Midwest Products
Midwest Products Co. is a family-owned, Indiana-based manufacturer founded in 1952 that produces precision-cut craft woods, kits, tools, and adhesives for hobbyists, educators, and professionals worldwide via wholesale and e-commerce channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersHobart, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Midwest Products does
Midwest Products Co. is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of precision-cut craft materials headquartered in Hobart, Indiana, founded in 1952 by Frank Garcher and Wally Simmers as a model-airplane venture. The company produces specialty wood products — including balsa, basswood, birch, maple, and aspen in strips, sheets, and blocks — alongside cork materials, cutting tools, adhesives, and complete craft and building kits under its Milestones® sub-brand. Its core technology is a micro-cut precision manufacturing process developed over seven decades, which the company describes as a defining quality standard in a category with few specialized global competitors. The company's go-to-market combines direct B2B wholesale to distributors and retailers worldwide with a company-owned e-commerce storefront serving individual hobbyists, educators, and professional model makers, with pricing handled via quote rather than public list pricing. The business is independently owned with 1–10 employees, no institutional investors, and no disclosed funding, M&A, or partnership activity, reflecting a long-standing specialty-manufacturer operating posture rather than a venture- or acquisition-driven growth model.
Midwest Products firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Midwest Products
- Legal name
- Midwest Products Co.
- Website
- https://midwestproducts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Midwest Products Co. is a family-owned, Indiana-based manufacturer founded in 1952 that produces precision-cut craft woods, kits, tools, and adhesives for hobbyists, educators, and professionals worldwide via wholesale and e-commerce channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Midwest Products industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Materials Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Wood Product Manufacturing (321), Cut Stock, Resawing Lumber, and Planing (321912), Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212)
- SIC
- Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Planing Mills & Lumber Surfacing (IMAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Softwood Plywood Manufacturing (IMAMACAA)
Keywords
Where Midwest Products is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hobart
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Midwest Products business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Craft Materials and Wood Products Sales: Midwest Products generates revenue through the sale of precision-cut wood materials including balsa, basswood, birch, maple, and aspen in various sizes and forms (strips, sheets, blocks). Products are sold in bulk packaging (bundles, packs) to distributors, retailers, and directly to hobbyists and educators.
- Kits and Activity Products: Sale of Milestones brand activity kits including stepping stone kits, mosaic kits, building kits (model airplanes, bridges, towers), and educational construction sets for various skill levels.
- Tools and Adhesives: Sale of craft tools including Easy Cutter products, woodcarving knives, and wood adhesives (Balsa and Basswood Glue) to hobbyists and professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | B2B wholesale pricing for distributors and retailers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Midwest Products product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Midwest Products manufactures and supplies precision-cut craft materials including balsa, basswood, birch, maple plywood, and aspen in strips, sheets, and blocks, along with cork materials, cutting tools and adhesives. The company also produces complete themed craft kits under the Milestones brand (mosaic stepping stones, handprint plaques) and hands-on building kits (Tech Gliders, bridges, towers, architectural models), selling wholesale to distributors and retailers worldwide and direct to hobbyists, educators, and professionals.
Product overview
Midwest Products is a manufacturer and supplier of craft materials offering a unified portfolio of precision wood products (balsa, basswood, birch, maple plywood), cork materials, cutting tools, adhesives, and themed craft kits. The core product lines include Wood Products (strips, sheets, blocks in various woods), Cork Products (model railroading roadbed), Tools and Adhesive (cutting and gluing products), Milestones Kits (mosaic stepping stone and handprint kits with molds), and Building Kits (model gliders, bridges, architectural models). Economy Bags provide cost-effective bulk material packs as an add-on offering. The company serves hobbyists, educators, and professionals from its facility in Hobart, Indiana.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Milestones®: A product line of complete kits for arts, crafts, and DIY projects of all kinds.
Products and services
- Wood Products Precision-cut wood materials including balsa, basswood, aspen, birch, and maple plywood in various sizes and forms (strips, sheets, blocks) for hobbyists, educators, and professionals.
- Cork Products Cork materials for creative, educational, and display applications, including HO and N scale roadbed, sheets, and turnouts for model railroading.
