Johnson Bros. beginning occurred when Edwin Johnson, Sr. decided to go into business himself. In 1947, he started constructing the companys first roll forming machine (now in storage) in his basement. He had offered his ......Johnson Bros. beginning occurred when Edwin Johnson, Sr. decided to go into business himself. In 1947, he started constructing the companys first roll forming machine (now in storage) in his basement. He had offered his five brothers and equal share of the business if they matched his life savings, $700 investment. One brother, Harold Johnson, did hence the name Johnson Bros. About Johnson Brothers 5500 Outside When the first machine was finished and tested it had to be disassembled, carried from his basement and reassembled in Edwins garage. After a few months the neighbors complained about the noise as production of small orders began and Edwin was forced to find new quarters. He found an uninsulated, dirt-floor garage that had formerly been a stable at Cicero Ave. and Chicago Blvd. in Chicago. The brothers, Edwin Sr. and Harold, insulated the garage/plant, built a small office and heated the building with a small stove in the cold months. In 1950, Edwin Sr.s son, Edwin Jr., who had been working part-time for the brothers since 1947 while going to college, and another brother of Edwin Sr. and Harold, not active in the About Johnson Brothers 5500 Inside business, poured a concrete floor in the garage. This brought stability, to say the least, to the roll forming Chicago operation. In 1951, they rented a storefront on the garage property, built two more roll form machines and grew the business. Besides conducting all sales, Edwin Sr. designed all the dies (rolls and cutoff) and the equipment (roll formers and flying cutoffs) in his attic from 10 pm. (at About Johnson Brothers Low-stress day for our shipping foreman the end of his factory workday) until 2 or 3 am. He built his dies and equipment during the day with some help from Harold who spent most of his time in production and who, by the way, was the best roll form machine operator/setup man the business ever had. Two more brothers, Rudolf and Arnold, and a neighbor were hired and the growing business was moved to Bellwood, IL, in 1954 to a building formerly occupied by an old millwright. It was located behind Borg-Warner, About Johnson Brothers About Johnson Brothers 4th generation works - Ed Johnson Sr.s great grandchildren Spring Division. The toolroom and the roll form departments were laid out by Edwin Jr., who used the adventure as part of his masters degree thesis. When Edwin Jr. returned from military service he worked in the production and tooling departments, and in administration and accounting. In 1958, the business was incorporated with Edwin Sr. as president, Harold as vice president and Edwin Jr. as secretary/treasurer. The most exciting incident in the companys history occurred in this Bellwood plant when the FBI used it for a stakeout to catch some thieves in Borg-Warner.