arms manufacturer - someone who manufactures arms and munitions

brewer - the owner or manager of a brewery

distiller - someone who distills alcoholic liquors

food manufacturer - a person who manufactures food products

maker, shaper - a person who makes things

sericulturist - a producer of raw silk

Cyrus Hall McCormick, Cyrus McCormick, McCormick - United States inventor and manufacturer of a mechanical harvester (1809-1884)

John Mercer, Mercer - British maker of printed calico cloth who invented mercerizing (1791-1866)

Isaac M. Singer, Isaac Merrit Singer, Singer - United States inventor of an improved chain-stitch sewing machine (1811-1875)

Eli Whitney, Whitney - United States inventor of the mechanical cotton gin (1765-1825)

creator - a person who grows or makes or invents things

film maker, film producer, filmmaker, movie maker - a producer of motion pictures

theatrical producer - someone who produces theatrical performances

cause - events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something; "they are trying to determine the cause of the crash"