For Cincinnati Mine Machinery (CMM), this year marks 100 years of manufacturing quality, high-performance, forged components for the coal mining industry. Established in 1924, the company remains privately held and family owned.
CMM will unveil a special 100th anniversary display at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2024 (C-4307), September 20-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will also make a significant contribution to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization founded after the tragedy of 9/11, to honor first responders and veterans who lost their lives or have been severely injured.
Founded in the early 1920s, the company was acquired by Edwin P. Stenger in 1924, beginning a long history of leadership by the Stenger family. Robert “Bob” Stenger, president and CEO, is the grandson of Edwin Stenger. Bob has long been a leader in the mining industry, having served more than two decades on the board of the National Mining Association, where he has worked to ensure reliable and secure supply chains; shape public policy; and champion environmental, safety and labor standards.
Anthony “Tony” Stenger and Robert “Bobby” Stenger, Jr., represent the fourth generation of Stengers at CMM. Tony, operations manager and treasurer since 2015, joined the family-operated business as a teenager. Bobby started with the company in 1998 and has been leading the company’s sales since 2021 as director of sales and marketing.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment for any company to survive 100 years, much less to do it as a family-owned and -operated business,” said Bob Stenger. “This milestone reflects the strong partnerships we’ve developed over the past century by manufacturing rugged and reliable components that have enabled miners to do more and deliver more every day.
“Our ongoing commitment to first-rate service and matchless innovation is tremendously important because this is not just the place where we work—it’s our family’s history and legacy,” he said.
During product development, CMM engineers and sales representatives with hands-on experience in mine equipment maintenance go into the mines to get direct feedback from miners on what’s working and what’s not to enhance overall component performance.
Cincinnati Mine Machinery initially focused solely on cutter chains. The company’s forged block and connector distinguished the product from cast-and-fabricated alternatives, and helped establish CMM’s reputation for quality and durability and began an unbroken chain of innovations dedicated to enhancing productivity in the mining industry.
In the early 1970s, CMM introduced its universal connector conveyor chain, which remains widely recognized as the strongest chain available. During the 1970s, they developed the 814 Ripperveyor chain, for the JOY 11CM miner, and the 734 chain, for the Jeffrey Heliminer 120-H machine. These two chains represented significant advancements, both for CMM and miners, who immediately achieved higher productivity and longer service life.
“Our business has been built by emphasizing research and development to provide quality, long-lasting solutions for the mining industry,” said Bob Stenger. “And we are looking forward to forging the future of mining productivity.”
The company has its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and facilities in seven U.S. states and four countries, strategically located to serve the mining industry.
