McHENRY – After founding Miller Formless Company 45 years ago, the original owner recently sold the midsized manufacturer in McHenry to a new three-person ownership team.
Charles Miller, who founded Miller Formless in 1970, will remain with the company as president and adviser to new owners Scott Smith, John Smith and Tom Uutala. The three owners bring decades of engineering, construction and finance expertise and will continue to operate the company under the Miller Formless name, Miller said in a statement.
Employing 34 people, Miller Formless makes automated paving systems primarily for the construction industry out of an 80,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in McHenry. Clients in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, Asia and Australia use the company's machines.
"When I was looking for an opportunity to preserve the Miller Formless legacy for another generation, I wanted to make sure that whoever I brought in would protect the heart of this company – its employees," Miller said. "The best opportunity was a long-time friend of our family, had strong ties to McHenry and Illinois, and shares the same philosophies and values in business and life as I do. Miller Formless is in good hands."
Miller designed his first Slipform Paving Machine in the 1960s while working at his father's construction company and branched out on his own with Miller Formless.
John Smith, who will work as principal of the McHenry manufacturer, started his first job as an engineer with Miller's father's company in the late 1970s and later founded Smith Engineering Consultants in 1981. He sold the company in 2009.
Scott Smith will serve as Miller Formless CEO, overseeing all operations at the company. Smith has more than 20 years of engineering experience, including various positions at HR Green – a prominent engineering firm in McHenry County.
Uutala, who resides in Cleveland, will serve on the company's board. He brings decades of financial experience to the McHenry manufacturer, Miller said.
"Chuck is a pioneer in the field of slipforming, but more significantly, he knew it was important to build a quality business through his employees," Scott Smith said in a statement. "His dedication to them and their efforts in building Miller Formless machines have made Miller Formless a great company. I am thrilled that they've welcomed me, John and Tom into their family."
The ownership change went into effect Oct. 1.