History

Service Heat Treating, Inc. was founded in 1974 by Richard Armitage, a heat treat furnace salesman who realized the Milwaukee market needed a quality, service-oriented heat treat company. 

He enlisted financial assistance from a local businessman and  a local entrepreneur to found Service Heat Treating, Inc. The company began with two batch furnaces and one shift.

By 1978, Service Heat Treating, Inc. was a twenty-four-hour-a-day operation with four batch furnaces. At this time they expanded into brazing by adding an 18" wide furnace. This furnace expanded the potential customer base. The company grew slowly and remained profitable during the turbulent 1980s.
Nearing the end of the decade, Richard grew restless. In search of a new project for his energies, he decided to expand into continuous mesh belt furnaces. In 1991, the first large belt furnace was brought online and housed in a customized plant addition.

The move into continuous mesh belts paid off. In 1992, sales increased by 30%. Richard had found a profitable niche and was ready to capitalize on it. A second mesh belt furnace went online in March and by May was filled five days a week. Sales jumped by another 40% in 1993, and another 35% in 1994 thanks to a strong manufacturing economy.

In 1994, the sister corporation of Service Continuous, Inc. was formed to meet the demands of automotive fastener manufacturers. A new plant was built to house the new company and equipment. Designed with an eye to future expansions and the intensified quantity demands of the automotive market, a new large continuous belt was brought online at this plant and in 1995, overall sales were up 15%. This company was recently divested as part of a strategic initiative.

Richard Armitage was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1995. He passed away on October 17, following a nine-month battle. He leaves behind a 21 year legacy of business success and a company that remains known by all for quality and commitment to service.