Brill Metal Works

Growing on a Dream in Southern Oregon

You might wonder what Brill produces. But perhaps a better question is what don’t they produce? In the world of metal manufacturing, Brill is a jack of all trades, creating custom parts—from cabinets to latches to chassis—for sheet metal users all over the nation.

Started by the Brill brothers in 1928, Brill Metal Works first came on the scene as a general sheet metal seller in downtown Medford. Fast-forward to the mid-80s. Brill Metal Works had been happily serving the valley for over fifty years when Wally Brill sold the company to Roger Stokes, who had the dream of growing Brill to more than just a sheet metal manufacturer.

In 1996, the company moved to Central Point and grew its reputation in the realm of custom projects, such as metal brackets, enclosures, and panels. By that time, Mark Misener—who had started sweeping floors for the company while a junior at Crater High School—had become Stokes’ partner in the company. In 2005, when Stokes retired, Misener became president/owner and carried on the original Brill dream: to provide unsurpassed customer service with innovative solutions in sheet metal design and fabrication.
Evidenced by reviews from customers, Brill’s dream is still being lived out today.

According to Misener, Brill’s biggest successes are found in the employees and the customers. Because the company makes such a wide variety of products, the thirty-two employees at Brill are required to be ingenuitive and collaborative. It’s a group effort, but it pays off when the customers are satisfied and able to use the sheet metal to expand their own companies. “If our customers are growing, we’re growing,” says Misener.

In the past several years, advances in technology and machinery have changed the name of the metal fabricating industry, making it simpler than ever to carry out orders with precision and speed. Often times, the customers are able to use computer software to send virtual designs which are smartly tested and implemented by other computers at Brill. The company even has an automated fiber laser that can run twenty-four hours a day.

Yet despite this advancement in machinery, Brill will always need human hands to ensure that each job is top quality. High schoolers and fresh engineering graduates are able to get jobs and rise within the company—as was the case for Misener himself. “Work hard, show up, and we can make it happen,” the president advises would-be job seekers. Since most of Brill’s equipment is fairly specialized, on-the-job-training is the starting point for everyone alike, from mechanical engineers to floor sweepers. And having dedication and a willingness to learn can take you a long way.

Southern Oregon has been Brill’s home from the start and is still an ideal location. With many manufacturers in the area, Brill can ship metal to them with lower freight costs. Though Brill does send their product out-of-state and even internationally, seventy-percent of their customers are within a hundred miles. The Rogue Valley and Brill have almost a hundred years of history together. As Misener said simply, “It’s home.” With Brill’s next expansion, which is on the horizon, the valley will be host to more automation—and more innovative thinkers.

Brill Metal Works | 5310 Bierson Way, Central Point, OR 97502 | www.brillmetalworks.com | 541-664-4401