OUR HISTORY
Three Decades of Growth
Top Brass was founded in 1992, beginning as a small manufacturing company before evolving into the wet wipe manufacturer it is today. In the years that followed, the company relocated to Wisconsin and shifted its focus to wet wipe production, a path that would come to define Top Brass for the next three decades.
1992
Founded
Top Brass is incorporated in California, developing “Cobra”, a dry powder metal cleaner for brass and copper.
1994
Reincorporated
Reincorporated in Iowa, expanding the Cobra line into water-based paste products and entering the retail marketplace.
1995
Entering Wet Wipes
Top Brass enters the flexible packaging market with a new product, See Clear, marking its first step into wet wipes.
1996
Founded
Top Brass establishes a distribution center in Wittenberg, Wisconsin.
1997
Early Growth
2,800 sf expansion. Two more flexible packaging products, Nu Shoe and Inside Job. Nominated for Emerging Manufacturer of the Year for Shawano County.
1998
In-House Manufacturing
Top Brass begins moving manufacturing in-house and receives a second nomination for Emerging Manufacturer of the Year.
1999
Automotive Wipes
Top Brass launches automotive wipes, Tire Job, Outside Job, Bug & Tar Job, and Glass Job, and begins contract and private label manufacturing in peel & reseal packaging.
2000
Facility Expansion
Phase One of a 13,000 sq. ft. facility expansion is completed, preparing Top Brass for large-scale wet wipe contract manufacturing.
2001
Fortune 500 Partner
Top Brass becomes the specialty converter of choice for several Fortune 500 companies and trains all employees in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
2002
Certified for Quality
Top Brass integrates ISO standards and earns FDA/GMP certification. Phase Two of the facility expansion opens, fully FDA, EPA, and GMP compliant.
2004
Innovative Packaging
The Flex Pac Mount dispenser receives patent-pending status. A flexible pack that sticks to MRI and other medical machines.
2005
New Capabilities
Top Brass adds specialty single-pack capability for small towels, portion-pack liquid fill, and presaturated swabs.
2006
Doubling Production
Wipe production volume doubles with the addition of a new production line.
2007
Patented and Trained
Top Brass receives patent for Flex Pac Mount and partners with North Central Technical College on Lean Manufacturing training.
2009
Building for the Future
Top Brass breaks ground on a new state-of-the-art facility addition, built with high-efficiency lighting and geothermal heating and cooling.
2010
Doubling Capacity
The new addition opens, doubling wet wipe production capacity and enabling new single-pack and cross-folded product offerings.
2012
Higher Wipe Count
Top Brass expands converting capability to support higher-count personal care wipe products, from 64 to 120 count.
2014
Line Expansion
Top Brass expands line capacity.
