From E.W. Bliss to Bliss Munitions Equipment: A 150-Year Legacy of Engineering Strength
A Legacy That Shaped American Manufacturing
We’ve been around for a while: few names in American industrial history carry the weight and longevity of E.W. Bliss. What began in the mid-19th century as a small Brooklyn machine-tool shop has evolved, adapted, merged, and re-emerged as Bliss Munitions Equipment.
Our journey spans more than 150 years, touching nearly every era of American manufacturing, defense production, and metal-forming innovation.
From Brooklyn Workshops to Industrial Powerhouse
Our story began in 1857, when Eliphalet Williams Bliss entered the press and die business. By 1885, Bliss incorporated the E.W. Bliss Company, which rapidly became one of the most important machine-tool manufacturers in the country. Bliss expanded aggressively, acquiring companies that strengthened its engineering capabilities and product breadth: press and die manufacturers, steel mill equipment builders, and projectile/munitions producers.
By the late 1800s, Bliss was producing stamping presses, rolling mills, torpedoes, and metal-forming systems for both commercial and defense applications. Securing major U.S. Navy contracts and became instrumental in supplying equipment during the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II. That’s where our modern-day trajectory began.
Bliss presses from this era were massive, steam-driven, and built to last. Though they would be regarded as inefficient in 2025, the advancements Bliss made during this era laid the foundation for our reputation of durability.
Forging a National and International Footprint
In 1919, Bliss expanded into the Midwest with the acquisition of the Consolidated Press Company in Hastings, Michigan. This decision marked the beginning of a national manufacturing network that would soon become central to American munitions production.
Throughout the 20th century, Bliss continued to acquire companies: Cleveland Machine & Manufacturing, Buckeye Engine Company, Toledo Machine & Tool, and more, building a diversified portfolio of industrial and ammunition-related technologies.
Bliss and the SCAMP Era
One of the most influential contributions of this era was the Bliss role in the development of SCAMP (Small Caliber Ammunition Modernization Program) production lines. These systems were highly automated, high-volume ammunition manufacturing lines, and they quickly became the backbone of U.S. small-caliber production for decades – some of which still operate today, globally.
Bliss’ engineering expertise, especially in cupping, drawing, and case-forming operations, played a foundational role in the SCAMP ecosystem. Many of the principles behind SCAMP production: modular operations, synchronized forming stages, high uptime, and consistent MIL-SPEC output, remain central to our ammunition-manufacturing philosophy today.
As historical Bliss expanded globally into Canada, Israel, and Australia, its technologies became part of defense-industrial operations around the world, reinforcing the company’s status as a critical supplier of forming equipment for both steel and ammunition products. Though these expansions eventually dissolved, the Bliss name remained global.
Corporate Consolidation and Rebirth
The second half of the 20th century brought ownership changes common among major industrial manufacturers. After going public in 1966, Bliss was acquired by Gulf & Western, later merging into Clearing-Niagara to form CNB International.
A corporate bankruptcy in 1999 resulted in the creation of BCN Technical Services, which preserved Bliss’s intellectual property and service legacy. BCN eventually became part of Müller Weingarten and then Schuler AG, a global leader in metal forming.
Through all these transitions, the Bliss engineering lineage stayed intact, still powering presses and equipment around the world.
The Return of Bliss as a Defense-Focused Manufacturer
In 2022, a pivotal moment arrived: The Bliss brand separated from BCN Technical Services and returned to private U.S. ownership as Bliss Munitions Equipment. This re-established Bliss as an independent entity, 100% USA built, owned and operated; focused exclusively on ammunition production technology.
Delivering turnkey MIL-SPEC ammunition production lines, serving U.S. defense programs and allied nations worldwide, we’ve returned to our historic roots, now powering the future. While our USA operations continue to serve customers around the world, our latest joint venture, Bliss Munitions Europe, has streamlined support for medium and large calibers in both American and European defense supply chains.
Why the Bliss Name Still Matters
Through 150+ years of ownership changes, technology shifts, and global expansion, Bliss has remained one thing: a symbol of industrial reliability. From steam-driven presses in Brooklyn to modern turnkey systems that feature high-speed cupping, draw, and transfer presses, our philosophy remains unchanged:
- Build equipment that lasts and performs.
- Build relationships that assure successful production.
- Build production lines that advance manufacturing capability.
A Legacy Still in Motion
The journey from E.W. Bliss to Bliss Munitions Equipment is more than a corporate timeline, it’s a reflection of American industrial evolution. Few companies have stood the test of time, fewer still have shaped defense manufacturing at this scale, and almost none have re-emerged with such clarity of purpose.
In many ways, Bliss’s turnkey, fully integrated ammunition production lines are the modern rebirth of the SCAMP philosophy: bringing together high-volume output, efficient workflows, synchronized forming stages, and robust reliability. What SCAMP represented for mid-20th-century ammunition capacity, Bliss now carries forward for the 21st century and beyond.
Today, we stand as the modern embodiment of our 19th-century origins: turnkey solutions, engineering excellence, dependable machinery, and a commitment to supporting global defense partners with precision-built production systems.
“Bliss for Life” is not a phrase we use lightly – its our roots, our reputation, and what propels our strategic innovation today. The Bliss legacy isn’t just history: it’s the foundation we build on. Our determination has carried us through every era of change, and that same strength drives the story we continue to write today.