WHAT WE DO
With over 55 years in business, Metalaire Louver Company takes great pride in manufacturing louver vents, ornamental metals, and flashings. We make ongoing efforts in building and maintaining our rock solid reputation of manufacturing quality products coupled with first-class customer service. We actively support the construction industry and work hand in hand with our customers to create long term relationships.
OUR PEOPLE
While the materials we use and manufacturing process to assemble our product is critical, the most important component of our company is our employee. Our success is directly linked to their dedicated service and time honed skills which enable us to continue growing and building Metalaire Louver to be the company it is today. Our current staff collectively brings over 100 years of old world craftsmanship to help ensure the quality of each product leaving our door. We work together to continue improving our product line and discovering new methods of manufacturing.
HISTORY
Metalaire Louver Company was founded in 1952 by Major Marshall Thompson. At the time, louvers were typically manufactured at lumber yards using wood. Major realized the problem of installing a wood louver on a home not only had a short life and needed maintenance, but also could not effectively ventilate a home while protecting it from insects and elements.
He designed a louver, manufactured from metal and designed to easily be installed into gables and dormers of residential homes. He was traveling from Texas to Atlanta when he made a temporary stop in Memphis, TN. While in Memphis he presented his idea to a few lumber yards that quickly turned him away because they felt it would take a job away from the lumber yard rather than improve upon the wooden louver. Disenchanted, Major happened upon a few local builders who were convinced of Major’s idea and installed the new metal louvers on their homes. It did not take long for the louvers to overtake the market and begin to revolutionize the louver world.
Major began fulfilling orders and to our luck, never made it to Atlanta.
In 1959, James Walker Rawlings, a local boy happened upon Major in search of work. With his knowledge of math and valued stubborn attitude he was quickly hired by Major. He quickly took Major’s product to a new level by introducing new ways to fabricate, speed up production times, and cut down on material waste. Major constantly challenged his skills and personal virtues which eventually would help mold him to take the reigns of Metalaire Louver Company.
James Walker Rawlings, known to his customer as “Jim” was respected by his peers because of his honest straight forwardness and patience. He greeted each customer with a smile and loved to educate and share his mathematical knowledge with them in hopes of opening their mind to math. He was given the nickname of “The Rock” by the employees and was well respected as one of the hardest workers in the shop. Jim Rawlings attended Messick High School, served in the Army and graduated with a degree in math from Memphis State University. He greatly loved Memphis and seldom left its borders. Coupled with his character stubborn attitude exceptional sense of humor he bravely fought an 11 year battle with cancer and passed away in 2007. He is greatly missed by his peers, the construction industry, and his family.
Proudly carrying the torch passed on by his father, James Forrest Rawlings, also known as “Jim”, confidently took the helm in 1999 armed with his father’s knowledge for business and thirst for expanding the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Jim invested his time into learning new metal techniques that would directly improve the company product line and create better building techniques for the construction industry. A graduate of Christian Brothers High School and Mississippi State University, where he met his lovely wife Erinn, Jim quickly found an outlet to help the homebuilding industry not only through work but also by serving on the boards of both the North Mississippi Homebuilder’s and Memphis Homebuilder’s Associations.
Jim currently serves as the company president actively pursuing better building practices, continually improving the product line, and expanding manufacturing capabilities.
With over 55 years in business, Metalaire Louver Company takes great pride in manufacturing louver vents, ornamental metals, and flashings. We make ongoing efforts in building and maintaining our rock solid reputation of manufacturing quality products coupled with first-class customer service. We actively support the construction industry and work hand in hand with our customers to create long term relationships.
OUR PEOPLE
While the materials we use and manufacturing process to assemble our product is critical, the most important component of our company is our employee. Our success is directly linked to their dedicated service and time honed skills which enable us to continue growing and building Metalaire Louver to be the company it is today. Our current staff collectively brings over 100 years of old world craftsmanship to help ensure the quality of each product leaving our door. We work together to continue improving our product line and discovering new methods of manufacturing.
HISTORY
Metalaire Louver Company was founded in 1952 by Major Marshall Thompson. At the time, louvers were typically manufactured at lumber yards using wood. Major realized the problem of installing a wood louver on a home not only had a short life and needed maintenance, but also could not effectively ventilate a home while protecting it from insects and elements.
He designed a louver, manufactured from metal and designed to easily be installed into gables and dormers of residential homes. He was traveling from Texas to Atlanta when he made a temporary stop in Memphis, TN. While in Memphis he presented his idea to a few lumber yards that quickly turned him away because they felt it would take a job away from the lumber yard rather than improve upon the wooden louver. Disenchanted, Major happened upon a few local builders who were convinced of Major’s idea and installed the new metal louvers on their homes. It did not take long for the louvers to overtake the market and begin to revolutionize the louver world.
Major began fulfilling orders and to our luck, never made it to Atlanta.
In 1959, James Walker Rawlings, a local boy happened upon Major in search of work. With his knowledge of math and valued stubborn attitude he was quickly hired by Major. He quickly took Major’s product to a new level by introducing new ways to fabricate, speed up production times, and cut down on material waste. Major constantly challenged his skills and personal virtues which eventually would help mold him to take the reigns of Metalaire Louver Company.
James Walker Rawlings, known to his customer as “Jim” was respected by his peers because of his honest straight forwardness and patience. He greeted each customer with a smile and loved to educate and share his mathematical knowledge with them in hopes of opening their mind to math. He was given the nickname of “The Rock” by the employees and was well respected as one of the hardest workers in the shop. Jim Rawlings attended Messick High School, served in the Army and graduated with a degree in math from Memphis State University. He greatly loved Memphis and seldom left its borders. Coupled with his character stubborn attitude exceptional sense of humor he bravely fought an 11 year battle with cancer and passed away in 2007. He is greatly missed by his peers, the construction industry, and his family.
Proudly carrying the torch passed on by his father, James Forrest Rawlings, also known as “Jim”, confidently took the helm in 1999 armed with his father’s knowledge for business and thirst for expanding the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Jim invested his time into learning new metal techniques that would directly improve the company product line and create better building techniques for the construction industry. A graduate of Christian Brothers High School and Mississippi State University, where he met his lovely wife Erinn, Jim quickly found an outlet to help the homebuilding industry not only through work but also by serving on the boards of both the North Mississippi Homebuilder’s and Memphis Homebuilder’s Associations.
Jim currently serves as the company president actively pursuing better building practices, continually improving the product line, and expanding manufacturing capabilities.
