KMC Pioneer Passes Away

20 July 2006 • New Paris, IN  Klaus P. Mueller, a manufacturing pioneer for KMC Controls, passed away Sunday, July 9, 2006 following a brief illness. He was 78. Born in Doebeln, Germany, Mr. Mueller immigrated to Goshen, Indiana in 1957 with his wife and family.

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Upon arriving in the United States, Mr. Mueller worked for a Robertshaw Controls office. It was during this time that he met Ken Kreuter, also a Robertshaw Controls employee who later founded Kreuter Manufacturing in Minnesota. A friendship formed which later resulted in the creation of Kreuter Manufacturing Company in New Paris, Indiana. The manufacturing operation began humbly with one 50-by-80-foot building and Klaus himself as the only employee.

As Ken Kreuter developed the engineering and sales portion of the business, Klaus built the manufacturing infrastructure that continues today. In 1989 Kreuter Engineering and Kreuter Manufacturing became collectively known as KMC Controls. Under Klaus’ supervision for 23 years, KMC expanded manufacturing operations to over 100,000 square feet. He also hired many of the production employees which still call KMC home.

In 1984, the Governor of Indiana presented Klaus with the Sagamore of the Wabash award, an Indiana tradition which recognizes significant social contributions by citizens. In 1999 Klaus was honored as the New Paris Citizen of the Year for which he was nominated by 100 of his employees. He retired from KMC in 2001. As a prominent figure in the community, Mr. Mueller served on the committee that brought about the establishment of the New Paris Medical Clinic, helped establish and served on the New Paris Sewer Conservancy and served a term on the Elkhart County Park Board. In 2004, KMC Controls presented Klaus with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Mueller legacy continues at KMC today with two of Klaus’s sons. Joerg Mueller is Vice President of Manufacturing at KMC. Klaus D. Mueller is Production Scheduler.

“My father’s legacy expertise in manufacturing was due to his never-ending concern for his employees,” says Joerg Mueller. He continues, “He truly put employees first and they appreciated it, creating a great company morale and overall working environment.”

Klaus will be deeply missed, not only as a member of the KMC family, but as an outstanding member of the community.

About KMC Controls:
KMC Controls (formerly Kreuter Manufacturing Company; www.kmccontrols.com) has been designing and manufacturing building automation solutions, HVAC control products and energy management solutions for over 36 years. KMC remains the only privately held controls manufacturer with a full line of digital, electronic, and pneumatic products. Its intellectual property includes dozens of patents and its professional affiliations include BACnet International and USGBC. KMC maintains regional sales offices throughout the U.S. and distributes its solutions and products through value-added, authorized installing contractors, wholesalers, and OEMs throughout North America as well as authorized distributors worldwide.

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