- Tools and Adhesive Cutting and carving tools including the Easy Cutter series, carving knives, and wood carving kits, plus adhesives such as balsa and basswood glue for crafting applications.
- Milestones Kits Complete craft kits for arts, crafts, and DIY projects including mosaic stepping stone kits, handprint plaque kits, and various themed stone-making kits with molds and accessories, sold under the registered Milestones brand.
- Building Kits Hands-on construction kits including Tech Glider kits, bridge class packs, tower kits, and architectural house model kits for educational and hobby applications.
- Economy Bags Cost-effective material assortment packs containing plywood, basswood, hardwood, balsa, and mini carving blocks for high-volume creative projects.
Companies that use Midwest Products
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Midwest Products technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Midwest Products partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Midwest Products competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Balsa / Woodpecker Crafts: Specialty supplier of balsa wood and similar hobby-grade wood materials. Competes head-to-head with Midwest Products' core wood product line serving the same hobbyist and educational customers.
- Hobbylinc: Online hobby retailer carrying balsa, basswood, and model-building supplies from multiple manufacturers. Comparable to Midwest Products as a channel peer and indirect competitor in the same hobby/craft supply category.
- SIG Mfg: Manufacturer of balsa wood model airplane kits and similar hobby products. Directly comparable to Midwest Products as both serve the model-building hobby market with balsa-based kits and materials.
- Top Flite Models: Manufacturer of model airplane kits and related hobby products. Directly comparable to Midwest Products in serving model aviation hobbyists with balsa kits and materials.
- Great Planes Model Manufacturing: Producer of model airplanes, model components, and related hobby products. Comparable to Midwest Products as both serve model-building hobbyists with kits and component materials.
- Dubro Products: Manufacturer of hobby hardware, control line accessories, and complementary model-building components. Comparable to Midwest Products as both serve the radio-control and model-building hobbyist market with specialized components.
- Guillow's: Long-standing manufacturer of balsa wood model airplane kits (founded 1926). Highly comparable to Midwest Products given the shared balsa wood, model airplane heritage, hobbyist customer base, and craft kit format.
- Estes Industries: Manufacturer of model rockets and educational STEM kits. Comparable to Midwest Products as both serve the hobbyist and educational segments with hands-on building kits and related materials.
Broad incumbents
- Woodcraft: Specialty retailer of woodworking tools, supplies, and lumber. Comparable to Midwest Products as a broader-woodworking incumbent that overlaps with the basswood, birch, and maple plywood product lines, though it serves a wider woodworker audience rather than hobbyists specifically.
- Rockler Woodworking and Hardware: National retailer of woodworking tools, hardware, and specialty wood products. Overlaps with Midwest Products on the wood materials and tools side, but serves a broader woodworking customer base rather than the craft/hobby niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Midwest Products social profiles
Digital presenceMidwest Products financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Midwest Products leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Midwest Products funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Midwest Products M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Midwest Products
What does Midwest Products do?
Midwest Products manufactures and supplies precision-cut craft materials including balsa, basswood, birch, maple plywood, and aspen in strips, sheets, and blocks, along with cork materials, cutting tools and adhesives. The company also produces complete themed craft kits under the Milestones brand (mosaic stepping stones, handprint plaques) and hands-on building kits (Tech Gliders, bridges, towers, architectural models), selling wholesale to distributors and retailers worldwide and direct to hobbyists, educators, and professionals.
Is Midwest Products a public or private company?
Midwest Products is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Midwest Products founded?
Midwest Products was founded in 1952. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Midwest Products based?
Midwest Products is headquartered in Hobart, United States, in the North America region.
How does Midwest Products make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Craft Materials and Wood Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are kits and Activity Products and tools and Adhesives.
Who are Midwest Products's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Balsa / Woodpecker Crafts, Hobbylinc, SIG Mfg, Top Flite Models, Great Planes Model Manufacturing, Dubro Products, Guillow's and Estes Industries. Broad incumbents are Woodcraft and Rockler Woodworking and Hardware.
Does Midwest Products have an API?
No public API is recorded for Midwest Products.
What industry is Midwest Products in?
Midwest Products's product category is Craft Materials Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMABAE, Planing Mills & Lumber Surfacing, with a secondary code of IMAMACAA, Softwood Plywood Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 321 and its SIC code is 2400.