Miscellaneous Jablonski Companies

Other Manufacturing Companies of Ed Jablonski

Edwin Jablonski was nothing if not an entrepreneur. From humble beginnings growing up in a log cabin outside Mosinee, he started a career in the window business in the 1950s. In addition to his successful business ventures, Ed often had aluminum and other manufacturing companies. Mid-Wi Manufacturing became a window fabrication company, whereas Major Manufacturing and WISALENT were shortlived, general fabrication companies.

Major Manufacturing Company

Not to be confused with the Jablonski company of the same name started in 1980, the Major Manufacturing Company was a small manufacturing company operated in the mid to late 1960s. The company manufactured a few different products on a small-scale, but perhaps the most notable was a short-lived line of metal "teepee"s for the "Camp-O-Tel" company.

Camp-O-Tel was a company that appears to have been based in Florida, but was hoping to find a niche in the expanding market of personal camping and recreation. They developed products to make hybrid camper and hotel (thus the name), whereby easy-to-assemble structures could be put at a camp site. It would allow visitors to enjoy camping without bringing their own campers or tents, and was an cheeper alternative to building cabins.

^ From a photoshoot for the Teepee Camp-O-Tel, taken at Lake Wausau, featuring Miss Wausau of 1968, Donna Mae Sobkowiak (far right).

The Major Mfg Company was to fabricate these Teepee-O-Tels, as well as other accessory items for the new camps. The agreement with Camp-O-Tel stipulated that Major would be contracted to manufacture everything from the frames for benches and tables, docks, playground equipment, archery ranges, signs, and "primative and rustic type furniture for use in the teepees." 

But ultimately, the Camp-O-Tel model did not become popular. And while a few teepee-o-tels were produced, Major Mfg Co. was abandoned in favor of other ventures in the 1970s.

Wisconsin Aluminum Enterprises (WISALENT)

^ Brochure for WISALENT's Office Partitions. 

Another of Edwin Jablonski's small manufacturing companies was Wisconsin Aluminum Enterprises (WISALENT). Like the Major Mfg Company, Wisalent was a small shop to manufacture odd products, including aluminum crosses for attaching to churches and a line of modular, "Custom Line" office partitions. It also did not end up becoming a long-term successful venture.

Mid(west)-Wisconsin Manufacturing

The biggest of the small machine shops that Jablonski had started, was probably Midwest Wisconsin Manufacturing.

^ A bean-picker built by Midwest Wisconsin Manufacturing

Back in 1968 when it got its start, Mid-Wisconsin Mfg originally fabricated snowmobiles and utility tailors. But in the 1970s, the company was re-purposed to diversify the Modu-Line production. With the purchase of some equipment from a suburban Milwaukee firm, Mid-Wisconsin started to produce double-hung and sliding windows for replacement projects.

^ A brochure from Mid-Wisconsin Manufacturing advertising their Alumilight windows.

By the end of the 1970s, the double-hung and sliding window lines were integrated into Modu-Line proper.