Kalamazoo K-SMOKE-36, Use And Care Manual, Page: 61 / 64

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Craftsmanship to a Higher Standard
We began our journey as Kalamazoo Sheet Metal more than a century ago. As a custom
sheet metal fabrication shop, the family-owned company relied on its reputation for
craftsmanship. Through the years, a focus on custom food and dairy processing equipment
evolved. The “dairy standard” describes a flawless fit and finish level for stainless steel
welding. Every seam has to be finished perfectly so that the equipment is easily cleaned
and kept free from bacteria. Kalamazoo Sheet Metal excelled at this, and also served
architectural firms and the pharmaceutical industry on a wide variety of projects.
The Birth of the Hybrid Fire Grill™
More than 15 years ago, the founder’s great grandson was running the
business, but he wanted to do something more. And so he set out to design the world’s best grill. Leveraging
the skills of the company’s stainless steel craftsmen and women as well as his own passionate creativity, the
first Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill was born. It did not follow the conventional industry template. A heavy-gauge
welded frame offered lasting durability. Casters from industrial dumpsters gave warning of its ruggedness.
A deep, hopper-like firebox improved the heat dynamics and made it easier to clean. And, above all, it was
designed to combine the convenience of a gas grill with the superior cooking capabilities of a charcoal grill.
The outcome was a gigantic departure from the previous expectations of a stainless steel grill.
The Birth of a New Company These unique grills developed a passionate and loyal following over the
next few years. The focus slowly shifted exclusively to outdoor cooking equipment, but it was still the same
craftspeople putting their skills into every bend, weld and stroke of the hand-rubbed finish. The “dairy
standard” was (and is) still alive and well.
Before long, we pioneered the first modular outdoor kitchens. The seamless rain gutter that keeps our
outdoor kitchen cabinetry weather-tight is the same rain gutter we used to fabricate the wash-down electrical
enclosures on that dairy equipment.
Today, more than a century after our humble beginnings, we are the industry leader in outdoor kitchens. Every
piece of Kalamazoo’s equipment is still built by hand with the same dedication to quality and craftsmanship.
We build it to order, and we ship directly from our factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan to homes all over the globe.
When each grill has been through the process of cutting, forming, welding, finishing, assembly and testing, it is
signed by the people who made it with their own hands.