To honor the 70th anniversary of the founding of The Robert E. Morris Company, Hardinge Inc. presented a Bridgeport knee mill to Lee Morris and the Morris Group Inc. The connection between the two companies is even longer standing.
![Classic Knee Mill is Anniversary Gift](https://europe.hardinge.com/wp-content/uploads/Classic-Knee-Mill-is-Anniversary-Gift-300x202.jpg)
Corporate officials mark the presentation. From left to right, the group includes Rick Simons, president/CEO Hardinge Inc.; Lee Morris, chairman Morris Group, Inc.; Brad Morris, president Morris Group, Inc. and Robert E. Agan, former president and chairman of the board Hardinge Inc.
If ever there were a classic, almost iconic, machine tool, then it would be the Bridgeport knee mill. First introduced in 1938, the Bridgeport knee mill is still being produced by Hardinge Inc. in Elmira, New York, albeit with numerous updates and enhancements in its latest versions. Last month, the worldwide employees of Hardinge presented a new Bridgeport knee mill to Lee Morris and the Morris Group, Inc. in honor of the 70th anniversary of the company’s founding.
What makes this gift so appropriate is the connection between the two companies, which were founded around the same time as the Bridgeport machine. According to Hardinge, the company is part of the history of Morris Group, Inc. This history began in 1935 when Robert E. Morris came to Hardinge Brothers, Inc. in Elmira, New York for the start of his machine tool training. In 1941, Bob Morris founded The Robert E. Morris Company and represented the Bridgeport product line for many years.
Today, Hardinge and Morris are once again working together. The Robert E. Morris Company and its sister companies within the Morris Group, Inc. network are serving as distributors of all Hardinge Group machine tools, including Hardinge, Bridgeport, Kellenberger, Tschudin and Jones & Shipman brands.
Source: Modern Machine Shop