Mayor Tom Watson, center, tries to get everyone to sing along as Chris Joslin, right, and Kristy Westerfield, left, of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum start “My Old Kentucky Home” on Friday at Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. to celebrate National Manufacturing Day. Photo by Alan Warren, Messenger-Inquirer/awarren@messenger-inquirer.com

National Manufacturing Day® with music. That is just what Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. did October 5^th, this year’s day to recognize and inspire a new generation of U.S. manufacturing.

Special guests welcomed to the Ken-tron facility for the celebration included Chris Joslin (executive director) and Kristy Westerfield of the soon-to-open Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum as well as Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson and U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, a Bowling Green Republican.

At the celebration, both Joslin and Guthrie shared with the attendees they have been users of guitar stings developed by Ken-tron. Other notable artists who depend on Ken-tron strings in making music include Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Pete Townsend, Kid Rock, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, and Del McCoury — just to name a few. Read more »

We’re pleased to share with you an article as it recently appeared in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer. The article focuses on the 500,000 pounds of Music Wire we produce per year and where all of this wire ends up. But, it also gives a brief history of the company and touches on some of the other products we create and industries we serve.

We were particularly flattered by the description of the employment atmosphere at Ken-tron. We’re always looking for good people to become part of the family, so make sure to contact us about open positions.

You’ve checked your phone a thousand times. You’ve prayed a thousand more. You’ve talked to those waiting with you about how their family is doing. You’ve looked at all the magazines twice, but time seems to stand still while you wait to hear from the surgeon. You just want good news. We know how you feel.

Everything we do is important to us and to our customers, but some things feel especially important. When it comes to supplying medical wire and medical stampings, Ken-tron understands how important it is that these products perform as promised…every time.

Using the most advanced materials and some of the latest techniques, Ken-tron medical products carry out our policy of quality products shipped on time at a competitive price. You don’t necessarily want to hear about the on-time shipping or competitive pricing, but we build in the quality because we know you want to hear that everything is going to be okay.

Whether it is surgical device components or orthopedic medical wire or any other of a number of medical products we produce, we treat all our medical wire and medical stampings as if our family was the patient.

The Ken-tron family extends past our employees to all of our customers and their customers as well. The highest measures of performance, safety and reliability demanded in all our products, takes on a special meaning with our medical device components. Ken-tron applies almost 60 years of innovation and experience toward a positive outcome for you and your family.

Stopping just in time, swerving just before impact, accelerating just to feel the power, checking the rear view just to make sure you’re still looking good (only when stopped please). Whatever you’re doing in your SUV, car, or truck, Ken-tron could be along for the ride.  Our automotive stampings and automotive drawn wire are in most new cars produced in the US today.

Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. provides wire and metal stampings for automotive electronics systems, steering systems, braking systems, and interior systems.  We manufacture our automotive products primarily for Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers, shipping to our customer’s facilities around the world.

Stainless steel, brass, copper, steel, nickel and a variety of other alloys are the raw materials for our wire drawing and metal stamping operations.  Our AS 9100 certified systems guide us as we turn these materials into the components and wire you need. Read more »

As you see the contrail rolled out across the sky, you daydream about where that gleaming jet is headed. No matter the destination, Ken-tron is likely on board.

Using some of the world’s most exotic metals and our decades of experience, Ken-tron manufactures much of our wire and stampings for the aerospace and defense markets. Major international aerospace corporations use Ken-tron wire and stampings in applications such as propulsion, power storage, and communication. The quality and precision of our products made aerospace wire and aerospace stampings an obvious market for us to pursue. Read more »

If you were playing your guitar today or if you heard a song with someone else playing a guitar, there is a pretty good chance Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. was involved.  Since the early 1980s, Ken-tron has been a major supplier of music string wire, primarily for guitars.

Until recently, most of this wire was known as wrap wire.  This is the wire that is wound around another wire to make strings used on electric guitars, acoustic guitars, electric bass guitars, pedal steel and other musical instruments.  Most commonly this wire is nickel, nickel plated steel or stainless steel for electric guitars or brass, bronzes and copper alloys for acoustic guitars. Read more »

as reported on 1490womi.com

Congressman Guthrie visited Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. yesterday as promised. It occurred on the first national “Manufacturing Day,” as declared by the National Association of Manufacturers.

“Having worked at my family’s manufacturing business, I understand the challenges our small business owners are facing today,” said Congressman Guthrie. “I really appreciate Ken-tron allowing me to tour their facility today and learn more about their concerns including the threat of tax hikes, changes to health care and the need for affordable energy.” Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Guthrie today visited Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. on the first national “Manufacturing Day,” as declared by the National Association of Manufacturers.

“Having worked at my family’s manufacturing business, I understand the challenges our small business owners are facing today,” said Congressman Guthrie. “I really appreciate Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. allowing me to tour their facility today and learn more about their concerns including the threat of tax hikes, changes to health care and the need for affordable energy.” Read more »

Rick D. Thompson has been promoted to President of Ken-tron Mfg., Inc.

Thompson joined the company in 1987 as quality control manager. He has held various management positions within the company with his latest being executive vice president. Read more »

Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. is pleased to announce our certification to AS9100:2009, Rev. C and ISO 9001:2008. Ken-tron’s product line includes small diameter precision wire in a variety of alloys, as well as progressive die, transfer press and multi-slide metal stampings.

This certification update continues the history of recognition for our products and services. Ken-tron first became ISO certified in 1995, and later became AS certified in 2005. Read more »