J.W. “Bill” Kice operated two metalwork shops.
One was based in Wichita, and the other moved from mill to mill, handling the sheet metal installation for the large mills.
Bill specialized in mill metalwork but also engaged in metalwork for heating, cooling and aircraft systems as his skills intersected with the industrial innovations of the early 1900s.
In 1927, Bill invented the "Kice-Type" long-cone, scroll-entry cyclone collector.
This innovation improved the field of dust collection and facilitated the efficient discharge of materials from pneumatic conveying lines. Bill's early airflow principles, incorporated into this cyclone design, have since been included in systems worldwide.
Then, in 1929, Bill sold his Wichita business and invented the Kice Multi-Aspirator®.
The numerous advantages of his design became evident as mills began to install cyclones, further validating and proving the benefits of his designs.
Bill and his three sons, Jack, Russell and Jim, kept busy during this pioneering period for the milling industry.
Bill's services as a sheet metal millwright were in high demand, and his sons worked with him as they cultivated their skills and talents.
The Kice family played an active role in supporting the war effort.
Bill Kice was appointed superintendent of maintenance for Cessna, supervising the construction of buildings and the installation of machinery through rapid expansion and crisis.
Jack Kice worked as an engineer for Boeing and was involved in the heating and pressurization of B-29 cabins. During this time, Jack sold his patented air conditioning equipment rights to the Coleman Company, and he managed Coleman's heating and air conditioning division for 11 years.
Russell and Jim Kice volunteered for service in the Navy. Russell served as the navigator of a troop transport ship. Jim served as a Seabee and built landing fields and other facilities in the Pacific Islands.
During the war, the Kice family agreed by correspondence to go into business together when peace returned.
Bill Kice and his three sons, Jack, Russell and Jim, founded Kice Metal Products Company in 1946.
By contributing $1,500 each, they financed the construction of a shop building and purchased enough equipment to start a four-way family partnership.
The original shop building was situated on South Washington Street in Wichita, Kansas, and was a modest 1,900-square-foot structure with approximately 11-foot ceilings.
Jack was responsible for engineering and advertising, Russell managed sales and administration, and Jim oversaw production.
The company thrived on family values, innovative solutions and love of the customer that formed a strong foundation and sustained growth through generations of Kice leadership.
With the availability of steel in 1949, Kice underwent its first plant expansion.
Its two-story front design offered ample space for essential facilities such as a plant office, drafting room storage balcony and a spacious area equipped with an overhead crane for efficient lifting and assembly of parts.
During the Korean War, unable to purchase industrial fans, Kice manufactured their own.
They discovered their fans were of equal or even superior quality to those they could buy.
During the late 1950s, Richard (Jack's son) and J.D. and Bill Kice (Russell's sons) began working at Kice when they turned 16. Following the previous generation's footsteps, the third generation of Kices worked in the shop alongside their grandfather Bill during summers and after school.
Kice invented and patented the DynaJet filter cleaning system.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shifted its preference from cyclone collectors to filters for dust control systems. The shift posed a problem for Kice because the available filters were incompatible with their Multi-Aspirator® systems. To overcome this hurdle, Kice developed and patented a groundbreaking solution known as the DynaJet filter cleaning system.
In 1968, Kice Metal Products Company became a family-held corporation. Bill retired soon after the incorporation but continued as board chairman. Jack assumed the role of vice president of engineering, Russell served as president and sales manager, and Jim became the vice president of production.
EPA pollution control regulations forced many foundries to shut down, so Kice founded its own.
The various shutdowns led to a shortage of gray iron castings for Kice airlocks and diverter valves. Kice responded to this by purchasing a 20-acre plot of land in Blackwell, Oklahoma, and building a foundry operated as a subsidiary by the name of CFM (Casting, Fabricating and Machining).
Although coke-fired cupolas made pollution control more complex, CFM used them to produce the best gray iron. Kice designed cupola pollution control systems and advanced molding equipment to contribute to higher production rates and product quality.
