Great Western manufacturing is Kansas' oldest operating manufacturing firm. Founded in 1858, Great Western was a foundry manufacturing steam engines, and repair parts for steam boats as well as wood burning stoves.

In the 1880's Great Western acquired designs for a line of milling equipment and grew to be a large milling engineering firm competing with such companies as Nordyke and Marmon and Allis Chalmers.

After World War II demand for new milling equipment in the United States virtually stopped causing most U.S. milling equipment manufacturers to abandon the industry until the late 1960's.

During this post war slow-down Great Western ceased the manufacture of a full line of milling equipment and focused all their efforts specializing in sifting and screening equipment.