Celebrating 50 Years of Innovation & Excellence at Global Finishing Solutions
For 50 years, Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) has been at the forefront of designing and manufacturing high-performance paint booths and finishing equipment for a wide range of industries. What began as a family-owned business has grown into a global leader in finishing technology — yet our commitment to quality, innovation and the people we serve has never wavered. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re grateful for the trust and partnership of our customers who have made this milestone possible.
50 Years of GFS
With 10 years of national sales experience in the spray booth industry, Jerry Bowe started JBI (Jerry Bowe, Inc.) in Osseo, Wisconsin. The company began producing spray booths and related finishing products for the aerospace, automotive and industrial markets.
JBI experienced great success in its early years, quickly outgrowing its original headquarters. The company broke ground on a new manufacturing and office facility at 12731 Norway Road in Osseo, Wisconsin, the location of GFS’ current headquarters.
Major expansion began on the facility’s new Building 2, adding a 48,000-square-foot manufacturing shop to accommodate rapidly increasing production requirements, as well as 10,000 square feet of additional office space. The project was completed in 1998.
JBI was acquired by the Curran Group, a family owned and operated holding company since 1918. The Curran Group is based in Illinois with interests in the rail industry (Holland LP) and asphalt contracting (Curran Contracting) sectors.
GFS remains under the ownership of the Curran Group today, providing the company with additional financial strength and resources.
JBI merged with Team Blowtherm, a key player in the automotive refinish paint booth market, to create Global Finishing Solutions. The newly formed Global Finishing Solutions then acquired Milbanks Systems, Inc. for their oven panel technology.
GFS completed a major building expansion and renovation project that added 68,000 square feet of manufacturing space, 33,000 square feet of office space and an on-site training facility. This added room addressed the immediate need for more space as the business expanded and allowed room for continued growth.
GFS opened the doors of a new state-of-the-art training and product research and development (R&D) center. The innovative Center for Excellence allows GFS to demonstrate the advantages of its most advanced, game-changing systems. The R&D facility is a space within the building that allows employees to continue to develop new products and improve existing product lines.
The Osseo, Wisconsin headquarters in its current state provides onsite training, support and custom engineering.
50th Anniversary Prize Pack
To thank you for being part of our journey, we’re giving you a chance to win one of five GFS 50th anniversary prize packs. Each winner will receive a swag bag — featuring a GFS 50th anniversary T-shirt, notebook, planner and pen — along with a $50 credit to the GFS online shop for paint booth accessories.
The giveaway runs through Oct. 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate with us!