After enduring round upon round of mergers and acquisitions, Northeast Ohio native Kris Klingmann and his longtime colleagues discovered imminent plans to close one of their production facilities in Medina, Ohio. The facility and the people had been rooted in the community for decades, dating back to the 1930s – when the company was Leitner Fabrication. Since then, the company was acquired by TLT Babcock, followed by Howden. Families worked here, and friends worked here. Rather than see all his comrades and professional teammates lose their livelihoods, Kris was determined to find a way to purchase the longstanding Medina facility along with two fledgling product lines: GÝROL® Fluid Drives and TLT-ASH Handling. In 2018, he put his life savings on the line to start the new business and simultaneously save the jobs of forty of his co-workers. They haven't looked back since.

The name Kraft Werks was chosen for several reasons. Kraft Werks literally means Power Plant in German (which is a core market they serve). Additionally, some of their product lines have German roots, and their engineers appreciate the spirit of German precision.

While Kris had always felt very entrepreneurial, the decision to take ownership of what is now Kraft Werks was a transformative one that greatly impacted him, his family, and his team forever. Together, the people of Kraft Werks set out to create an organization unlike any other they'd ever worked for before – one that focuses on and highly values its people, truly embodies the attitude of continuous improvement, and sincerely cares for its surrounding world. In just a few short years, the company has doubled in size and has moved on to international work, all while maintaining its small entrepreneurial spirit and mindfulness of its people. The Kraft Werks team has successfully created an American-based manufacturing company that proudly serves its customers with a relentless drive to exceed expectations for both its customers and the people who make it all happen.