Who We Are

The Marmon Group, part of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., comprises three autonomous companies consisting of 11 diverse, stand-alone business sectors and approximately
150 independent manufacturing and service businesses. These three companies and
their respective sectors are:

Marmon Engineered Industrial & Metal Components, Inc.
Distribution Services
Electrical & Plumbing Products—Distribution
Industrial Products

Marmon Natural Resource & Transportation Services, Inc.
Crane Services
Engineered Wire & Cable
Transportation Services & Engineered Products

Marmon Retail & End User Technologies, Inc.
Food Service Equipment
Highway Technologies
Retail Home Improvement Products
Retail Store Fixtures
Water Treatment

Marmon businesses operate approximately 300 manufacturing, distribution and service facilities, and employ more than 17,000 people worldwide. Revenues exceeded $6.9 billion in 2011.



Our History

The multibillion-dollar complex of businesses known today as The Marmon Group began in 1953 when brothers Jay and Robert Pritzker acquired The Colson Corporation, then an ailing manufacturer with continuing sales of $3.5 million. Once Colson was restored to profitability, other small businesses were acquired or created. By the early 1960s, a dozen companies had joined informally to benefit from shared consulting and administrative services.

The Marmon Group name was adopted in 1964 after the acquisition of the Marmon-Herrington Company, successor to the Marmon Motor Car Company. An early 20th century producer of fine passenger automobiles, Marmon also manufactured the car that won the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911.

With the 1976 acquisition of Cerro Corporation, combined revenues for Marmon Group businesses doubled to nearly $1 billion and the organization grew more diverse. By this time, Marmon companies manufactured products including automotive equipment, metal products and materials, electrical and electronic wire and cable, retail store fixtures and more. The 1981 acquisition of Trans Union Corporation added businesses that manufacture and lease railroad tank cars, provide consumer credit information and produce water purification systems, fasteners and other products. Combined revenues that year approached $3 billion.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, The Marmon Group of companies expanded via internal investment and multiple smaller acquisitions in industries where Marmon businesses already had a presence, including information management, retail store equipment, wire and cable, and others.

In January 2002, Robert Pritzker concluded his five decade tenure at Marmon. Thomas Pritzker became Chairman and John Nichols was named Chief Executive Officer. The Marmon Group organized into core business sectors dedicated to supporting growth in their respective industries. At the start of 2005, TransUnion, an information-based business that was unique within the largely industrial Marmon organization, was established as a stand-alone operation. In January 2006, Mr. Nichols became Vice Chairman of Marmon and was succeeded as CEO by Frank Ptak.

In March 2008, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. acquired majority interest in The Marmon Group of companies.

How We Operate

The Marmon Group, part of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is one of the world's most decentralized large industrial organizations.

Each Marmon business operates independently under its own management within a sector structure that provides access to the experience and expertise of other Marmon companies in related businesses and markets.

In place of a traditional, centralized corporate headquarters, a small professional organization based in Chicago, Illinois—The Marmon Group LLC—provides consulting and administrative support to management of Marmon companies in areas including business strategy, financial services, legal matters, human resources, and more.

The Marmon Business Model employs the time-tested lessons of 80/20 statistical analysis as part of a comprehensive, continual thinking process. Key elements include:

Decentralized management of small, homogeneous, segmented businesses.
Focus on niche markets/products with profitable growth potential.
Innovative products/services that provide practical solutions to meet customer needs and create Marmon's differentiation "moat."
Continuous improvement in operating efficiency and productivity.
Selective "bolt-on" acquisitions to enhance strategic direction.

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