Bill Kice passed away peacefully on Nov. 1, 1971.
Jack was elected board chairman after Bill's passing, and the third generation of Kices assumed leadership positions within the company. John Kice led engineering, design and research management, while J.D., Bill, Bob and Tom (Russell's sons) performed sales in the office and out in the field. Ed and Dave (Jim's sons) supervised production.
Kice undertook a significant expansion of their CFM foundry in 1982.
This expansion doubled the foundry's capacity and added a separate building dedicated to pattern work and storage. With the new facilities in Wichita and CFM's expansion in Blackwell, Kice created the necessary space and capacity to support their steady business growth.
In 1985, Jack Kice retired from his position at Kice Industries. His son, John, took on the vice president of engineering role, and Jim Kice was elected board chairman. J.D. served as vice president of marketing, Bill as vice president of sales, and Bob as vice president of international sales. Tom was appointed president of Kice Industries. Ed served as vice president of production in Wichita, and Dave served as president of CFM.
Kice Industries patented its Kice Short-Flow Mill® Unit, which garnered considerable attention in the milling industry.
Kice also experienced growth in bulk commodities and industries outside of grain-based foods. Plastics, chemical and non-flour foods amounted to approximately 35%-40% of Kice's business, with Ford Motor Company as one of its first significant projects in the automotive industry.
Kice expanded operations again in 1996, constructing a new state-of-the-art facility on 25 acres of land in Park City, Kansas.
This expansion offered enhanced capabilities and the necessary infrastructure to support the company's continued growth.
In 1996, after earning a degree in business administration from The University of Kansas, Drew Kice (Tom's son) joined the Kice Industries sales team.
Tim Kice (Tom's son) joined the sales team in 1998 and moved to work in production in 1999. Also, in 1999, Alex Kice (J.D.'s son) joined the sales team.
Kice sold, consolidated and optimized its operations.
Kice sold its South Mead plant in Wichita and began constructing another state-of-the-art manufacturing facility adjacent to its existing plant in Park City. The new facility added 72,500 square feet of manufacturing space to Kice's operations. The consolidation brought all of Kice's corporate offces and manufacturing processes to one location.
In 2003, Jack and Russell Kice passed away, leaving behind a legacy of Kices prepared to lead the expanding company. In the same year, John Kice retired as vice president of engineering; he remains a valued member of the board of directors. Also, Ben Kice (Bill's son) joined the sales team.
In 2006, J.D. Kice retired, retaining a consulting role within the company, and Jeff Kice (Tom's son) joined the sales team.
Bill Kice retired and continued work as a consultant in 2008.
In 2009, Jim Kice passed away (while fishing, we believe he would want you to know).
Drew Kice was appointed president of Kice Industries in October 2009.
Kice formed a strategic partnership with Sangati Berga, a manufacturer based in Brazil, in 2019
The partnership supports Kice Engineering's ability to offer cutting-edge, turnkey solutions.
In 2012, Bob Kice retired, and Alex Kice took over Kice's international sales.
J.D. Kice passed away in 2013, leaving a legacy evident in Kice's engineering department for his vital role in establishing the department alongside Jack and John.
In 2013, David Kice retired, and Kurt Eck was named president of CFM.
Tom Kice retired in 2016, and CEO was added to Drew Kice's title.
In 2017, Ed Kice retired, marking the end of the third generation of Kice family members to work at the company. Ed holds the record for Kice's longest employment term and continues serving as board chairman. Tim Kice took over Ed's role as vice president of production.
Kice and Sangati Berga began constructing a 27,500 CWT flour mill in Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Completed in 2023, Amber Wave is one of the largest flour mills in North America. The collaboration showcases Kice's dedication to innovation and growth and providing comprehensive turnkey services for clients.
Kice Industries underwent a significant rebranding in 2023.
The company introduced a dynamic website, a new logo and the tagline, "Innovate. Automate. Create." These changes reflect Kice's dedication to pioneering solutions, leveraging advanced technology and fostering collaboration and creativity.
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