Allied Mineral Products is celebrating its 60th anniversary. In its early days, Allied began selling minerals from a home office and garage in the northwest Columbus area. The need for warehouse space led co-founders Bill Winemiller and Bob Scott to lease a downtown building off East Chestnut Street. This new facility allowed for distribution of several product lines of minerals across a 5-state area. Soon after, the partners created their own line of refractory products to market.
Allied’s first product sold was MINRO-AL® RAM A31-W to Ridge Tool (now Emerson), creator of the modern pipe wrench and a line of RIDGID® tools and equipment. Jon K. Tabor was instrumental in the sale of this product against strong market competition. Credited with what became known as the “Allied Way”, Mr. Tabor went on to enjoy a 50-year career serving Allied and its customers before retiring from Chairman Emeritus in 2020.
Allied’s current headquarters and manufacturing campus spans 40 scenic acres on the west side of Columbus, Ohio. This flagship location houses a state-of-the-art research and technology center and a newly renovated monolithic and precast shapes manufacturing facility.
Key events through the years have shaped Allied into a culture of working together towards a common goal. One such event was the introduction of the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) in 1976. Being employee-owned means employee’s actions directly affect the company’s profitability. This benefits employees with a rewarding career, a sense of fulfillment and a great retirement.
Allied opened its first international location near Johannesburg, South Africa in 1998. Soon after in 1999, Allied began manufacturing in a leased facility in Tianjin, China. These expansions paved the way for subsequent locations in Tianjin, The Netherlands, South China, India, Brazil, Chile, and Russia. Every product made in each facility follows the same stringent manufacturing process because Allied prides themselves on producing top quality products for its customers across the globe.
From humble beginnings to a world leader in refractories, Allied’s focus is “being there worldwide” for customers with their people and products. This commitment is proven through adaptive manufacturing, timely deliveries, and on-site product installations. “We started with the idea of being there for our customers and will continue on into the future. It’s who we are to our core.” says Jon R. Tabor, Chairman and CEO. Allied’s formula for success is People + Products = Solutions. This has been the right chemistry for providing innovative solutions to the refractory industry for 60 years.
