Andis Company History

Andis Company traces its roots back to when Matthew Andis was working at Mitchell Motor Car Company in Racine as a tool maker when he decided to leave and start his own business. John Oster and Henry Meltzer came to his home and asked to be partners. Andis O. M. Manufacturing was born around 1920–21. Soon their tool and die company had been contracted to make tooling to produce clipper blades for a hand-operated, non-motorized hair clipper. This partnership only lasted about a year. When the three split, each started his own company in Racine, Wisconsin. Meltzer started Master Appliance/MAMCO, and Oster started John Oster Company. Andis quickly developed the Andis electric clipper and began the Andis Clipper Company, which eventually evolved into the Andis Company of today, which was officially incorporated in the year 1922. Racine was a hotbed for electrical motors, specifically with the invention of the fractional HP motor. Local companies, including Hamilton Beach, InSinkErator, Dremel, and Andis, used this technology to make blenders, food waste disposers, and rotary tools.