About Us!

The history of MCS Industrial

(MCS Industrial Electronics, Inc.) Prescott Valley, AZ
16,000 square foot facility.

Mil Camp founded MCS in 1983. Mil was a scientist who was assigned to cutting-edge design and development during his 30 years at Beckman Instruments. Mil helped Dr. Beckman start Beckman Instruments, (now known as Beckman Coulter), in his garage. Mil Camp led the team to build the prototype gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer for NASA. (Pictured) NASA then built a smaller version that was used to sample the Martian soil during the first exploration of Mars! Mil also developed the air sensors that were in the Apollo 11 astronauts' helmets. A flashing light indicated they were getting low on air in their backpack tanks, while walking on the moon in 1969. These are just 2 of Mil's accomplishments. Mil designed many scientific devices and procedures that were patented by Beckman Instruments.

Mil retired from Beckman in 1983 and started a business helping inventors build prototype models of their inventions. The inventors would then submit the working models to the patent office. Mil had the machinery, tools, knowledge and experience to build some of the most complex designs, many from "paper napkin" drawings.

In 1985, Frank Derbyshire of Able Equipment Rental, Santa Fe Springs, CA. asked Mil if he would be interested in repairing some broken joystick controls. Mil wanted to help his friend, so Mil took the wounded and dead joysticks to his laboratory to trace circuits, create test equipment, machine new replacement parts and then rebuild the joysticks to "like new" condition. Mil didn't realize that he had just become the "pioneer of joystick rebuilding!" Mil developed the test equipment necessary to rebuild joysticks and soon the industry was saving money and having less downtime. Mils act of kindness towards his good friend, eventually turned into a full-blown worldwide business, thanks to good word of mouth and superior quality and service.

Mil's wife Aline worked many years in an office environment so Aline naturally became the office manager at MCS. Aline took care of the bookkeeping, accounts payable, accounts receivable, shipping and phone sales to name a few. Aline's kind heart and positive attitude gave MCS a very favorable image to our customers. Many of Aline's methods of office managing are still in use at MCS today!

Frank Camp (Mil and Aline's son) was employed as an industrial maintenance mechanic for large manufacturing plants. Frank's duties were to install and repair sophisticated machinery such as steel rolling mills, steel slitters, annealing furnaces’, forklift and aerial lift repair and electronics related to the equipment. Frank was also an assembly foreman for a large industrial steam cleaner manufacturer. Frank worked part-time with Mil and Aline as the business grew. In 1986, Frank started working full time at MCS and the three of them worked to perfect the art of joystick rebuilding.

In July 1988, MCS made the front cover of "The Lift Leader" magazine! Mil wrote a piece for that issue title "Don't bury the wounded". Mil compared a broken joystick to a wounded soldier. "You wouldn't leave a wounded soldier for dead, so why throw away a broken joystick?" Mil's idea caught on to nearly every facet of the aerial lift industry. Today, nearly all parts used on this type of equipment are being rebuilt.

In January 1992, Mil and Aline sold MCS to Frank. Mil didn't want to own a big business; He wanted to go back to his true calling. Mil liked to invent things. Mil continued to design and build custom fixtures and test equipment for MCS for the rest of his life. In 1993, Frank moved MCS to Prescott Valley, Arizona. Mil and Aline moved there also.

Sadly, Mil passed away in May 2003. What is no surprise is that Mil was working on yet another piece of test equipment for MCS when he died at age 73. Aline joined Mil in Heaven in 2010. They are both missed dearly. The lives they have touched and the memories live on.

MCS has grown into a 16,000 square foot building! Over these years, MCS has become a world leader in quality joystick rebuilding. MCS has rebuilt joystick controls and / or pilot valves for customers including, Skyjack, JLG Industries, Disneyland, The U.S. Military, Morton Salt, Calavar and Mijack.... just to name a few. In the 1980's, Snorkel's mechanic school teacher referred his students to MCS because of our impeccable quality and excellent service.

In addition to rebuilding joystick controls for all types of equipment, MCS sells new and rebuilt parts of all descriptions, anything from alarms to Zirk fittings. If you have a valid part number, we'll have it in stock or we'll order it for you. The items shown in the catalog are only a small fraction of the products we sell or rebuild. You're just one phone call or email away from finding the parts you need. Our highly trained staff of professionals are here to help you in any way possible. Excellent customer service is our #1 priority because Mil Camp wouldn't have it any other way.

What does MCS stand for?

AND THE LEGEND LIVES ON .......