History

1905 . KERR PUMP & SUPPLY WAS FOUNDED

Kerr Pump & Supply was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1905 by Alexander M and David M Kerr as Kerr Machinery Corporation. We are Michigan and Northwest Ohio’s oldest and largest distributor. We have been providing the industry’s most highly engineered, cost-effective, efficient and reliable equipment since our inception

1907 . KERR MACHINERY & SUPPLY INCORPORATES

Kerr incorporates in 1907 and began manufacturing electric and steam driven centrifugal pumps under the name of Kerr Machinery & Supply, along with his two sons, David and Robert.

1914. KERR MACHINERY & SUPPLY MOVES

Kerr initially ran operations out of the basement of the Dime Bank Building in the heart of the city, where we successfully built pumps until 1914.

Growth and expansion led to the enlistment of the famous architect, Albert Kahn, to design a modern 6-story Kerr Machinery Building (a.k.a. The Daylight Building), located at the corner of Fort and Beaubien streets.

1922 . GROWTH CONTINUES

Robert Kerr, the youngest son, assumed the position of production manager following the death of Alexander Kerr in 1918. A profile written about Robert Kerr in the book, The City of Detroit Michigan, 1701 – 1922, Volume 1, highlights his business ethics: “As the head of this and subsidiary companies, he succeeded in building up a business second to none in the state, achieving splendid results through honesty, square dealing and by reason of the value and worth of his products.”

These same practices have been carried on through generations and continue today under the leadership of Tom Gross, CEO.

1942 . WORLD WAR II

The United States of America called upon the Kerr Machinery Company – Marine Division, to provide pumps and spare parts for 64 Navy boats. This included Fire Pumps, Distiller Pumps, Condensate Pumps and Diesel Oil Transfer pumps. The contract was worth just under a million dollars.

1964 . KERR RELOCATION

In 1964, Kerr moved to their current facility just north of the Detroit city limits. It was here that we developed and patented the Top Pull Out Pump. These pumps have been installed in automotive and industrial plants throughout the country and are still specified to this day. In 2009, we acquired the Haynes Company, expanding our product range and manufacturing capacity. Currently, we continue to manufacture the Kerr and Haynes lines of vertical process and vertical sump pumps. Additionally, we represent numerous manufacturer lines of pumps — from gear pumps, to centrifugal, vacuum, and air operated pumps—as well as other products, like heat exchangers, blowers, tanks, valves, packaged systems and control panels.

These products span diverse industrial applications, providing solutions for manufacturing processes, municipal projects (water and wastewater), and supporting the ever-changing industries in Michigan and Northwest Ohio with their fluid process plant requirements.

2025 . KERR CELEBRATES 120 YEARS !

2025 marks the 120th anniversary.  To continue to drive future growth, Tom Gross is now CEO and Robert Kalfs President.  Read about more key senior leadership positions here.