Like many world-class companies that dominate their sector, Arrow Off-Road, a division of Arrow Machine & Fabrication Group, started small but steadily grew thanks to a clear vision by our founder, Mike Ritchie. His hard work to help secure the future of our company – and industry – makes him a true leader in the metalworking sphere.
However, we don’t take our success story lightly. Staying ahead in this industry, with all of the challenges it currently faces, means staying nimble, dynamic, and responsive to change. Understanding what it takes to maintain our position also makes us better partners for our OEM customers, who often need to overcome similar or parallel obstacles.
In this month’s blog, we trace Arrow Off-Road’s (AOR) road from its humble beginnings to becoming leaders in the machining, fabrication, finishing, and assembly of off-road vehicle powertrain and structural components to reinforce our ability to help grow your profits and keep you ahead of your competitors.
Starting Small: CGL Manufacturing Inc.
In 1977, Mike launched our anchor company, CGL Manufacturing Inc., in Guelph, Canada, as a supplier of off-road machine and fabrication solutions. It started with three engineers who shared Mike’s growth strategy of building trusted relationships with suppliers and customers by always acting with honesty and integrity, and staying laser-focused on providing high-quality products.
Over time, CGL’s forward-thinking approach to business cemented its position as a respected partner to some of the most respected OEMs in agriculture, construction, defence, energy, forestry, heavy truck, material handling, mining, and rail. The company was generating over $75 million in revenue and employed over 300 craftspeople across two manufacturing facilities in Canada and China.
Most businesses would be content with this level of success, but Mike envisioned something even bigger: a consolidation of small-to-medium metalworking companies that would pool their resources to create the world’s largest machine and fabrication solutions supply chain. This model would allow CGL customers to access an even broader range of metalworking services, bringing in greater profits for all stakeholders.
This new venture would be called Arrow Machine and Fabrication Group. Arrow Off-Road was the first division launched under this new banner.
The Birth Of Arrow Off-Road
Arrow Off-Road was created by merging CGL with the OEM Manufacturing division of a company Arrow had recently acquired called Steelcraft Inc.
Steelcraft wasn’t a new company in the metalworking industry, having been founded in 1923 as a provider of design, engineering, and customized metal fabrication solutions.
For nearly 100 years, it was a well-respected supplier of industrial parts and equipment to global OEMs across the chemical, commercial, construction, defence, energy, industrial, mining, and water treatment industries.
This launch now places 900 skilled professionals across 11 purpose-built production facilities in three countries under one banner, offering our customers unprecedented scalability. As the three other Arrow divisions, Arrow Engineered Products, Arrow Automotive, and Arrow Precision Machining, went live, we were part of the world’s biggest metalworking network, allowing us to take on large-scale projects that other suppliers can’t.
Arrow’s divisions enjoyed immediate organic success. However, another opportunity to expand was just around the corner for Arrow Off-Road.
A New Joint Venture
In 2024, Arrow Off-Road formed a partnership with The CTD Group, a Winnipeg-based supplier of parts and equipment fabrication and assembly for agricultural, construction, mining, and oil & gas OEMs.
This new joint venture, AC Fabrication & Assembly Solutions, gives Arrow-Off Road customers, as well as Arrow’s other divisions, even more access to specialized custom-built products, including industrial-strength hubs, spindles, wheels, hitches, and welded hydraulic cylinders.
It also gave our teams an additional 155,000 square feet of production space for our shared customer projects, allowing unprecedented capacity for virtually any metalworking requirement.
Our Ongoing Commitment To Quality And Service
However big our footprint gets, we know that size isn’t everything, and work hard to maintain a tradition of delivering product and service excellence. Our technicians are regularly trained on the latest design and manufacturing technology, ensuring our customers get exceptional accuracy and quality, even with large, intricate, or complex designs.
Above all, we remember the early days at CGL Manufacturing, and how building strong relationships based on trust, courtesy, integrity, and respect helped get us where we are today. Our company has certainly changed over the years, but our commitment to sticking with the values that brought us here never will.
Read More: How Arrow-Off Road Mentors Tomorrow’s Metalworking Leaders For Better Quality Products Today
Arrow Off-Road: CNC Manufacturers In Canada Delivering Quality To Global OEMs
Partner with Arrow Off-Road for precise machining, welding, and fabrication solutions customized to your requirements and application. Request a quote for your next project to experience the Arrow difference in quality, precision, and service. Get in touch with us today!