This month, GP Reeves is celebrating 50 years of success in the precision dispensing business. The company’s journey has been one of challenges, growth, transformation, and grit. Follow us along as we reflect on the people and events that helped us to reach this incredible milestone!
1970’s
In May of 1971, Gordon Paul Reeves found himself at a turning point after being let go from his job at a small fluid powerhouse. Determined never to experience job loss again, Gord decided that the only way forward was to become his own boss. Drawing on the fluid mechanics and electrical expertise he had gained at his previous job, he launched a company focused on providing industrial controls for conveyor manufacturing. Before making the leap, he received crucial advice from his former employer and close friends, who emphasized the importance of starting the business independently and putting his own name on it. Thus, GP Reeves was born.
However, Gord quickly realized that manufacturing industrial controls for conveyors wasn’t as promising as addressing the lubrication needs of those systems. Pivoting his company’s focus, he began producing conveyor lubricators. At the time, competitors were imprecise in their oil dispensing, often leading to dangerous pools of oil in warehouses and even fires. Gord’s unique combination of skills enabled him to engineer and patent an ultra-precise conveyor lubricator. His design was revolutionary—it sat directly on the conveyor and tracked its position to lubricate only the necessary joints.
Although his product was far superior to anything on the market, Gord faced the challenge of perfecting his invention while simultaneously building a customer base. Realizing the key to success was to partner with conveyor manufacturers directly, GP Reeves thrived by following this strategy for several years. By the late 1970s, however, Gord’s loyal customers began asking if he could apply his expertise to other areas of their operations, signaling new opportunities for the company’s future expansion.
1980’s
In the 1980s, while big hair, funk music, and shoulder pads were making waves, so was GP Reeves. Gord’s company had grown significantly, serving multiple industries with its precise and reliable dispensing equipment. This success led Gord to trademark the name Lube Logic™ for his conveyor lubrication systems and expand into a new, larger warehouse facility. As industries began embracing unique automation capabilities, new technologies were developed to advance product lines, and GP Reeves seized the opportunity to evolve its own equipment offerings.
Recognizing the changing market landscape, Gord began offering customization and equipment configuration, ensuring GP Reeves’ dispensing systems could tackle even the most challenging applications. Clients from across the country sought out Gord’s expertise to solve tough, unconventional dispensing challenges with reliable and durable solutions.
During this time, Gord also identified a growing demand for grease dispensing products. Companies increasingly valued the ability to lubricate with grease materials, and Gord quickly responded by developing equipment that could handle the higher viscosities and pressures required for accurate and reliable grease dispensing.
To sustain the momentum of his company’s growth, Gord continued investing in his own knowledge, attending various business and industry-related courses. One particularly impactful seminar, titled “How to Get in Front of the Right Buyers,” taught him how to craft compelling letters to potential buyers, helping him expand his customer base and position GP Reeves for long-term success.
ITT Hancock, a company based in Jackson, MI, received one of Gord’s strategic letters and promptly responded with an inquiry that led to one of GP Reeves’ first major grease projects. Although still a relatively young company, GP Reeves successfully applied MPG3 synthetic grease to Ford door hinges for an emergency installation, stepping in when the project encountered solvent issues. This accomplishment marked a significant milestone for GP Reeves, as Gord celebrated his company’s ability to rapidly adapt and meet the needs of even large-scale corporations, further solidifying its reputation for reliability and innovation in the industry.
In the final months of the 80s, Gord cemented his companies’ unique capabilities with a patent for his company’s lubricant delivery system, which included flow measuring. This patent secured GP Reeves’ spot as a manufacturer of systems that could find and remove air from dispensing materials. Because air could easily become trapped in grease, production lines often suffered from inaccurately dispensed material and numerous air bubbles. The advanced technology and critical thinking of Gord allowed assembly lines to circumvent this problem and continue their procedures with precision.
1990’s
Going into the 1990s, GP Reeves continued to claim a strong foothold within a variety of industries. While the Backstreet boys were singing their way to the spot of best boy band, GP Reeves was claiming its place as a leader within the dispensing industry. Unlike other dispensing companies, GP Reeves ensured its customization abilities were advanced enough to serve the unique needs of even the most challenging customers. “I want it that way” wasn’t just a hit song title, but a customer phrase that brought opportunity for Gord and his team to invent new dispensing technologies that better served the developing configurations of a wider range of clients. A determination to improve and advance the industry led Gord to get another patent for his Flow Sensor, which allowed users to better monitor the amount of material flowing through a dispensing unit.
With a growing team and expanding influence on production lines everywhere, Gord decided to move his plant from the bustling town of Grand Rapids to the smaller coastal city of Holland, Michigan. The move to a larger facility made it easier and more realistic for Gord to grow his team. By the middle of the decade, GP Reeves had become a team of 10 members all focused on innovation and a dedication to succeeding together. We’re lucky to still have some of these original teammates as a part of our GP Reeves family today!
It was also during this time that Gord’s son, Kevin, began to take an interest in shop work and help his father with different dispensing projects. Although the team was expanding, Gord still used distributers as his main source of sales. The founder would fly from Michigan’s west coast to Cleveland, Ohio on his own small plane — allowing him to grow the business and still make it home on time for dinner.
