Malleable Iron Range Company

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Malleable Iron Range Company was a U.S. maker of kitchen ranges and other appliances, best known by its Monarch trademark. The company existed from 1896 to 1985 and worked out of St. Louis, Missouri, and Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Founding and early years
- It was started in 1896 in St. Louis by Silas McClure and A. C. Terrell. The business was incorporated in 1899 with Monarch as its trademark.
- In 1901–1902, after Dauntless Stove Manufacturing in Omaha owed money to the Beaver Dam Malleable Iron Works, the operation moved to Beaver Dam and was renamed Malleable Iron Range Company in 1902. By 1902 the company had about 20 employees.
- The ranges were pricey for their time (about $60), but customers saw them as higher quality and easier to use.

Growth and recognition
- The Monarch line won major prizes at world’s fairs: a Gold Medal at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition in Portland and another gold medal at the 1909 Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition in Seattle.
- The plant expanded over the years, building more foundries, warehouses, and other facilities. By 1929 the operation had 26 departments and more than 400,000 square feet of space, producing hundreds of styles of ranges and other appliances, plus commercial models for restaurants and hotels. They sold through thousands of retailers.

Marketing and products
- In the 1920s, Monarch explored electric ranges with Samuel Insull’s Fedelco program, selling many electric ranges through electric utilities. The program continued until Insull’s holding company collapse in 1931 and the Federal Electric name faded after new rules in 1935.
- The company also made refrigerators, water heaters, and other enamel, chrome, and porcelain pieces. A notable business building in Beaver Dam was a five-story hotel built by president Fred Rogers to support traveling sales staff; it later became Hotel Rogers.

World War and postwar activity
- Monarch contributed to the war effort in both World Wars, making portable field ranges in World War I and later artillery shells and other gear in World War II. The company even produced 1,000 electric ranges for use in the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
- The firm earned the Army–Navy “E” Award for excellence in war production. After World War II, civilian appliance production picked up again, and employment climbed to about 800 by 1941 and peaked around 1,200 in the mid-1950s.

Challenges and decline
- In the 1960s and 1970s, many of Monarch’s products were sold through electric utilities, but those programs waned as utilities reduced appliance merchandising. Competition from larger appliance makers also created pressure.
- Monarch made a significant advance in 1967 by installing a circulating fan in a home oven, a forerunner of modern convection cooking. The company introduced more heating and fuel options, but the market continued to tighten.
- By 1985 the company had only about 260 employees and filed for bankruptcy. Assets were sold to the Famco Machine Division of Belco Industries, and a new company called Monarch Appliance and Fabricating Company (MAFCO) moved production to Algoma, Wisconsin.

After the bankruptcy
- In 1987 MAFCO was bought by the Metal Ware Corporation of Two Rivers, Wisconsin and was renamed Monarch Ware, Inc. Monarch Ware operated at least until 2003, making metal stamping and enameling work.
- The Beaver Dam site later faced environmental cleanup costs after inspections found hazardous wastes. The EPA and state agencies led cleanup efforts, and the property was gradually demolished and repurposed. The site’s redevelopment included public funding and grants to improve the area.

Legacy
- The Monarch and Jet Fan names were eventually used by Metal Ware, which now makes Nesco-branded kitchen appliances. The Malleable Iron Range Company left a mark as an early innovator in durable, high-quality home cooking equipment and a pioneer in heat and fuel technology.