History

Ed Kilby designed the first Shaker Side and Catching Frame starting in 1962 with the hope of earning some extra money for his annual family hunting trip in Montana. But what began as a way to help his father pick the family prune orchard quickly became something that many area prune farmers needed and wanted and drove the formation of Kilby Mfg. Family has always been an important part of Kilby Mfg. The original machines are still being built on family farm land where Ed's father originally leveled the land and planted prune and almond orchards in 1947. Even the parts department is still partially housed in the original barn. Through the years many family members have been an important part of Kilby Mfg. Originally, Ed worked with his wife Donna as the bookkeeper, and his brother Lowell. In 1968 Raymond Pantaleoni became part of the family and was Vice President until his retirement in 2002. Currently, we have 3 generations of Kilbys working in the business; Ed, his daughter, Patti, and his grandson, Andrew Robinson. We've chosen a few photos highlighting the growth of Kilby Mfg.