In June 1990, Bruce and Julie Marler opened B&J Fabrication. At the time, Bruce was still working full time for Casey Industrial Inc., running the high tech rigging division that he had started for Casey some ten years earlier.  As is the case with many small businesses, B&J began in the Marler garage, a side business manufacturing fabricated metal products for local OEMs.

In 1998, Casey decided to exit the high tech rigging business. Seeing an opportunity, B&J purchased the division from Casey and changed their name to Marler Enterprises, Inc. (MEI).

From that point on MEI grew quickly. While still focused primarily on the core rigging business, opportunistic purchases of other small companies, including two CNC machining facilities and a powder coating facility, complemented MEI’s growing manufacturing needs. During this time period, Bruce and Julie’s three sons and a daughter-in-law also joined the business in various leadership capacities.

In addition to growth via acquisition, MEI also recruited key personnel with extensive experience at Phoenix Process Automation and Verteq. The combination of manufacturing capabilities and talent allowed the company to begin manufacturing semiconductor fabrication and related support equipment including wet process systems. Not long after, MEI rounded out it’s capabilities in the wet processing arena through the acquisition of IDX Robotics, Inc.

In the fall of 2004, Bruce sold his majority stake in Marler Enterprises and the company began formally doing business as MEI, LLC as part of a larger reorganization to prepare the company for expansion outside of the Pacific Northwest region. Bruce’s son Skip, another Marler Enterprises owner, sold his ownership interest in 2006.

Currently, both the Semiconductor Equipment & Services division and the Rigging & Crating division of MEI enjoy continued growth nationwide. With one eye always toward the future, MEI continues to seek opportunities that fit both these strategic areas, including acquisitions that complement its current core competencies and regional requirements.