About Us
Fifty years of moving bottles and building metal
From a cable-conveyor breakthrough in 1972 to a full automation and contract fabrication shop inside the DCC Automation Group. The short version of a long history.
In summary
Custom Metal Designs was founded in Central Florida on July 31, 1972, by Saul Grimes, who pioneered cable conveying for empty plastic bottles coming off the blow molder. CMD grew from conveyors into packaging machinery, started contract fabrication as a business unit of its own in 2005, became a robotic integrator in 2017 and has been ISO 9001:2015 certified since 2018. It still engineers and builds under one roof, today in Oakland, Florida. In 2025 CMD joined the DCC Automation Group, which covers the filled side of the bottle line, so the group spans the whole line, from the blow molder to the pallet.
Company story
How CMD got here
Saul Grimes founded Custom Metal Designs in Central Florida in 1972 on a simple, hard problem: moving empty plastic bottles off a blow molder without wrecking them. His cable-conveyor approach became the company's foundation and is still what we're known for.
From there CMD grew into packaging machinery, contract fabrication (a business unit of its own since 2005) and robotics integration (since 2017), and in 2025 it joined the DCC Automation Group.
Since 1972
The timeline
1972
Chapter 01Founded in Central Florida
Saul Grimes founds Custom Metal Designs on July 31, 1972, pioneering cable conveying for empty plastic bottles.
1972–2004
Chapter 02A growing shop
The shop grows from one building to several, as the aerial photos show.
The site from the air, 1972 to 1998Select one to enlarge 2005
Chapter 03Contract fabrication begins
In November, contract fabrication starts as its own business unit, making parts to customers' drawings.
2017
Chapter 04A robotic integrator
In September, CMD adds robotics integration to its conveyor and packaging work.
2018
Chapter 05ISO 9001:2015 certified
CMD's quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by NQA.
2025
Chapter 06Part of the DCC Automation Group
CMD joins the DCC Automation Group: CMD covers the empty side of the bottle line, DCC the filled side.
Next step
Part of the next chapter
We're still building. Tell us what you need.
Or call (800) 334-1777