These three men were offered an opportunity by their previous employer to take over the division they worked for and start their own “Fabrication only” machine tool distributorship. Black Rock Machinery was founded on the philosophy of continuing to offer Metal Fabrication companies the best equipment and solutions to help them grow and be profitable. With 56 years of combined metal working industry experience, we can offer you more solutions to your daily fabrication and stamping problems and bottlenecks. Through sharing new technology, networking you with local people to help make your manufacturing operation run smoother and more efficient, we will grow together and create strong successful companies.

The best Fabrication Equipment is what we offer and we hope to have the chance to show you what and why we represent the following companies:

  • Durma, Press Brakes, Shears, Punching Machines, Iron Workers and Angle Notchers.
  • MG-Messer, Plasma and oxy-fuel CNC cutting tables.
  • Fasti, Folding machines.
  • My Spot, spotless, spot welders.
  • Tools Press, American and European, press brake tooling and accessories.

Allan Colby

  • Has worked in the metal working industry for 18 years.
  • From 1986 to 1990, Mr. Colby sold metrology equipment in the states of New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts.
  • From 1990 to 1996, he then established and managed the St. Louis office for the same company, directing the efforts of distributors and sales engineers that covered the states of Southern Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas.
  • Since 1996, Mr. Colby has been selling fabrication products in the states of Southern Illinois and Eastern Missouri.

Donald Patterson

  • Received a Bachelors of Science Degree in Milling Science and Management from Kansas State University in 1982.
  • Before entering machine tool sales, Mr. Patterson worked in engineering and production management positions for major corporations.
  • His last 20 years in the machine tool industry Mr. Patterson has worked as a sales engineer for several machine tool distributors.

Mitchell Brown

  • Has been in the sheet metal fabrication industry for 18 years (16 years in production/production management).
  • Started in 1987 at Boeing in Wichita working on 757 major assembly and continued into sheet modification until the mid 1990′s.
  • A life long fabricator Mr. Brown has worked in, managed, and been a consultant for many companies in the manufacturing industry.
  • Mr. Brown managed and directed engineering and manufacturing for an aerospace precision sheet metal job shop from 1995 to 2000 as it grew from $400,000 to $28 million in annual sales.

Black Rock Machinery was formed January 1st, 2005 by Al Colby, Don Patterson, and Mitch Brown.

For more information please feel free to contact Al, Don, or Mitch.