Western Machine Works, Inc. is a privately held, 4th generation, family owned business. Founded by Frank Schmitz, Western Machine Works has serviced the Northwest Industries since 1907. Originally set up to service the Marine Industry, in house as well as out in the field, working onboard ships for major repairs. In the 1930’s the Company shifted to service the forest product industry to manufacture tools, saws, hogs, and a number of other products. Also during this time Western Machine Works was known around the world for their custom door manufacturing machines, exporting to Australia, New Zealand and numerous European countries.

In the late 1940’s Arthur Schmitz, the only son of Frank Schmitz, shifted the Company’s focus to the roofing industry as well as maintaining the forest products industry as their major source business, building innovative machines such as the Panel Sander. This new automatic stroke sander for sanding both hardwood and softwood plywood panels was highlighted in the March 1947 edition of The Timberman, a forest product industry magazine. The article states the sander will take panels 5 feet wide and up to 10 feet long. The stroke was adjustable. The machine was all ball-bearing, constructed of alloy steel shafts with balanced pulleys. The Panel Sander was designed and manufactured by Western Machine Works to help move the progressive plywood businesses of that era.

Arthur Schmitz was quite a character and a well known businessman in Tacoma, WA and the industries of the Tideflats. He was not all business however. Art enjoyed his two sons, Phil and David. He particularly enjoyed the football season during Apple Cup as Art, a 1932 graduate of Washington State University and Phil, a 1963 graduate of the University of Washington, both former team recruiters, would have lively discussions about who had the better team that year. Although, rivals in football, father and son soon combined their common interest, Western Machine Works, Inc., and the company flourished through to the third generation.

Together Art and Phil built up their team, Western Machine Works, Inc., to what it is today; a precision custom job machine shop. Each of our journeyman machinists and welders were recruited to fill specific areas of expertise in the shop. Under the direction of the General Manager, Steve Salter, the machinists are able to build new proto-types as well as tackling in house jobs as intricate as shear, punch, tool and die work and field jobs as technical as rebuilding large scale gearboxes and coupling setups on site. Western Machine Works, Inc. provides urgent, on call machinist services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Western Machine Works recognizes that a down machine can equate to massive losses and we respond with urgency, providing highly qualified journeyman machinists to do what it takes to get the machine back in production.

Fast forward to today… fourth generation, James P. Schmitz steps up to carry on the family business. J.P. together with Phil have partnered with Milt Turco, of Turco Engineering & Manufacturing, an in house engineer with license and a tremendous mechanical background. Together with our team of precision machinists, we are developing what is envisioned to be the beginning of the next successful one hundred years.Our people make the difference. We offer a full range of specialty skills combined with the extraordinary dedication of our staff. All of our people are journeyman machinists and certified welders with impressive expertise and time in service histories. When you call Western Machine Works you are calling the best.