TL/DR –
Spruit Brothers Inc., a brick-making business based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, celebrates its 100th anniversary in March. The company, currently owned and operated by Ted and Fred Spruit, uses a manual brick press that is almost as old as the business, and is one of the few still operational in the country. Despite facing hard times during the two recessions in the 80s and 2008, the family-managed business has survived and significantly contributed to shaping Grand Rapids, including supplying the bricks for the city’s public museum.
Milestone: Spruit Brothers Inc, a century-old brick-making business on Grand Rapids’ West Side, owners Ted and Fred Spruit celebrates its 100 years of operation in March.
The family-run firm, now in its third generation of ownership, has a rich history showcased in its office building.
Notably, the machinery employed for shaping the bricks, dating back to the 1940s, is one of the few manual machines still operational in the country.
The distinctive brick press, key to creating the final product, has significantly shaped the architectural outlook of Grand Rapids.
Over the centuries, Spruit Brothers have completed hundreds of jobs, including the supply of bricks for the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Despite enduring the hardships of two recessions in the 80s and 2008, the firm has steered through maintaining its legacy.
Ted credits family as the secret to their successful business and resilience, saying, “It’s all about family, I still feel them around me. It’s a good feeling. It keeps me going.”
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