About Us

Working at Marples Gears was my first job in the summer of 1976. I was paid $2.25 an hour and I helped in shipping and receiving and drove an orange Datsun pick up truck. I am the third generation in the manufacturing business. Mark Twain stated, “As men we can see so far, because we stand on the shoulders of the men who have gone before us.” I owe much of my credit, wisdom and success to my mentors, who have taken me under their wings. Ron Muller, a brilliant Swiss Craftsman, taught me the most about gears, proper design, and manufacturing. Tom Rose, a man with a degree in metallurgy and dentistry, and Greg Mavis, who had a Masters in Metallurgy, have shared many hours of their time enlightening me in the area of material selection and thermal processing. My father was quite the inspiration with his incredible work ethic and sense of excellence in much of everything that he did. I have created dramatic growth in my company; based on the team I have built around me. One could say I’m in the gear business, but I regard myself more in the people business. 

Allen is Marples Gears’ president.  He received this promotion a year after being hired as an Office Administrator in 2011. Previously, he held the same position at a custom office manufacturer and design firm, American Furniture Systems, for over 10 years. Allen had started at American Furniture System as a designer after graduating magnum cum laude from Cal Poly Pomona in 1986. Allen has played a critical role in getting Marples to where it is today.