Frederick V. Geier

Frederick V. Geier (1894-1981)

Frederick Geier shaped Cincinnati Milacron into an industry leader by stressing research and product development. Geier joined his father’s company when he was 22 and the firm was still called Cincinnati Milling Machine Co. Under his direction, the firm established in 1926 a basic-research department to study chip formation and cutting mechanisms. In 1934, when Geier became copresident, the firm began building machine tools in Western Europe. Geier stressed expansion of the company’s product line through internal development instead of the acquisition of other companies.

Geier remained president until 1958 and remained active in the firm until 1976. The firm’s 1970 decision to change its name to Cincinnati Milacron, to reflect a broad product line that included more than just milling machines, is a tribute to Geier’s leadership and vision for the company.

Elected 1984