Our History

The Beginning

Multiple Concrete Accessories (MCA) was founded in 1976 by Jim Longfield. After serving in the U.S. Army, Jim began his career with Material Service before moving into sales at Bosman Construction Supply. But Jim had an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to build something of his own.

With the backing of a few investors—and the unwavering support of his father, father-in-law, and wife, Kitty—Jim took the leap and launched MCA.

Those early years required sacrifice from everyone. Kitty worked at Hackney's in Lake Zurich to help put food on the table while Jim worked to get the business off the ground. She would later joke, “I was the worst waitress in the history of Hackney's,” but her sacrifice, support, and belief in her husband played an important role in making MCA possible.

Those early days are often remembered as “the good old days.” Like many young companies, there was an energy and excitement that came from a small group of people working toward the same goal: build something special.

From the very beginning, MCA discovered its superpower—and it was remarkably simple:

Service. Service. Service.

Take care of the customer. Solve their problems. Do what you say you are going to do. And when necessary, move mountains to get the job done.

That was the formula in 1976, and 50 years later, it remains the foundation of MCA.

Overcoming Challenges

Building a successful company is never a straight line.

The early years brought plenty of excitement, but they also brought serious challenges. During the high-interest-rate environment of the early 1980s, when rates climbed to nearly 18%, MCA found itself fighting for survival.

The company persevered.

By then, Jim's brother, Mike Longfield, and Jim McGinnis—both future Presidents and owners of MCA—had joined the company. They shared an important characteristic with MCA's founder: they simply did not know how to quit.

When circumstances became difficult, they found a way forward. When problems appeared, they solved them. When the odds were against them, they kept going.

MCA not only survived—it flourished.

That resilience would become another defining characteristic of the company and its people.

New Leadership, New Growth

In 1998, after more than two decades of building MCA, Jim decided it was time to enjoy the fruits of his labor—and spend a little more time pursuing his other great passion: golf.

He sold the company to a group of key employees who had helped build the business alongside him.

Led by Mike Longfield and joined by Jim McGinnis, Ed Grobelny, and Kathy Eigel, the new ownership team brought fresh energy, new ideas, and an ambitious vision for MCA's future.

The company expanded its product lines, strengthened its relationships with customers and vendors, and continued to grow. A new branch was established in Brookfield, Wisconsin, extending MCA beyond Chicagoland. Today, that location and its dedicated team remain an important part of MCA's growth and future.

The years that followed brought opportunities—but also challenges no business could have predicted.

September 11th.

The 2008 financial crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic.

Each presented a different kind of adversity. And each time, MCA did what it had learned to do from the very beginning:

Adapt. Fight. Find a way forward.

Through every economic cycle and every challenge, one principle remained constant: great people taking great care of customers.

MCA has always understood that its employees and customers are not simply part of the business—they are the business.

Today and Tomorrow

Today, MCA is led by President Jim Longfield Jr.—yes, the founder's son—and has grown to four locations serving customers throughout Chicagoland and Wisconsin.

And after 50 years, MCA proudly remains a family business.

Members of the next generation, including Mike's children, are now part of the organization. As MCA transitions into its second—and in many ways its third—generation of leadership, the company remains every bit as passionate about its future as its founders were about its beginning.

The products have changed.

Technology has changed.

Customers have changed.

The construction industry has changed.

But something has been hardwired into MCA's DNA since 1976:

Take care of the customer. Take care of the team.

At the end of the day, MCA is in the solutions business. Our customers call us because they need something. Sometimes they need a product. Sometimes they need an answer. Sometimes they need something delivered yesterday.

Whatever the challenge, our goal is the same: find a way to help.

That commitment has carried MCA for 50 years.

It will carry us into the future.

We are incredibly proud of where we came from, grateful to the employees, customers, vendors, families, and friends who helped us get here, and excited about what comes next.

Here's to the next 50 years—and to the ultimate goal of celebrating 100 years of MCA delivering excellence, solving problems, and taking care of our customers.