sales@americanbroach.com

(734) 961-0300

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American Broach & Machine Co. - Since 1918

Trulli

A journey of passion, perseverance, and development

The Most Trusted Name in Broaching in the Americas

Founded in 1918, we’ve led the broaching industry in innovation, engineering, and quality throughout the decades.
We continue to forge ahead into the future, investing in our customers, quality, and technology.

It’s What We Do

From idea to installation, we approach applications from your perspective, engineering the broaching process as a cohesive system. Providing machines and cutting tools that achieve the best value and lowest cost per part is our goal. We also provide machine service and tool maintenance that preserve your investment.

We can help you prototype your broached part features before you own a broaching machine. We keep a few of our American Broach machines ready on our production floor, for prototyping projects and small to medium lot size production broaching. 

Sharpen your broach cutting tools at your facility with our precision CNC broach sharpening machines, or send your tools to us for CNC sharpening. We provide tool life management programs to help you achieve the longest tool life. 

Our passion is high quality, high performance broach cutting tools and broaching machines. Let us answer your questions and walk you through the right solution. Our team of sales and engineering personnel are ready to help. 

Our History

Areal view of 416 W Huron Street Building, Ann Arbor Michigan

1918 – It begins

311 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 21244, our first location. In the heart of Ann Arbor, close by Hoover Steel Ball Company, we started our journey of passion and dedication. Over the next year, we accumulated 21 employees and continued expanding our operations.

1919 – Mass Operations

In 1919, we officially moved our operations from the 311 Maynard Street location to 416 W Huron Street in Ann Arbor. Francis Lapointe continued to expand the manufacturing facility until our street address changed to 408 West Washington Street. By 1920, we had added 90 more employees and made our first large shipment of broaching machines via railcar.

View of 408 W Washington Street entrance

1920’s

We were engaged with the local community. Our company had a competitive baseball team, a bowling league, held dances and banquets. 
 
1920 was also the year we made our first shipment of broaching machines.

1921

Mr Lapointe described the advantages of the broaching process to the Rotary Club at the Michigan Union. 

1937

In 1937, Francis Lapointe sold the business to an Illinois-based
machine-tool company, Sundstrand. ABM flourished during the
heyday of the U.S. auto industry, supplying broaches (specialized
metal-cutting tools) and broaching machines to the Big Three auto
companies, their suppliers, and farm machinery manufacturers.

WWII

During the years leading up to and during WWII, the company grew to over 400 employees. We expanded production to 3 shifts 7 days a week, to meet the demand for military production & supply. Our company invented helical rifling broaching machines that increased the speed of munitions production.
  • 1925

    Hydraulic Horizontal Broaching Machine

     

  • 1926

    Vertical Surface Broaching Machines

     

  • 1928

    Vertical Pull Down Broaching Machines

     

  • 1930

    Chain Type Broaching Machines

     

  • 1931

    Full Automatic Vertical Broaching Machines

     

  • 1932

    Internal Helical Gear Broaching Machines & Tools

     

  • 1938

    The Legendary Three-Way (Tri-Way) Broaching Machine

1961 – Incorporation

After 100% of American Broach stock was sold to the Sundstrand Corporation, the headquarters was moved to the west side of town into a new building that remained its headquarters from 1963 to 2008. In the mid 70’s the company stock was sold to a group of investors and employees. In 2004, 60% of company stock was sold to a multi-national machine tool corporation, the remaining 40% was purchased in 2010 by an Ann Arbor, Michigan based LLC (QCA).

Present Day

2013

We acquired the 535 South Mansfield Street building in 2013, moving our broach tool division into that building. This increased our company’s square manufacturing space by 300%, adding 40,000 square feet. 

American Broach has always been on the cutting edge of development and innovation, and we continue that tradition today, designing, building and marketing the world’s highest quality broaching machines and broach tools. Our designs, engineering, quality standards are respected worldwide.

We are always glad to share ABM’s collective knowledge of broaching processes, and look forward to helping you with your next broaching application.