Our History

Year 1887

McDonald Machinery was established on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River forging steel bows for gunboats during the Civil War.  Charlie McDonald joined the family business and introduced it into buying and selling used machinery.

Year 1936

Sam Zimmerman opens a shop selling hand tools across from the Municipal Court House in St. Louis, Missouri.  After being in business for only 6 months, a customer begged Sam to buy his used lathe.  Reluctantly, Sam purchased the lathe and days later sold it for a profit.  The inception of selling machine tools began for Sam.

Year 1950

The company required more space and Sam built a facility across the street from McDonald Machinery.  At the end of that decade, Stan Zimmerman (Sam’s son) joined the company.

Year 1960

Sam travelled to Japan to negotiate a national distribution agreement for a line of Japanese chain hoists.  This proved to be a very successful endeavor.  A few years later, word spread with the major Japanese machine tool builders and they began visiting the U.S. to meet with Sam and Stan to discuss distribution agreements.

Decade 1970’s

Business boomed with Stan at the reins.  The company expanded to include a New Machinery Division, a Used Machinery Division, and services to provide liquidations and auctions. The company expanded into a 50,000 sq ft facility with over 50 employees.

Year 1982

Recession hit hard and Stan sold the business to start a used machinery company. The new company, named Stan Zimmerman Machinery focused on sales of high-end used machine tools.

Year 1988

Stan’s son, Brad Zimmerman, joined the company after graduating college.  Having machinery in his blood, Brad led the company to start a New Machinery Sales Division.

Year 1991

Stan Zimmerman Machinery purchases McDonald Machinery and forms Zimmerman-McDonald Machinery, Inc.

Year 1999

Zimmerman-McDonald Machinery is recognized as one of the Premiere Fabrication Distributors in the United States.

Year 2000

Opened second office in Springfield, Missouri.

Year 2005

Expanded service department in territory to install and service all manufacturers we represent in addition to existing customer machines.

Year 2014

Hired Service Coordinator to enhance customer service and expedite service availability.

Year 2016

Doubled space in Springfield office to accommodate used machine tool refurbishing.