Our History
In 1957, John Polacek working for Bethlehem Steel and the father of nine was looking for a way to supplement his income. So he put a welding machine on the back of his pick-up truck and started Johnny's Welding.

When John Polacek passed away in 1987, his company had one employee, his son, Bill Polacek. Bill bought the company, which was located in a two-car garage, from his mother.

Since then Bill Polacek has led this small town company into the new millennium. Today JWF Defense has annual sales of more than $60 million, operates in facilities encompassing more than 800,000 square feet, and employs more than 400 employees in six locations, five of which are in Johnstown and the other in Baltimore.