With over a century of experience, we’re proud to say that our family of businesses spans 26 recessions, one depression, two world wars, oil embargoes, steel shortages and 23 presidential elections. Starting with a single wire basket, Kaspar Companies has since grown to be the parent company of eight subsidiaries; Bedrock Truck Beds, Circle Y, Horizon Firearms, iota Outdoors, Stiller Actions, TX Ammo, Texas Precious Metals, and Silverback Homes. A fifth-generation family business headquartered in Shiner, Texas, Kaspar Companies has evolved and expanded into diverse industries while remaining grounded in the founding principles of quality American workmanship and honest business practices.
In the 1890s, Texas farmer and son-of-an-immigrant missionary August Kaspar fashioned a basket out of an abandoned wire fence. August watched as his fellow Texas ranchers discarded their old smooth wire fences for the newly invented barbed wire and discovered that the scraps were not simply trash. Using nothing but his hands and a pair of pliers, he created a crude looking basket that was intended to help him carry hay and corn shucks from the barn to the animal stalls. Little did he know that this basket would lead to a century-old business legacy and serve as the entrepreneurial spark of modern day Kaspar Companies.
Peddling from farm to farm in a loaded wagon, he continued to sell his baskets until the business became a full-time replacement for ranching. August invested in wire straightening machines to create a more attractive product and built a wooden barn to house the headquarters. He began to place his products in general stores and hardware stores, eliminating the door-to-door peddling and increasing sales.
It Began with a Basket
EST 1898
August’s son, Arthur, joined the family business at the age of 10, quickly excelling in operating the unruly pieces of equipment, learning how to fine tune the gasoline engines, and handling the maintenance and repairs.
His passion for machines and manufacturing continued to grow, and soon Arthur was designing new machines specifically for the production of Kaspar products. As the company expanded its product line, it introduced what many consider to be the first shopping carts in grocery stores.
Don Kaspar continued the work of his father, Arthur, by building the business into a worldwide corporation. During the mid-1950s, Don worked diligently to develop a superior rack dispenser that would dominate the newspaper rack industry. Sho-Rack provided products for newspaper industry leaders, including USA Today and The New York Times, and introduced a plethora of new and innovative technology to the rack dispenser.
Kaspar Companies’ ability to adapt and evolve with the changing world contributes to its flourishing survival. Under the leadership of the fourth and fifth generations, Kaspar Companies has since grown to be the parent company of eight subsidiaries, built from the original hard-working ingenuities and faith-driven principles that were put into that first wire basket.
Our Core Values
STEWARDSHIP
Our hands are outstretched and open representing our dedication to STEWARDSHIP, carefully receiving and cultivating the resources entrusted to us so that we may responsibly return them to the world in the form of prosperity and opportunity.
VERSATILITY
Moving forward in a purposeful direction, our feet take each step with the balance of VERSATILITY to remain guided and diverse as we carefully maintain our established roads while actively exploring new paths.
FAMILY
Supporting all members and making us whole is the backbone of our organization: FAMILY. Owned and operated by five generations of the Kaspar family, we believe in the strong family unit and are committed to being a family friendly employer.
Our Mission
Kaspar Companies exists to improve
lives by being faithful stewards of
God-given resources.
