History

What began as a small, family-owned business in the farmlands of Kentucky, is today part of a multi-billion-dollar, family-owned business that serves customers across the globe.

In 1964, the Anderson brothers met to make the decision to devote a portion of their 100-acre family farm in Burlington Kentucky to build a new manufacturing plant. The six Anderson brothers had grown up in the area and were ready to start their new business.

Over the next few months, they scoured the region buying equipment and by early summer of 1965 Skilcraft was open for business. A little more than a month later, the Cincinnati Post proclaimed Skilcraft Becomes Success in Instant in an article detailing the company’s fast growth and focus on quality.

The original 4,800 square foot building continued to grow to more than 80,000 square feet over the next four decades as Skilcraft grew to service businesses and industries around the world. Throughout this time, the company’s spirit of innovation was on full display, with Skilcraft being among the first fabricators to offer laser cutting or helping to pioneer process automation to bring greater efficiencies and consistency for its customers.

In 2004, the remaining Anderson brothers were wanting to retire and sold Skilcraft to a new leadership group. This new team continued to grow Skilcraft and in 2012 made a bold entry into the world of Aerospace. Just as the Anderson brothers experienced over 50 years earlier, Skilcraft was an instant success in this new venture!

In 2021, Skilcraft became an affiliate of O’Neal Industries (ONI), the parent organization of a group of strategically aligned companies that together form the nation’s largest family-owned metals service centers and component and tube manufacturing businesses.

Skilcraft fabricates complex metal components for world-changing innovators.