Skip to main content

Site search

Search results

2 results found

Brach Machine celebrates 30 years in business and the joys of manufacturing

By Howard B. Owens

Bill and Nancy Brach clearly love their business, Brach Machine, Inc., which is now in its 30th year in Batavia. Yesterday, the Brachs showed a visitor around their shop with verve and eagerness to share the details of what they do, how they do it and why it's important. 

Going through

Genesee County's oldest manufacturing company celebrates 140 years in business

chapin 140th anniversary
By Howard B. Owens
chapin 140th anniversary
Tim Onello, on TV screen, delivers opening remarks on Saturday during a 140th Anniversary Celebration for Chapin International at the company's headquarters at 400 Ellicott Street, Batavia.
Photo by Howard Owens.

One hundred and forty years ago, homes didn't have electricity, and there were no amateur photographers.

That's right. In 1884, neither General Electric nor Eastman Kodak's founders had launched their history-making companies, nor had Nabisco or Coca-Cola product their game-changing products to market yet.

But a pair of young businessmen in Oakfield, Ralph E. Chapin and brother-in-law Frank Harris, had devised an idea for a better container to store kerosene for lamps and Chapin Manufacturing was born.

Authentically Local