Handcrafted in USA Handcrafted in USA Smoky Lake equipment is cut, bent, and welded by hand in a shop in Hilbert, Wisconsin — about forty feet from the door it ships out of.
Customers are often surprised to hear that. We think it’s the most important thing about us.
In 2008, Angela Schumacher asked her husband, Jim, whether there were any maple trees on his land. There were — around a cabin between Big Smoky and Little Smoky Lake in Upper Michigan — and they spent their weekends there making syrup.
Jim was a plumber by trade, and the rig they boiled on became his project. Each season he rebuilt his pans better than the last, until 2011, when they ran so hot the neighbors saw the steam and assumed the wood shed had caught fire. He quit plumbing that year and went all in.
What followed was a decade of it: the most efficient flue pans in the industry, a one-of-a-kind preheater, steam bottlers, auto draw-off systems, and the patented Murphy Compensation Cup, which took the guesswork out of density testing. Smoky Lake became the standard in hobby-size evaporators.
Many of the people who built that reputation are still here.
Adam Drees bought Smoky Lake in 2025. He grew up around small business — nearly everyone in his family owns one — and it was always the tradition he wanted to join. He had a lot of conversations looking for the right fit. One of them was with his cousin, Angela.
He didn’t know the first thing about maple when he started. He’s spent every day since learning it from people who do.
The transition was slow on purpose. Jim and Angela wanted to be certain the business would be taken care of. Adam’s partner is his uncle, Mark Lee, who brings decades of small-business experience. Smoky Lake remains family owned and operated.
There are no custodians here. Every week someone cleans the bathroom, mops the break room, vacuums the rugs, polishes the showroom pieces, scrubs the sink. It’s on a board, and people ask each other whether they’ve gotten theirs done. New owners included. It’s a small thing that says a large one: people here want to be proud of where they work, so they take care of it like it’s theirs.
Most things haven’t changed, and won’t. The work ahead is improving operations and product quality so the company can scale by doubling down on the strengths it already has.
Our mission is simple — to provide the greatest value to maple producers through accountability, reliability, and quality.
This Is What It Boils Down To…™
The Industry’s Best Value
There are many ways to save with Smoky Lake.
Authentic Smoky Lake
Always buy factory direct or visit an authorized partner storefront. Beware of counterfeits.
News & Updates
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