- Merit Tool and Manufacturing creates one-of-a-kind products for customers' specific needs.

By Cathy J Hunter

For The Star Press

Phil Reber, president and co-founder of Merit Tool and Manufacturing, descends from a long line of machinists.

His grandfather, Donald Reber, established Reber Machine Shop in Muncie in the 1940s. Jack Reber, Phil's father, retired from that very business in 1987.

'But he couldn't stay retired," Reber recalled with a grin. 'So when I graduated from Purdue with a degree in management, he asked me if I wanted to start a business with him."

Reber said he seized the chance. 'Not many young men coming straight out of college get to start their own business."

So in 1987, the company had its beginnings as the Jack R. Reber Co. In 1998, the company changed its name to Merit Tool to better define its focus and direction.

'What has always made us unique," Reber explained, 'is that we don't mass produce anything. All our jobs are specialty jobs, usually one of a kind for a company's specific needs."

Those needs include specialized tooling for tool holders, collets, rest pins, and die casts. Their makings of fixtures and jigs adapt precisely to the manufacturer's specifications through the use of CAD/CAM (computer aided drafting/computer aided manufacturing) capabilities that work with CNC (Computerized Numerically Controlled) programs.

'The computerization of the lathe, milling and other machines is a great aid," said Reber. 'We're talking precision to one-one thousandth of an inch."

On a recent day, Reber led the way through the company's shop, where men and one woman were working. The shop employs 10 people.

'We work four 10-hour days and a half day Fridays, which is unheard of in our field," he said. 'Most shops work their half days on Saturdays. But we don't have to. We have the equipment and the staff to get the jobs done right and on time."

Reber explained that everyone in the shop is a machinist and while no special degree or certificate is required, it takes a special kind of person to work these machines.

'The specifications for most of the designs we work on are hard to make," he said. 'So, it takes a special sort of person to work here -- a person who has patience and a determination to do the job precisely."

According to the Merit Tool brochure, the company serves customers throughout the Midwest, the South and points in Canada. So why stay in Eaton?

'My folks live here. I suppose that's why we kept it here," Reber said, then he paused and scratched his head. 'I've read the hometown (Towns Daily) pages where other people in Eaton say they wish there were more businesses here, like the old days.

'Well, there are a lot of companies here. It might surprise people to know that we do specialty orders for five companies right here in Eaton -- Charman Distributing, Meridian Foods, Arrowhead Plastics, Colony Printing and Red Line Graphics."

When asked about plans for the future, Reber said, 'We're growing and we need more space, more machines, more employees. We've expanded the buildings on this site to the limit, so we'll need another site, but we'll stay in Eaton."

Reber and his wife Janet have two children, CeCe, 13, and Drew, 11.

'It's too soon to tell if either of the kids want to come into the business, but if they do, we'll be here for them," he said.