Although most of the business came from a range of distributors, the successful impact of GP Reeves equipment was spreading by word of mouth to major companies around the world. It was during this decade that GP Reeves first landed in Europe, helping in a French assembly line project. Backstreet Boys, baguettes, and progressive material dispensing? No wonder the 90s are coming back!
2000’s
In a decision that reflected his integrity and long-term vision, Gord chose to decline the project, knowing that it would have compromised the company’s values and strained its resources. The automaker eventually partnered with one of GP Reeves’ competitors and has continued to grow, but Gord remains thankful for his decision to stay true to his company’s goals and business model. This moment reinforced his belief that success isn’t just about landing big contracts, but about making choices that align with the core values of the company.
Being involved in key decision-making processes, such as the large-scale automotive project, had a lasting impact on Kevin, Gord’s son and the current president of GP Reeves. In the 2000s, Kevin started his journey within the company, working in quality control. This role gave him hands-on experience in the manufacturing field, allowing him to ensure that products were operating efficiently and up to standard.
Kevin’s exposure to his father’s thoughtful business strategies, combined with his early experience on the service side of the dispensing industry, inspired him to pursue a deeper role within GP Reeves after graduating from college. Witnessing firsthand how Gord navigated opportunities and challenges helped shape Kevin into the business leader he is today, with a commitment to maintaining the values and innovative spirit that have always driven GP Reeves forward.
2010’s
The 2010s marked an unprecedented period of growth and innovation for GP Reeves. One of the most significant advancements was the company’s shift from buying and selling pumps sourced from other manufacturers to producing its own material pumps, enabling GP Reeves to fully develop products in-house. This milestone not only strengthened the company’s control over quality but also expanded its ability to innovate and customize solutions for its clients.
As demand grew, GP Reeves expanded its operations, adding a third suite to its Greenly St. manufacturing facility. The company continued to thrive, serving an ever-widening range of customer assembly lines and staying ahead of industry trends. To keep pace with industrial innovations, Gord remained committed to inventing and adopting new technologies. In 2016, he secured yet another patent, this time for a repairable cartridge valve, further demonstrating GP Reeves’ leadership in dispensing technology.
The company’s success, along with the continuous evolution of its equipment, capabilities, and team, inspired Gord to make a significant change. This surge of growth and innovation solidified GP Reeves’ position as a trailblazer in the dispensing industry, setting the stage for even greater advancements in the years to come.
In 2017, GP Reeves unveiled a new logo, honoring the company’s legacy of mechanical innovation and the name that started it all. While Gord was proud of the company he had built and its significant impact on the manufacturing industry, he recognized someone with the potential to lead GP Reeves into its next chapter: his son, Kevin.
In May of 2018, Kevin became the second president of GP Reeves, marking the beginning of a new era for the company. Under Kevin’s leadership, GP Reeves elevated its production capabilities and solidified its reputation as a leading manufacturer of dispensing technology. Later that same year, Kevin oversaw the move to a new, larger facility, which continues to serve as GP Reeves’ headquarters today.
Since the transition, GP Reeves has expanded its manufacturing capacity, broadened its customer base, and deepened its impact on the local community. Kevin’s vision and leadership have propelled the company forward, building on the strong foundation established by Gord and positioning GP Reeves for continued success.
Although transitioning away from life on the shop floor was a tough adjustment, Gord has expressed deep gratitude for his son’s strong leadership and for the opportunity to reflect on the impressive growth of GP Reeves. Gord often explains that “every success is a foundation for another one” and believes Kevin, with his optimism and servant-minded leadership, has what it takes to continue transforming the dispensing industry.
While his days are no longer spent in the gritty warehouse, Gord now devotes his time to teaching high school students how to play the clarinet, continuing to inspire the next generation of hard-working individuals. Meanwhile, Kevin has embraced his role as president, proudly building upon his father’s legacy of precise dispensing innovation, with a vision to take GP Reeves to even greater heights.
Progressing Forward
Over the past 50 years, GP Reeves has experienced radical modernization in dispensing technology, contributed to the advancement of numerous industries, and built an upstanding business. From Gord’s early days tinkering with equipment in his garage to the expansion into an 18,000 square foot manufacturing complex, the company has undergone tremendous transformation. Once a small business focused on conveyor units, GP Reeves has evolved into a powerhouse, providing advanced dispensing machinery for industries such as automotive, heavy equipment, energy and natural resources, agriculture, medical, aerospace, and consumer products. The company now boasts an extensive line of standard products alongside a substantial custom machinery segment.
Throughout its journey, GP Reeves has maintained a relentless pursuit of innovation. Gord Reeves instilled in his employees a dedication to meaningful work and collaborative success—values that continue to drive the company today. The team of 50+ employees is committed to developing and refining cutting-edge technologies that serve a wide array of industries, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in dispensing solutions.
At the heart of GP Reeves is a goal fueled by entrepreneurial spirit and relentless effort: to ensure that our customers receive the most advanced dispensing solutions available. This commitment to innovation has propelled us through five decades of exciting progress, and we’re “pumped” to see where the next 50 years will take us!
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