History
History
When Frank and Mary Calandra launched Jennmar’s parent company, Frank Calandra, Inc. (FCI), they embarked on a journey that would have a profound impact for over a century.
In 1922, Frank and Mary started FCI by collecting scrap metal and selling it to booming Pittsburgh steel companies, creating strong local connections from humble beginnings. Over the years, FCI expanded and weathered everything from economic downturns to WWII while supporting its commitment to customers and employees.
Today, the Jennmar family of companies has manufacturing expertise in steel roof support, ground stabilization chemicals, roll forming, value-added steel service, ventilation, and carbide tools for mining, milling, and metal cutting. We also offer a range of US-manufactured products to the mining, tunneling, construction, solar, agriculture, forestry, machining, and conveying industries. We also provide installation services for chemical roof support and ground consolidation chemicals and temporary labor services to a range of industries.
In 2024, Tony Calandra consolidated Frank Calandra, Inc. (FCI) and Calandra Group’s holdings under a single holding company, forming Jennmar Holdings, LLC. Jennmar Holdings was formed to consolidate and house all future investments in chemical, manufacturing, metal cutting, industrial fabrication, machining, labor services, oil and gas, and conveyance industries.
At Jennmar, we take pride in being the life force of global infrastructure. We’ve grown alongside our customers, creating innovative solutions that keep up with the world's rapid pace. Staying power takes dedication, grit, and focus—it’s what our founders built this company on, and we live by it every day as a testament to them.
In 1922, Frank and Mary started FCI by collecting scrap metal and selling it to booming Pittsburgh steel companies, creating strong local connections from humble beginnings. Over the years, FCI expanded and weathered everything from economic downturns to WWII while supporting its commitment to customers and employees.
Today, the Jennmar family of companies has manufacturing expertise in steel roof support, ground stabilization chemicals, roll forming, value-added steel service, ventilation, and carbide tools for mining, milling, and metal cutting. We also offer a range of US-manufactured products to the mining, tunneling, construction, solar, agriculture, forestry, machining, and conveying industries. We also provide installation services for chemical roof support and ground consolidation chemicals and temporary labor services to a range of industries.
In 2024, Tony Calandra consolidated Frank Calandra, Inc. (FCI) and Calandra Group’s holdings under a single holding company, forming Jennmar Holdings, LLC. Jennmar Holdings was formed to consolidate and house all future investments in chemical, manufacturing, metal cutting, industrial fabrication, machining, labor services, oil and gas, and conveyance industries.
At Jennmar, we take pride in being the life force of global infrastructure. We’ve grown alongside our customers, creating innovative solutions that keep up with the world's rapid pace. Staying power takes dedication, grit, and focus—it’s what our founders built this company on, and we live by it every day as a testament to them.
Timeline
1920-1979
1922
- Frank Calandra, Inc. originated as a proprietorship
1965
- JENNMAR was incorporated in 1965 and was engaged in various businesses related to the coal mining industry.
1972
- Began to change the primary focus of our business to the manufacturing of roof support systems
1975
- Continued to grow with the introduction of our first specialty bolt, the COMBINATION bolt
- Began construction and operation of our West Virginia plant
1978
- Expanded with manufacturing facility in Winchester, KY
1980-1999
1981
- Acquired Valley Steel's mine roof bolt manufacturing plant in Flora, IL
1985
- Received patents on the INSTAL bolt
1986
- Began support of coal producing areas in the west through the acquisition of a roof bolt manufacturer in Helper, UT
1993
- Opened a new manufacturing facility in Clearfield, UT
- Began construction of facility in Tazewell County, VA
1995
- Became associated with cable bolt and cable truss technology
- Expanded our roof support systems manufacturing facility in Reedsville, WV
1997
- Established a manufacturing facility in Sydney, Australia
1999
- Began construction of a 130,000 sq. ft steel service center adjacent to the Nucor Steel Mill site in Berkley County, SC
2000-2009
2003
- R & D launches prop program
2006
- Jining produces first roof bolt for Asia market in August 2006
- Affiliate J-LOK begins producing its own line of specialty resin for JENNMAR bolt systems
2007
- JENNMAR Specialty begins production
2008
- JENNMAR West Kentucky and J-LOK Corporation in Earlington Kentucky are commissioned
- JENNMAR Australia moves into modern roof bolt complex in Narellan, Australia
- J-LOK Australia offers a line of resin to complement JENNMAR Australia's products
- JENNMAR Canada project begins
2010-2019
2010
- JENNMAR Canada moves into new 50,000 Sq. ft. buiding in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario
