METCO/About/History

History

METCO – Excellence Through Experience

Ralph

Ralph Knower founded METCO in 1979, working out of a small garage and concentrating on servicing petroleum equipment and installing fueling systems. Today, METCO is still headquartered in Hillsboro, Wisconsin in a facility that is substantially larger than Ralph’s garage. The Company has seen tremendous growth during the past forty-five plus years. METCO’s customers benefit from working with one company for all of their fuel system and environmental service needs.

History Highlights

Harold Knower

  • 1923 ‐ Opens his first Pure Oil gas station in LaCrosse.
  • 1929 ‐ Borrows $100,000 during the Depression and builds stations in Mauston, Kendall, Wilton, Norwalk, Ontario and Cazenovia, Wisconsin.

Raymond Knower

  • 1959 ‐ Forms Kickapoo Oil. One hundred thousand gallons of fuel sold the first year.
  • 1965 ‐ Kickapoo Oil introduces the first self-serve station east of the Mississippi in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
  • 1965 ‐ Raymond’s brother, Ralph, joins Kickapoo Oil.

Ralph Knower

  • 1979 ‐ Forms METCO. The firm rapidly expands to provide full fuel system sales, installation, and service.
  • Ralph’s children would also join METCO…Paul (1980), Charlie (1987), and Beth (1990).

Charlie Knower

  • Began work at METCO.
  • 1989 – Created CAD department and became the first company to submit CAD drawings to the WI Dept of Industry Labor and Human Relations.
  • 1991 – designed and managed construction of new METCO headquarters in Hillsboro, WI. Opened environmental and consulting office in LaCrosse, WI.
  • 1992 – Created mobile laboratory for soil testing and started Geoprobe drilling and sampling services.

Beth (Knower) Donovan

  • 1990 – Began work at METCO in Computer Equipment Sales and bookkeeping.
  • 2011 – Moved into the role as full time Accounting Manager.

 

Paul Knower

  • 1980 – Began work at METCO.
  • 1990 – Environmental planning and consulting services added.
  • 2006 ‐ METCO begins organizational re-structure and strategic planning to meet the visions of future growth.
  • Paul’s children join METCO full-time…James (2014) and Ethan (2015).
  • PRESENT ‐ METCO continues to be an industry leader.

In 1923, my grandfather, Harold Knower, built his first gas station.  Since that time, our family has been involved in virtually every aspect of the fuel service business including retail, distribution, installation, and service.  Because we have stood in the shoes of our customers, we have a unique understanding of their needs, and we’ve built the METCO organization to provide the highest quality response.

We invite you to get to know METCO and discover how “Excellence through Experience” can assist your operation.

– Paul Knower, Owner