No veterinarian, Morton Industrial Group helps to produce Cats and Deere. Through its subsidiaries, the contract metal fabricator makes metal components and subassemblies for agricultural, construction, and industrial OEMs. Doing business as Morton Metalcraft, it also produces sheet metal products, such as engine enclosures and complex weldments for backhoes and tractors. Top customers include Caterpillar, Deere, Hallmark, JLG Industries, and Komatsu America. The company operates prototype tooling and related services, too. In 2006 Brazos Private Equity Partners picked up Morton, taking the company private. Morton filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in 2009, citing its debt load and plummeting sales.