Malleable Iron Fittings Company

The Malleable Iron Fittings Company (MIF)was originally incorporated in 1864. Earlier, in 1842, Nason and his brother-in-law, James J. Walworth of Boston, founded the Walworth and Nason Company of Boston (later known as the Walworth Company) to manufacture equipment for and install steam heating, then a novelty. In 1864, Nason and Walworth took over the Totoket Company of Branford, Connecticut, in order to concentrate on a proposed line of malleable iron fittings. The early MIF was essentially a subsidiary of the Walworth Company. It produced malleable iron castings that were shipped to the Walworth Company for finishing. Over the years, the company produced pipe fittings for buildings, industry and oil fields, marine and highway hardware, oil burners, and later pole hardware for the growing electric power industry. Malleable iron, however, is limited in its applications to fittings and small castings, and in 1906, in order to meet the growing demand for larger and stronger castings, the company began manufacturing steel castings by the converter process.In 1915, MIF employed one thousand people and had an annual production capacity of 23,500 tons. It was the largest industry in Branford, Connecticut, and the largest malleable foundry in New England. In May 1963, MIF acquired the Bigelow Company of New Haven, a producer of steam boilers. In July 1964, MIF continued its expansion when it consolidated with the Detroit Brass and Malleable Company. In February 1969, MIF Industries was sold to Waltham Industries, a Delaware-based corporation, for $4.5 million. In 1971, Waltham Industries began selling off or removing most of the assets of MIF Industries. A court injunction obtained by the town of Branford halted this process because the company owed the town $300, 000 in back taxes. The 117 year manufacturing era of MIF was essentially at an end.

From the description of Malleable Iron Fittings Company records, 1842-1962. (University of Connecticut). WorldCat record id: 237004742

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