Anton Finkl
Year
1879
Generations
5
Location
Chicago
A. Finkl – An American Immigrant Success Story
Founded in 1879 as a blacksmithing operation by German immigrant, Anton Finkl, the business moved to Chicago after Anton Finkl developed a new kind of chisel to clean bricks from buildings destroyed in the Chicago Fire. By 1902, A. Finkl and Sons was officially incorporated and plans were underway for a new, modern industrialized plant, which included a steam powered hammer.
A true family business, Anton Finkl’s sons worked in various positions throughout the company. His eldest, Charles Finkl, took over the day-to-day operation by the end of the First World War and started the company on a path towards full integration. Anton’s grandson, William Finkl, had great metallurgical understanding and experimented with the development of new steels. His aptitude would later result in crucial improvements in the quenching process: replacing the flammable oil medium with more effective water quenching. This change to high-severity water quenching led to a unique ability to offer enhanced properties for die blocks produced that included increased fracture toughness.
After the death of his father in 1933, William Finkl took over as President of the company. Much research was conducted under his leadership to produce higher quality steels in less time. Tempering furnaces were completely redesigned to include water-seals and controlled air input. This allowed full control and uniform temperature in the furnaces.
A graduate of Illinois Institute of Technology, William Finkl had numerous patents to his name and left philanthropic endowments in areas of education from elementary to post graduate.
Continuing his father’s legacy, Charles “Chuck” Finkl led the company for 37 years focusing on steel cleanliness and other innovations. Chuck instituted the “Forging a Fresher America” campaign which continues to plant trees all over the Midwest.
Today, Finkl Steel employs over 500 individuals, many of whom are continuing their family multi-generation legacy at the forge shop started over 140 years ago.
Today Finkl Steel
is an innovative leader in developing, melting, and forging steel for key industries such as Automotive, Aerospace, Defense, Energy, and more. With over 140 years in steel making, today Finkl Steel employs a diverse team of over 500 individuals in Chicago, Illinois, who were kind enough to be photographed for this all-important series highlighting the American Steel Worker.
