Fisher Barton renames technology center for founder Richard L. Wilkey

Fisher Barton renamed its Technology Center the Richard L. Wilkey Technology Center on Aug. 6, 2026, honoring the company’s founder and more than 50 years of metallurgy-led growth. The move comes as the Wisconsin manufacturer transitions to employee ownership and looks to tie its future to its roots in Watertown.

Why it matters: - The renaming ties Fisher Barton’s current employee-owned future to the founder who built the company’s technical culture. - The Richard L. Wilkey Technology Center now serves as a visible marker of the company’s focus on materials science, innovation and customer problem solving. - The recognition also underscores Wilkey’s broader impact on Watertown, where Fisher Barton has long operated and invested.

What happened: - Fisher Barton renamed its Technology Center the Richard L. Wilkey Technology Center on Aug. 6, 2026. - The company said the change honors founder Richard L. Wilkey and more than five decades of leadership, innovation and commitment to metallurgy. - CEO Scott Hoffman said the tribute follows Fisher Barton’s 100% employee purchase of the company announced in early June. - Fisher Barton was founded in 1973 by metallurgical engineer Richard L. Wilkey. - The company started as a small lawn mower blade maker serving OEM customers across the Midwest.

The details: - Fisher Barton grew into the world’s largest manufacturer of lawn mower blades under Wilkey’s leadership. - The company expanded into advanced materials, surface engineering, industrial components and manufacturing solutions used by customers worldwide. - The Technology Center opened in 2015 and now serves as Fisher Barton’s corporate headquarters. - The facility houses applied research and development, metallurgical laboratory services, and advanced manufacturing and automation specialists. - The center supports all Fisher Barton divisions with product development, testing, prototyping, process innovation, materials analysis and engineering expertise. - Fisher Barton said the facility helps customers solve complex manufacturing challenges and speed new technologies to market. - The Technology Center sits on a historic site linked to the company’s manufacturing heritage for more than a century. - The site traces back to Washington Cutlery, established in Watertown in 1906. - The company said the facility reflects its longstanding expertise in materials science and metallurgy. - Fisher Barton noted Wilkey’s support for local economic development, workforce advancement and community initiatives in Watertown. - The Richard L. Wilkey Performance Plaza at Watertown’s Town Square is another local tribute to the family’s community ties. - Fisher Barton operates nine locations across Wisconsin, Illinois and Vietnam. - The company develops wear solutions for turf, agriculture, recycling, pulp and paper, energy, food processing, transportation and medical markets.

Between the lines: - The naming serves as a branding move and a cultural signal at the same time. - Fisher Barton is using the honor to reinforce employee ownership, craftsmanship and continuous improvement as core values. - The company is also connecting present-day R&D with a long manufacturing lineage in Watertown, which helps frame growth as continuity rather than a reset.

What's next: - Fisher Barton will continue operating the renamed center as its headquarters and technical hub. - The company is expected to keep leaning on the facility for research, testing and product development as it writes its next chapter as an employee-owned business. - More information is available at the company’s website.