Midwest Systems marks 60th anniversary

April 1, 2003
Midwest Systems has announced that 2003 is its 60th year in business. Its first trailer sales and repair facility was opened in 1943 by founder Earl M

Midwest Systems has announced that 2003 is its 60th year in business. Its first trailer sales and repair facility was opened in 1943 by founder Earl M Winkle, under the name Midwest Parts and Equipment Co. The location was in St Louis MO at Ninth and Cass, said Justin Williamson and Thomas Lynch, co-owners of the company. Midwest Systems is presently at 5911 Hall Street in north St Louis, with prior locations on Chouteau and Mound Street.

The company is an intermodal container/chassis depot for the steamship industry, storing, repairing, handling, and repositioning containers and chassis. Its 14-bay trailer repair shop and mobile service handles all types of trailer repair.

Midwest Systems purchased Middle States Mobile Fleet Maintenance in 1996 to start the mobile truck and trailer preventative maintenance division. Under the same ownership, River Roads Distributing Co was incorporated in 1959. Trailers of all types are sold and leased. Midwest Systems and River Roads Distributing Co operates on about 58 acres of property in the Hall Street area. Adjoining trucking terminals are owned and leased to various companies.

Williamson and Lynch assisted Jim Rogers in starting a division called Midwest Systems Truck Equipment (MSTE) in 1992. Rogers, the present owner, purchased MSTE from Midwest Systems in 1999. MSTE sells, installs, and repairs various truck associated equipment.