet Metal does very little "HVAC duct work". Central designs, builds., and installs a wide variety of items that require stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, and plastics. "Over the past 75 years, we've built our reputation on the quality of our work and the experience of our installation teams," says Scott Blaich, president and grandson of Gustav.

"We have engineers on staff and offer computer aided custom designing and engineering in the shop or field. The variety and 'specialty items' make each project exciting for our gifted sheet metal workers (Local Union #2). This also provides our workers with even more opportunities to learn new processes," says Scott.

Typical work at Central Industrial involves conveyors. pneumatic conveyors, food processing equipment, bucket elevators, duct systems, hoppers, chutes, stacks, dust collection and ventilation systems, stainless steel tooling, acid resistant plastic hoods and fittings, etc.

"We have a wide range Of projects that we encounter. From a large installation job to a small 30-minute project, we approach all jobs with our reputation in hand. Our customers have come to rely upon us for high standards of quality over the years. Our quality is really what separates us from the competition," said Chris Blaich, project engineer.

Central Industrial has been in the West Bottoms near downtown Kansas City for 75 years. They missed the flood of 1993, but were not so lucky, in 1951. Chris said the water was all the way to the roof.

Central Industrial's shop is fully equipped with all different sizes of roll forming equipment, a 200-ton press brake, a 1/4" shear, a computer plasma cutting table, plasma cutting machines, and welders. The company has its own trucks for deliveries and field work.

Contact Central Industrial Sheet Metal works, Inc., 1615 West 9th Street, Kansas City, MO 64101. 816-842-0701. Fax 816-842-0704.