About Yoder

Metal Forming and Tube and Pipe Systems and Solutions

Started in 1910, Yoder has installed their metal forming and fabricating machinery and solutions at some of the most respected names across multiple manufacturing industries all over the world. Yoder designs and manufactures metal forming and fabrication machinery, tooling, and integrated systems — from roll forming to tube and pipe to flexible fabrication. Our portfolio also includes everything from tooling, hydraulic and mechanical presses, welders and weld boxes, mills and mill stands, and accessories, and much more. Yoder carries a number of standard machines and systems that are available “off-the-shelf” but we also can work with you to design a custom solution that meets your specific application needs while increasing the production capacity and efficiency of your operation through integrated, streamlined processes, increased automation, and faster equipment.

But Yoder is more than our machinery — the knowledge and expertise of our team and the support we provide our customers (before and long after the sale) is what sets us apart. From spare parts to service and training to rebuilds and retrofits for legacy systems, our team is there for our customers every step of the way.

History

With over 100 years in the industry, Yoder has a rich and storied history steeped in tradition and innovation.

1910s

In 1910, Carl M. Yoder, a draftsman of a Cleveland-area sheet metal company, developed the first continuous cold roll forming machine for the production of automotive mud strips – the Yoder Y-70 Mud Strip Forming Machine. Shortly thereafter, Strip Wiring Machines and Beaders were introduced to enhance the production of mud strips. In those early years, Yoder also introduced the Crown Fender Rolling Machine to form automotive crown fenders, the Rotary Shear for serpentine cutting of sheet metal patterns and designs, and the Power Hammer to form large automotive body parts, such as fenders.

1920s
Yoder introduces the Brake Shoe Machine for the production of brake shoe sections and the first automatic flying shear cutoff.
1930s

Yoder introduces the first commercially available resistance weld tube mill. In this decade, Yoder also patented the electric tube welder and was the first to manufacture a 26″ diameter continuous weld pipe mill.

1940s

Yoder introduces the M-Style gear head, which is still an industry standard and the first washer/dryer tube beading machine for the appliance industry. During this decade, Yoder also delivered 140 welded seam tube mills in a 12-year period.

1950s
In the 1950s, Yoder was the first to apply induction welding to the production of welded seam tube and pipe and also the first to manufacture rafted roll formers and tube mills. This decade also saw Yoder introduce the multiple cross-type tube welding transformer, a breakthrough in tube mill production speeds, and the first 180- and 360-cycle tube welder for improved weld quality.
1960s
Yoder introduced the first vapor-cooled transformer which revolutionized ERW carbon steel tube making with greater efficiency and higher speeds. Yoder also developed the first electron beam welded tube mill and the first roll forming system to accurately form metal varying thickness. Lastly, this decade saw Yoder develop the in-line process to produce refrigeration-quality annealed tubing using a cold-stretch reduction process – still a widely used method of production.
1970s
Yoder patented the cage forming process to eliminate some of the breakdown rolls in a pipe mill and to improve quality. This decade also saw Yoder introduce the first successful AC square wave welder which greatly improved weld quality and tube ID cleanliness. Additionally, Yoder was the first to engineer, manufacture, and market a complete welded I-beam system for the production of junior I-beams.

Yoder also was the first roll forming system used to prove feasibility of manufacturing structural beams in outer space. Lastly, Yoder delivered a system to roll form aircraft structures that varied in thickness from 0.026″ to 0.163″ within each piece length.

1980s
Yoder was sold to Intercole Corporation in 1981, then to the Northern Group in 1985, and finally to SNS Properties in 1986. SNS Properties also owned Krasny-Kaplan Corporation, Mentor AGVS, and North Coast Distributing.

This decade also saw Yoder become the first to successfully put into production a commercial tube mill for the production of a 2″ OD x 0.008″ wall tube. Yoder also developed for General Motors an in-line system to roll form, sweep, and cut off front and rear bumper bars and brackets, including pre-piercing of mounting and locating holes.

Yoder also introduced the heavy-duty panel machine for roll forming structural-type sections of variable width without changing roll tooling and delivered an automatically adjusting, computer controlled cage forming section for the production of 16″ OD pipe.

1990s
Yoder provided eight (8) roll forming lines that incorporated in-line welding systems to close the formed sections. End products included automotive side pillars and bumpers, electrical underfloor wire duct, industrial racking stepbeam, sign posts, and commercial shelf posts.

Yoder also designed large diameter pipe cage forming sections (i.e., 20″ or larger) for IPSCO (Canada), Pusan Steel Pipe (Korea), and Hall Longmore (South Africa) and introduced a patented, cylinder-actuated, under-driven pneumatic pre-notch and cutoff press (available from 5 to 30 tons).

Additionally, Yoder delivered the first two North American automotive passenger-side airbag tube mills. These mills produced perforated tubes that were cut-to-length without any deformation of the tube ends.

In this decade, Yoder also became the North American sales, service, and spare parts representative for French maker, SAF, for Tricathode TIG and plasma welding systems.

Yoder also introduced the first Powered Vertical Roll (PVR) stand for use when roll forming tall, narrow sections. This stand the part to be more easily driven through the mill.

Lastly, Yoder introduced the re-designed WH-series roll stand with new Single-Point Adjustment feature.

2000s
Yoder was purchased by Formtek, Inc., a subsidiary of Mestek, Inc. on June 30, 2001.

Yoder also licensed their Cage Mill technology to Milltech, to expand the worldwide adoption of Yoder’s industry leading welded Pipe forming technology.

2010s
Yoder re-introduced the Power Hammer for aircraft and custom fabricators. Yoder also developed and installed third generation Hot Sizer for processing Premium API Pipe and Casing and the first complete Fiber Laser Tube Mill with finishing floor in North America.

Yoder Solutions

Roll Forming

For over 100 years, the most respected names across multiple industries all over the world have relied onYoder roll forming machines and systems for their manufacturing processes. And the reason is simple — from our standard machines to our customized systems that are designed and built for your specific application, Yoder solutions can save you money while producing a better product. We also offers a full line of cutoff presses including heavy-duty mechanical presses and our patented Air Press. Learn More

Tube & Pipe Mills

Yoder has long been recognized as one of the earlier pioneers in the welded seam tube mill business. Yoder offers multiple standard tube mills for common product sizes. In addition to the standard machines, Yoder also offers specialized equipment that includes a wide diameter range of metal tubes and pipes; from the 3/16″ (4.76mm) O.D. cold stretch reducing mills to the 28″ OD cage mills. Learn more

Flexible Fabrication Solutions

Yoder’s state-of-the-art flexible fabrication equipment, tooling, and systems increase production capacity and operation efficiency through integrated and streamlined processes, increased automation, and faster equipment. Whether from coil or sheet, Yoder’s flexible fabrication systems can include wing benders, post notching punch systems, walking beam systems, transfer conveyors, hard automation, and more to produce finished parts that are ready for assembly. Learn more

Our Industries

Yoder roll forming, flexible fabrication, and tube and pipe mill solutions have been installed by leading brands throughout the world across various industries from aerospace to automotive to industrial manufacturing to HVAC and much more. Across any industry and any application, our machines and systems are designed and built to deliver the best results while improving your operational efficiencies.

Get a Quote

Need help with a Budget Estimate to determine overall equipment costs to evaluate if your project can be justified? Looking for a Firm or Detailed Quote for your equipment needs? Please reach out — we’d be happy to help.

We’re Here to help

Have questions about our machinery and equipment? Looking for help on a unique application? Please don’t hesitate to reach out — we’d love to help.