Kann Manufacturing Corporation was established in 1946 by Harold and Carl Kann. The initial business was set up as a machine shop and developed into a fabricator of various metal products serving agricultural and local manufacturing interests.
Dirk Kann joined the business in 1972 and began making aluminum and steel grain hauling bodies for trucks. In the early 1980s, Kann introduced a line of aluminum workboats and trailers for the US Coast Guard, USGS, DNR, fire departments and commercial fishermen.
1987 brought the development of a line of trailers and truck bodies designed for the very specific needs of the recycling industry. The demand for this Curb Sorter recycling line prompted the discontinuance of several traditional trailer and body designs that were not major product lines. Kann developed containers and transport trailers for Waste Management's WMS program of waste collection, along with other systems done under contract with Waste Management.
In 1991, Dirk built a rotational molding machine to manufacture plastic parts for the marine, agriculture and truck markets.
Development of a combined solid waste and recycling truck was completed in 1995 with the introduction of the "One Pass" (CC) series of front loaders. Continuing refinement of existing lines and ongoing product development to keep pace with the demands of the changing market keep Kann's R & D programs at full capacity. In the late 1990s, the front loader line was expanded to include a single compartment full eject (KE) unit.
Dirk's untimely death in late 1999 turned ownership of the company over to his wife, Rose. Rose has continued many of the R & D projects that Dirk had made plans for.
Kann entered into a licensing agreement with a company in England to manufacture plastics rotational molding machines for sale throughout the United States. In 2003, Kann built its first rendering truck to serve the agricultural industry.
Since 2000, Kann has introduced the Side Loader, the Side Loader Eject single compartment, and the Side Loader Eject dual compartment trucks. 2005 promises to continue Kann's tradition of offering the highest quality truck bodies in the industry.