Automotive Parts Manufacturers
The Merrill Company
601 1st Ave SW, Spencer, IA 51301, United States
- Distributor / reseller
- Founded 1927
- Employee-owned
About The Merrill Company
The Merrill Company operates from Spencer, Iowa, where it was established in 1960 as the central warehouse for Arnold Motor Supply, a business founded in 1927 by E.P. Arnold with $300 in savings and a $200 loan. Named after Arnold's son Merrill, the warehouse initially served ten company-owned auto parts stores across the Upper Midwest. Today the enterprise is structured as an employee-owned partnership: any invited employee can become a partner with a minimum $500 investment, a nod to the founder's original capital, and many partners are second- or third-generation owners. What began as a parts distribution hub has grown into a multi-division operation. The Merrill Company supports 79 Arnold Motor Supply retail locations across several states, twenty of which house full-service machine shops. Through its Arnold Motor Supply Machine Shop division (formerly Midwest Cylinder Head) in Nevada, Iowa, the company rebuilds engines and remanufactures cylinder heads and other components. Additional divisions include Auto Refinish Solutions, which supplies collision parts and sells and services body-shop and industrial painting equipment, and Industrial Paint Solutions, which provides light-industrial coatings to manufacturers. Arnold's founding philosophy — "You build a business with people, not with buildings of brick and stone" — remains the stated differentiator. The partnership model was designed to retain talent by giving employees ownership stakes, and the company cites this structure as the reason its original pay formulas and incentive plans are still in use decades later.
Manufacturing capabilities
Core processes
Finishing & coating
Assembly & services
Industries served
- Automotive aftermarket
- Collision repair
- Light industrial manufacturing
- Agricultural and heavy equipment
- Powersports (ATV/UTV, motorcycle, snowmobile, watercraft)
Equipment
- Piston grinder (historical, 1929)
- Machine shop equipment for engine rebuilding (unspecified)
Company details
- Location
- Spencer, Iowa
- Company type
- Distributor / reseller
- Founded
- 1927
- Ownership
- Employee-owned
- Languages
- English, French, Spanish
- Listed under
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Merrill Company located?
The Merrill Company is located at 601 1st Ave SW, Spencer, IA 51301, United States.
What does The Merrill Company do?
The Merrill Company is listed under Automotive Parts Manufacturers, and its listed capabilities and products include Auto parts warehousing and distribution, Engine rebuilding and remanufacturing, Cylinder head machining and repair, Collision parts supply, Body shop equipment sales and service and Industrial paint and coatings supply.
What industries does The Merrill Company serve?
The Merrill Company lists Automotive aftermarket, Collision repair, Light industrial manufacturing, Agricultural and heavy equipment and Powersports (ATV/UTV, motorcycle, snowmobile, watercraft) among the industries it serves.
When was The Merrill Company founded?
The Merrill Company was founded in 1927.
How do I request a quote from The Merrill Company?
Use the Request a quote button on this page to send The Merrill Company your requirements through FirmsLedger, or call (712) 262-1141 and visit arnold-group.com.
What companies are similar to The Merrill Company?
Other Automotive Parts Manufacturers in Iowa listed on FirmsLedger include Automotive Warehouse Dist., Inc., Axial Industries Ltd. and Dielectric Manufacturing Iowa.