Founded in 1971
Merkle was founded in 1971 by F.P. (Pete) Merkle as Merkle and Associates. It was first located in Palatine, Illinois. In 1978, after 7 years in Palatine, the company operation was moved to Galena. From 1978 to 2013, the company occupied the same office on Perry Street, gradually increasing its space. In late 2013, the company changed to a new, larger office.
In 1979, the name was changed to Merkle Engineers, Inc. In 2007, the name was changed to Merkle International, Inc. to reflect the change in the company, from largely a domestic supplier to a company with a large portfolio of international customers.
Mr. Merkle’s first efforts were in the glass industry. For 18 years he had serviced this industry with his previous employer and was considered an expert, having developed many successful refractory designs. Founding his own company allowed him to concentrate his efforts in glass since his previous employer had been more oriented toward steel and other larger refractory-consuming industries.