American Ingenuity: 95+ Years of Milbank Manufacturing
Since 1927, Milbank Manufacturing has proudly stood as a symbol of American innovation, craftsmanship and resilience. Founded in the heart of Kansas City by Charles Albert Milbank, our company began in a time of Model Ts and telegrams, an era far removed from today’s fast-moving, high-tech world.
Nearly a century later, Milbank Manufacturing remains a leading force in the electrical industry. Why? Because we never forgot our roots.
Charlie Milbank was a businessman rooted in integrity. Known affectionately as “Uncle Charlie,” he built Milbank with the grit, vision and values that continue to guide us today: honesty, hard work, relationships and continuous improvement.
From his humble beginnings customizing electrical enclosures out of a Kansas City garage, Charlie’s mission was simple: solve real-world problems with safe, durable products that customers could trust, laying the foundation for the US-based electrical manufacturer we are today.
These values weren’t just printed on a poster, they were lived. Charlie stood by his employees, invested in relationships, and poured every ounce of energy into creating a company that cared. More than ninety-five years later, the same spirit of Milbank history drives us forward.
From building meter sockets during the electrification of America to producing landing mat clips for the WWII effort, Milbank has consistently played a vital role in connecting people to power. As the industry evolved, so did we, always responding to the changing needs of utilities, municipalities and distributors.
We grew from a regional manufacturer into a national powerhouse with multiple U.S. facilities and thousands of SKUs designed and built on American soil, including our enclosed controls product line that’s customized to suit utility requirements across the nation.
Through every decade, patent wars, new product innovations, Lean Manufacturing, and even Hurricane Andrew relief, Milbank has proven its resilience. We’ve adapted, grown and led, never losing sight of what matters: quality products, excellent service and unwavering values.
Milbank remains a proudly independent, family-owned manufacturing company. With President and CEO Brad Skinner at the helm, a former assembler turned executive, Milbank’s leadership embodies our commitment to promoting from within and building careers for the long haul. In fact, many of our employees have been with us for decades, bringing unmatched expertise and loyalty that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Our family council and independent board of directors continue to ensure strong, thoughtful governance, bridging tradition with innovation and ensuring the Milbank legacy thrives for generations to come.
We’re not just celebrating the past, we’re building the future. Milbank continues to invest in American-made solutions that address today’s biggest challenges in power distribution. From our enclosed control products for events, lighting, and telecom to our PWRvance line supporting EV charging infrastructure, we are actively engineering what’s next in power.
Our purpose is clear: Empowering life by connecting people to power through meaningful innovation. Every enclosure, every switch, every new product that leaves our facility carries the same commitment to quality that Charlie Milbank envisioned nearly a century ago.
Today, Milbank operates out of U.S.-based manufacturing facilities, employs over 800 people, and serves more than 2,500 customers across industries. We’re proud to continue our founder’s tradition as an American manufacturer, delivering reliable, high-quality electrical solutions to communities across the country.
As we approach our 100th year in business, we remain anchored in Milbank history and what truly makes our brand special: a deep sense of purpose, a culture of caring, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We’re not just building meter sockets and electrical enclosures, we’re building trust, reliability and the Milbank legacy of American manufacturing that you can count on.
Because according to the man, the myth and the legend, our very own Charlie Milbank, “at the end of the day, you can always Bank on Milbank.”
