KBC Tools and Machinery Inc., originally known as 'Kabaco Tools' was started in 1965 by Karel Bass in Detroit, Michigan - The Motor City. KBC began as a catalog house selling surplus and English tools to the metalworking industry at a discount. Its motto became 'We Will Not Be Undersold,' and it still is. KBC's original home was 1,000 square feet of rental space on Eight Mile Road, right next to a Top Hat Hamburger Drive Thru, a Detroit tradition. For the next three years, Karel commuted back and forth from London, England to Detroit, Michigan. Then, in 1968 with business growing, he hired John Earles as Vice-President and decided that it was time to move to the Motor City permanently with his wife Sheila and daughter Paula. Shortly after, KBC moved further up Eight Mile Road to more spacious and glamorous digs, right next to the most notorious topless bar in Detroit, The Booby Trap, a true Detroit landmark.
To quality and productivity the Ashland 70+ year reputation for excellence in the fenestration market is second to none. Today, that reputation continues to thrive as Ashland's operations establish new standards for window and door hardware quality, and promote even higher levels of customer service by making sure that products are up to spec and delivered on time...all the time.
McFadden's introduced hardware items to our product lines, keeping quality and usefulness in mind. The introduction of hardware has enabled McFadden's to become a one-stop shop for our customers.