- JENNCHEM, LLC begins providing chemical solutions to the mining and tunneling industries
- JENNMAR opens a manufacturing facility in Santiago, Chile. Sales offices in Mexico, Peru, and Spain
2011
- JENNMAR purchases Merol, a family owned ground support company serving the European tunneling and mining industries
2012
- JENNMAR acquires Multitex in the Czech Repulic., further expanding JENNMAR's hydraulic expandable rock bolt capacity
- JENNMAR Canada opens another bolt manufacturing facility in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- JENNMAR Europe opens a sales office in Barcelona, Spain
2013
- JENNMAR purchases a resin company in Johannesburg, South Africa establishing a presence on 6 continents
- JENNMAR Civil is established to fully address the needs of the civil construction industry
- Acquires McSweeney's, a leading manufacturer of forged drill steel products
2014
- Divested Canadian assets
- Joint ventures with DSI, established ROCBOLT Technologies in South Africa and ROCBOLT Resins in Australia
2015
- Acquired Sanshell and TungsteMet expanding roof and miner bits capabilities and adding carbide tooling capabilities
2016
- Acquires DSI Mining Division in US; Sells European and Latin America operations to DSI
- Established additional ROCBOLT Technologies joint venture with DSI in China, joining ROCBOLT Resins in Australia and ROCBOLT Technologies in South Africa
2017
- JENNMAR divests of rack manufacturer, Elite Storage Solutions
- JENNMAR Sanshell acquires Cuda Tools
- Affiliate, JM Conveyors begins operations in Lebanon, VA, manufacturing conveyor belt structures
- Established additional ROCBOLT Technologies joint venture with DSI in Mongolia
- JENNMAR to offer EcoVent equipment doors
- JENNMAR and Murray ink agreement
- JENNMAR/JENNCHEM acquire Heintzmann
2018
- JENNCHEM, Quaker sign exclusive distribution agreement
- FCI purchases CSA and CDS
- JENNMAR, Draeger sign mining equipment distribution agreement
- CSA will now be JENNMAR Services
- Calandra Group, LLC and ABC Technology Group USA announce joint venture, TURNSTONE Industrial Solutions, LLC
- Tony Calandra, becomes Group President, FCI, and Calandra Group
2019
- JENNMAR McSweeney Inc. purchases Robotic Welded Parts
- JENNCHEM marks its 10 Year Anniversary
- Calandra Group, LLC, purchases Roller Shop Division of Fenner Dunlop Americas
- Frank Calandra Jr. is inducted into the West Virginia Coal Mining Institute Hall of Fame
- Frank Calandra Jr. is inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame
2020-Present
2020
- JENNMAR purchases Vossloh Mine and Rail assets
- JENNMAR re-brands JENNMAR McSweeney, JENNMAR SANSHELL, Cuda Tools Inc., and JENNMAR Construction Tools into XCAL TOOLS
- JENNMAR re-brands TungsteMet into XCAL INDUSTRIES
- JM Steel expands into Sinton, Texas
2021
- JM STEEL opens new plant in Sinton, TX
- Komatsu and JENNMAR announce development agreement for pumpable resin solutions for underground hard rock mining drilling and bolting customers
- JENNMAR rebrands and restructures it logos
- JM Conveyors & JENNMAR Specialty move under the JENNMAR logo
- XCAL TOOLS purchases the assets of BMT Products, LLC.
- Turning Point Services joined JENNMAR Services
2022
- Five Star Roll Form acquisition
- Ohio Valley Track acquisition
- BCI Steel acquisition - bridging on full tilt and 100,000 tons of solar tube products
- Nextracker agreement and solar tube manufacturing in Sinton, TX
2023
- JENNCHEM acquired assets of Burrell Mining Products, Inc
- JENNMAR of Kentucky, Inc. has purchased DSI Tunneling LLC (DSI)
- JENNMAR Corporation of Virginia has purchased Camber Corporation’s assets
- XCAL TOOLS acquires assets of TAMCO, Inc
- Turnstone Industrial Solutions, LLC acquires assets of Schauenburg Flexadux Corporation
- Turnstone Industrial Solutions, LLC rebrands and restructures their logos
2024
- Jennmar Acquires Majority Stake in Australian Steel & Wire
- Jennmar Services Acquires G&R Gas Services
- FalconPoint releases announcement on inaugural investment with Jennmar
- Jennmar Acquires Dumotech Industrial Products
- Jennmar Acquires Concrete Blending Facility from Wright-Mix
2025
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Jennmar Acquires SSAB's Expandable Rock Bolt Production Facility in Virsbo, Sweden
FCI Celebrates 100 Years
Our parent company, Frank Calandra, Inc. (FCI) is proud of everyone who has made us who we are over these 100 years in operation. From humble beginnings, Frank and Mary Calandra saw opportunities in Cresson, PA collecting scrap metal to sell to the booming steel companies in Pittsburgh, PA. Little did they know that they would be setting out on a journey that would be touching so many lives to last a century and beyond. Over the years, FCI expanded and grew to weather everything from economic downturns to WWII, all the while maintaining their commitment to customers and their employees.
We take pride in being one of the most enduring and trusted companies in ground support products in the world. From bolts and beams, channels and trusses, resins and rebar in everything we do. We will continue to apply both innovative and proven strategies required to keep us moving in an upward trajectory, as a testament to our founders.