MAC Equipment (Kansas City, MO), manufacturer of pneumatic conveying, process controls, and air filtration equipment, marks a major milestone this year as the firm, which employs about 350 in North America, celebrates its 40th anniversary. The company was founded in 1969 in Sabetha, KS by Gary and Virginia McDaniel to supply equipment able to meet the demands of the Clean Air Act of 1970.  Manufacturing continues in Sabetha.

In 1978, MAC acquired COLT-ON Industries, which added pneumatic conveying to its offerings and also incorporated the trademark colt (horse) logo of MAC Equipment. In 1979, Gary McDaniel was named the National Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year by then-President Jimmy Carter. 

Since then the company has changed hands twice. Gary McDaniel retired in 1998 and sold the business to George K. Baum and Co., and then in 2007 Clyde Process Solutions PLC acquired MAC.

According to the company, more than 30% of its employees are degreed engineers. “Our experienced in-house engineers enable us to implement complete system design, project management and turn-key installed projects,” says Jay Brown, current president and CEO of MAC. —[email protected]