2 Dec 2021 
This brief overview of our history cannot possibly encompass all the wonderful people, family-members, and friends that have turned Batesville Products into what it is today. Thank you for your hard work. We will never forget your important contributions to the company.
In 1946, Millard Laugle, Sr. started Batesville Ornamental Works, a small slush mold casting company in his backyard shed in Batesville, Indiana. In the beginning, he created memorials, casket corners, and other decorative pieces for local churches and businesses out of zinc and bronze.
Batesville Ornamental Works grew into a new facility – the top floor of the Batesville Kroger. At this time, Millard Sr.’s four children began to get involved in the business: Millard, Jr., Neal, Gene, and John.
In 1957, Millard Sr. passed away, leaving the family business to be run by his business partners and sons, Neal and John Laugle. In this year, the company incorporated and moved to its permanent location in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The company continued to offer casting, polishing, and plating services.
By 1966, the company had fallen on hard times. Justin Weber took a risk on the struggling company, buying Batesville Products, Inc. When Justin took over Batesville Products, he used his management skills to institute standard businesses practices and slowly built up the business.
John Laugle continued his family’s legacy by heading the plating department. He went on to serve as Vice President and Chief Engineer.
Under Justin, Batesville Products, Inc. continued to grow. Justin expanded BPI’s services to include more involved engineering, tooling, CNC machining, and inspection departments. As their services grew, so did their customer base. Batesville Products began to resemble the business it is today – serving over 70 industries across the nation.
Justin expanded the small Lawrenceburg building four times, each time during a recession. Today, our Lawrenceburg facility encompasses 40,000 square feet of CNC machining, polishing, inspection, shipping, and office space.
Want more details? Watch the full interviews with John Laugle, Dennis Weber, and Rick Weber!
While the business grew, it remained all about family. Through the years, each of Justin’s ten children worked at Batesville Products, as well as many other relatives. For example, Rick Weber, one of Justin’s sons, started at Batesville Products sweeping floors. While in school, he shadowed the engineering department as a co-op. In 1977, he joined the company full-time, working on the shop floor. Rick transitioned to engineering and machining before taking on mid-level management roles and eventually becoming Vice President.
In 1989, Justin passed on the company to Rick, who lead a family management team into over 25 more years of success. This team included…
Rick continued to grow the company, adding on an Aurora, Indiana site in 1990. Today, this 60,000 square foot site houses our engineering, casting, and tooling departments. Being just 10 minutes away from the Lawrenceburg headquarters, these buildings work closely together to move product through each operation.
Len Weber, the youngest of the Webers, came on board as president in 2015, and Rick Weber retired in 2017.
Len continues to lead the company into a new age of technology and automation, best exampled by our robotic sawing and polishing operations.
While we continue to adapt and lead the ever-changing manufacturing landscape, Batesville Products remains a USA, family-owned company deeply involved in the local community. We continue to welcome the third Weber generation to the BPI team, who have the same determination to surpass expectations and make the family company the best it can be.
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