Our Company History
Since the very beginning, Kundinger has been a company based on family, passion, and people.
Our journey began with Thomas A. Kundinger, who followed his unconventional path from the United States Merchant Marine Academy to sailing the world and supplying fuel for troops. When he returned to Michigan, he found work on the assembly line at Ford but longed to work with people again. Following his heart, he ventured into community policing for the city of Detroit. After leaving the police force, he then went into sales. His desire for entrepreneurship and combined experience drove him to found his own company with business partner Ken Miller.
In 1961, Thomas A. Kundinger joined Ken Miller in the creation of the Miller-Kundinger Sales Engineering company. Starting from Thomas and Dorothy Kundinger’s home in Fenton, Michigan, our business was truly a family affair.
Even at a young age, two of Thomas and Dorothy’s sons, Thomas J. and Brian, played a role in the business, making sure to silence the washer and dryer whenever the phone rang. Their dad was often on the road as the sole salesman, while the two helped their mother unload trucks and store products in the basement. But soon, the home office became too small, and the company moved to a building in downtown Fenton, Michigan. Not long after, a brand-new facility was constructed along U.S. Highway 23 in Fenton.
Thomas A. Kundinger’s visionary nature led him to foresee the potential of U.S. 23 and its development into an industrial park. By acquiring farmland along the highway, he laid the foundation for Kundinger’s growth and success.
With two of his sons ready to follow in his footsteps and the company’s roots firmly planted in Michigan, the opportunity to expand into Wisconsin came through Parker Hannifin, one of our vendors. While originally led by a partner, the Kundinger family sent Thomas J. to lead Wisconsin temporarily upon the partner’s departure. Thomas J. moved his family there temporarily, but they ended up embracing the Badger State and raising their family in the area.
Thomas J. and Brian led Wisconsin and Michigan respectively, and while raising their family, found that four sons were willing to take over the third generation of family leadership at Kundinger. Brian II and Michael remained in Michigan, while Paul and Tom led Wisconsin operations. Given the opportunity to divide, the cousins agreed to keep the business together and co-run operations.
With over six decades of experience, the Kundinger family is proud to serve customers across the nation and beyond.
We’re here to meet all your needs, from fluid power, automation, and control solutions to parts, service, and repairs.
Join us on this incredible journey and experience the Kundinger Difference.