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Business View Magazine
34 Business View – October
Construction
M
orton Buildings has been a family-run entity
since its 1903 founding as the Interlocking
Fence Company by the Getz family, among
the earliest of settlers inMorton, Ill. The initial enterprise
emerged as a major supplier to farmers, specializing in
woven and barbed wire, posts, braces and gates.
Expansion ultimatelymoved the company into roofing
materials and other home goods, which made its
catalog a must-have for Midwest farmers. In fact, it still
operates from the same building featured on a catalog
cover from the 1920s. Its modern-day wheelhouse of
post-frame construction sprang up during World War
II, when government imposed limits on how much
farmers could spend on construction.
Poles could be used to hold up trusses and framing
could be put around it, which provided farmers with
the buildings they needed while controlling costs.
The company began building operations in corn cribs
before making the “pole barn” a major aspect of the
operation. Initially, customers would contract to
have a Morton-style building from Interlocking Fence
Company, before operations ultimately transitioned to
focus on construction and hastened the name change
to Morton Buildings.
Custom Construction
at its Finest
Morton Buildings innovates and improves as a post-frame
construction leader
When it comes to street cred, 100-plus years provides a lot.
Morton Buildings
