History and Overview

Merrill Iron & Steel, Inc. was founded in 1960, by Roger W. Hinner, who started the company by detailing, manufacturing, and installing items such as steel steps (fire escapes), tanks, and feed mill storage facilities.  Roger started the company in a small facility on Tannery Road in Merrill and as business progressed he constructed a manufacturing facility in 1975 at 1211 West Water Street in Merrill.

Over time Merrill Iron & Steel expanded to include two main lines of business.  One line of business was focused on the structural steel fabrication.  The other line consisted of products manufactured for use in the agricultural industry.

Since 1976, two of Roger’s sons, Pat Hinner and Robert Hinner, have managed and expanded the agricultural business, increasing the product line to include the construction of complete seed plants, and seed plant components such as:  corn dryers, choppers, conveying systems, bulk storage units, conditioning towers and other related areas. In 1989 Merrill Iron & Steel created a separate division to handle the expanding line of products and services being offered to agricultural customers.  Pat Hinner was appointed manager of the division.  In 1994, the Hinner family purchased a manufacturing facility in Schofield resulting in the two divisions being physically split, with the structural division based in Schofield and the agricultural division based in Merrill.

To increase the focus on the agricultural business, along with our father’s retirement, a decision was made; Pat and Robert in 1998, purchased the agricultural division.  The purchase of the agricultural division has enabled Pat and Robert to continue to grow the business and expand sales.  A new company, Agra Construction, Inc. was formed to purchase the agricultural division from Merrill Iron & Steel (herein after jointly referred to as the “Company”).

January 1, 2001,  Agra Industries, Inc. was incorporated as the parent company of: AGRA Sales & Engineering, Inc., Merrill Fab, Inc., and AGRA Construction, Inc.