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James Schmidt - Vice-President Bill Schmidt - President

The Schmidt Tool & Manufacturing Staff

When it comes to custom steady rests, nobody delivers quite like Schmidt Tool & Manufacturing. As a family-owned business established in 1981, we have grown from humble beginnings to become a trusted name in precision machined parts and industrial equipment.
Our commitment to quality products and timely delivery comes from a deeply rooted family tradition and a continuous drive for innovation. Join us as we introduce you to our manufacturing staff—the heart that keeps our steady rest manufacturer innovating.

James Schmidt

James started working in his dad’s machine shop at age 11, cleaning up and running the saw. After he finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Sam Houston State University, he began working full-time as a machinist and in the office quoting work.
He now manages the business with his wife, Kim. His daughter Kristen and son Kyle have joined the manufacturing staff, and they look forward to many more years of providing the same high-quality steady rest products and on-time delivery that have made Schmidt Tool & Manufacturing what it is today.

Bill & Gloria Schmidt

Bill and Gloria Schmidt moved from Chicago with their son James to Willis, TX, in 1979. They started Schmidt Tool & Manufacturing in 1981 in a rented barn with a dirt floor. Bill’s experience and reputation as a tool maker quickly led to high demand for precision-machined parts and industrial equipment.
With the support and hard work of Gloria in the office, they had a very successful 35 years in business. Today, Bill and Gloria passed the day-to-day operations over to James. Bill now enjoys working on his custom-built hot rods and making shop deliveries, and Gloria helps out in the office a few days a week.

Kim Schmidt

Kim finished her bachelor’s degree in business at Sam Houston State University with a minor in office administration. In 1989, she began to work at Schmidt Tool & Manufacturing. She has been the office manager for the past 24 years, taking care of accounting, shipping, and phone calls.
She has been happily married to James Schmidt for 35 years. Their daughter Kristen is her assistant, and they share the office with their chihuahua mix, Bailey, and the much larger but gentle Siberian husky, Shiner.
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