At Kelbe Brothers Equipment, we proudly serve the construction, road building, demolition, and related industries across Wisconsin. From excavators to wheel loaders, dozers to skid steers, and everything in between, we offer top quality equipment from Link-Belt Excavators, Hitachi, New Holland, Takeuchi, and more. With fast parts delivery, dependable service, and a large rental fleet, our team is here to keep your operations running smoothly and firing on all cylinders. Think of us as a partner for your business, not just an equipment dealer.
We started over 70 years ago
Kelbe Brothers was founded in 1953 by Ollie and Roland Kelbe, along with Roland’s son-in-law, Robert Miller. What started as a modest five person operation in a rented yard on Milwaukee’s north side quickly grew, thanks to their commitment to hard work and reliability. Early on, we focused on selling Koehring cranes, excavators, and paving equipment. As demand grew, so did we, eventually moving into our own 26,000 ft2 facility in Butler, Wisconsin, in 1964. That was the true beginning of the modern Kelbe Brothers Equipment.
Followed by expansion and diversification
The late ‘60s and ‘70s were an exciting time of steady growth and expansion at Kelbe. We added product lines like Champion Motor Graders in 1965 and Bantam Cranes and Excavators in 1970, brands that are no longer in production, but they played an important role in our early success. In 1972, we opened a branch in Little Chute, Wisconsin to help us serve an even wider number of customers. During this time, Robert Miller became sole owner, and his sons, Larry and Gary, officially joined the business in the mid 1970s, strengthening the family legacy.
Strategic growth and leadership transition came next
The 1980s introduced key partnerships that helped shape our company’s future and position us as the premier equipment dealer in Wisconsin. Fiatallis was added in 1983 and remained a cornerstone of our business for nearly 20 years. We brought on more brands of equipment, including Rexworks, Trimble, and Link-Belt (LBX) Excavators, still one of our top lines.
We built a brand new Madison branch and created additional service bays and a bigger yard at our original Butler location. In 1989, Larry Miller was named President, ushering in a new chapter of leadership. Despite all of our growth during this time, we were always able to maintain our customer-first approach. Our focus remained on doing everything we could to help the businesses we work with succeed.
Efficiency and new equipment partners fueled growth
As Kelbe entered a more mature business phase, we turned toward strengthening our operations and enhancing productivity. During the ‘90s and early 2000s were several key additions of equipment lines, including Ingersoll-Rand compactors, Takeuchi mini excavators and CTLs, and New Holland heavy equipment. After Robert Miller passed in 1993, his sons, Larry and Gary Miller, took the reins, remaining partners until Gary’s retirement in 2010. Shortly after, Larry’s son, Jeff Miller, joined the team, bringing in the next generation of leadership. We continued to grow our lines and added Wacker Neuson in 2009 and Kawasaki wheel loaders in 2011.
Looking ahead
Today, Kelbe Brothers remains focused on adapting to an ever changing industry while staying true to the values we were built on. In 2014, we opened a brand new store in De Pere, Wisconsin, replacing the Little Chute location. In Madison, we are currently updating our facility and more than doubling our service capabilities to complete repairs faster and better serve our customers. We’re also increasing the size of our team, adding field technicians and sales reps. Plus, we’re converting our entire yard to concrete, so there won’t be any more dirt or mud, and it will be much easier to drop off, pick up, and transport equipment. We will continue to find ways to improve our customers’ experiences at Kelbe Brothers Equipment.
Kelbe has over 72 years of history and three locations throughout Wisconsin. Our team is more committed now than ever to delivering the knowledge, experience, and resources our customers count on, now and into the future. With Jeff Miller as our President, we are proud to be a fourth generation family run business!
Learn more about our equipment and services by contacting our team today!
Kelbe Brothers through the years
