Kalnow a revitalizer

Recently, I received an invitation to the 140th anniversary of the founding of National Machinery Co. I believe that except for the actions of Andrew Kalnow, now chief executive officer of National, and certain other close associates, there would be no National Machinery today. In 1963, when I came back to Tiffin to practice law and raise our family with my wife, Tiffin had a booming industrial economy, with plentiful jobs for the blue-collar and skilled workers alike. Tiffin Glass was the pride of Tiffin then, but now it is in rubble; as was American Standard – now rubble; Grabler – now rubble; and General Electric – now closed and resold to a much smaller company. One of Tiffin’s leading and most respected manufacturers was National Machinery. Its machines were sold throughout the world, based upon their superb engineering and high quality of product. Yet, in the 1980s, machine companies in Japan and elsewhere began competing on price by making cheaper knock-off products, and National’s finances took a hit. About that time, the company was sold to a turn-around group from New York’s CitiBank. Within a short time, they closed National Machinery – after more than 100 years of operation as one of Tiffin’s largest employers. The employees and Tiffin were devastated. Soon, a group started meeting at noon every Monday on the lawn next to National Machinery headquarters, to join hands and pray for National and for our community. I remember attending with the group one bitter cold Monday in February, when we joined hands and prayed. About that time, Andy Kalnow decided to sue the powers at CitiBank. And Andy won. He obtained the right, with his investors, to take back and to reopen National Machinery. Whether Andy Kalnow did this because he was a great investor and recognized a potentially fine investment, I don’t know. Whether it was because the Frost and Kalnow families have been involved in National Machinery since the early 1900s, I don’t know. And whether it was God’s answer to some Monday prayer circles … who knows? Whatever the reason, thank you, Andy Kalnow, and thank you, too … . Very truly yours, Michael B. Lange, Tiffin