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HYSTRO PRODUCTS

Hystro Products has been one of Oconomowoc’s long-standing precision manufacturing companies, with a history that stretches back more than 70 years.

· June 1, 1955 – Company founded

o Hystro Products was established in Oconomowoc by Robert Hyack, Walter Froderman, and Frank Stetter.

o The company specialized in precision-machined components using automatic screw machines, serving industrial customers.

· 1956 – Ownership change

o Frank Stetter sold his interest in the company to Alfred Manne, whose family would remain closely associated with Hystro for decades.

· Original location

o Hystro first operated in a leased building at 908 E. Wisconsin Avenue in Oconomowoc.

· 1961 – Move to Armour Road

o The company built its own manufacturing facility at 900 Armour Road, moving into the new plant in October 1961.

o This remains the company’s headquarters today.

· 1960s – Growth

o By 1962, Hystro was processing more than 900 tons of steel annually.

o The shop operated multiple-spindle automatic screw machines, producing custom precision parts on a contract (“made-to-order”) basis.

· Military and automotive work

o Over the years, Hystro manufactured components for:

§ Polaris missile programs

§ Military ordnance

§ Automotive manufacturers including Ford and Hyundai

§ Hydraulic couplings and fittings

§ Home appliance and recreational equipment industries

· 1988 – Facility expansion

o The City of Oconomowoc approved an expansion adding approximately 68 × 100 feet to the Armour Road plant to accommodate growing production.

· 1990s – Legal precedent

o Hystro was involved in a notable federal court case, Hystro Products, Inc. v. MNP Corp. (1994), concerning payment for manufactured goods and corporate liability. The Seventh Circuit ruled in Hystro’s favor, making the case a frequently cited decision in corporate “piercing the corporate veil” law.

· Today

o Hystro continues to operate as an ISO 9001:2015-certified precision machining company at 900 Armour Road.

o It manufactures screw-machine products, automotive components, hydraulic and pneumatic fittings, and other precision parts for industrial customers. The company states it has been producing precision parts continuously since 1955.

Fred, the current owner of Hystro Products shares a memory of when he was just a child learning what hard work meant when his father and partners were building the company. Years later, while serving in the U.S. Army, he had an unexpected reminder of his family’s work. Sitting inside a tank, he noticed a component and recognized it immediately—it was a part manufactured by Hystro Products.

It was a surprising and proud moment. Seeing a Hystro-made part in military equipment brought home the impact of the company’s craftsmanship and reliability. What had begun as his father’s work had become part of equipment trusted in one of the most demanding environments imaginable, creating a lasting connection between the family’s legacy and his own military service.

In 2025, as part of Oconomowoc’s 150th anniversary celebration, the Oconomowoc Area Historical Society and the city recognized Hystro Products as one of the community’s long-established businesses that has contributed to the city’s manufacturing heritage for over half a century.

A company’s true legacy isn’t measured only by how many years it has been in business, but by what those years have contributed. Every decade represents thousands of days of craftsmanship, innovation, jobs created, families supported, and products that helped other industries succeed. Those years become part of a community’s history and a quiet contribution to the world around us.

Community-focused: For more than 70 years, Hystro Products has been more than a manufacturer in Oconomowoc. It has provided stable employment, developed skilled tradespeople, supported local families, and produced precision components that became part of products used across the country and beyond. Its story reflects the importance of American manufacturing and the people whose work often goes unseen but makes countless other industries possible.

Legacy-focused: Time is one of the greatest measures of contribution. To remain in business for decades requires resilience, integrity, adaptability, and a commitment to quality. Each generation builds upon the work of the last, creating a legacy that extends far beyond the factory walls. The value of those years is found not only in what was made, but in the lives touched, the knowledge passed on, and the example set for future generations.

Seventy years is more than a milestone—it is a testament to the people who came to work each day, solved problems, took pride in their craft, and helped build something that outlasted generations. Their contributions are woven into the history of Oconomowoc and into the many products and industries they quietly helped support. That is a legacy worth recognizing and preserving.

Hystro Products would like to extend a special thank you to every employee/member of our team for the effort you put in each day. Your professionalism, teamwork, creativity, and determination make a meaningful difference in everything we accomplish.

Thank you for the many years of commitment, dedication, and craftsmanship. Your work has made a lasting difference—not only in the products you created, but in the people you worked alongside, the families you supported, and the community you helped strengthen.

Now it is time to move on—not because the years have lost their meaning, but because their work is complete. The legacy of Hystro Products is measured not only in the parts it manufactured, but in the lives it touched, the community it strengthened, and the example it set through decades of integrity, perseverance, and pride in craftsmanship.

We truly appreciate the extra effort, the long hours, the willingness to help one another, and the pride you take in your work. Every contribution matters, and together, you help make Hystro Products stronger and better these past years.

Now it is time to commit once again to the reason it all began.

The values that inspired the first step—purpose, faith, family, service, or the pursuit of excellence—remain as meaningful today as they were at the beginning. While one chapter comes to a close, another begins with the opportunity to invest in what matters most.

Alfred Manne- known as Fred Manne, Well done, thank you for your service! God Bless you, your wife and your family.