The early years.

In December of 1972 in the two car garage of a modest raised-ranch in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Richard [Dick] H. Carr let go of his full time job as Plant Manager of a thriving machine shop to start his own success story.

His vision of entrepreneurial accomplishment grew from his early years as a journeyman machinist at Kraft Foods, Inc. in Morton Grove, IL where he learned his trade from skilled immigrants. That guidance, his natural mechanical talent and enduring drive for achievement were the key elements that have brought us to where we are today – a flourishing precision machining organization.

Within three years of the company’s inception he moved twice into newer, larger space nearly quadrupling the shop floor. Finally, in 1979 he custom-designed and built a free standing building within the same village, about two miles west, in Centex industrial park, [at that time one of the largest industrial parks in the country] where we are today.

Rich’s son Jim continues in his father’s legacy.

During high school in the mid-70’s Jim would work at the family business, doing incidental tasks; janitorial services, sawing metal bars and making deliveries in the Ford station wagon. When Jim graduated in 1978 he was encouraged to enter the Tool and Die Institute’s Machinist Apprenticeship Program in lieu of a four year college. Those learned skills combined with on-the-job mentoring and a “push yourself” attitude gave Jim the foundation to prosper. He embraced new technology and implemented computerization into all aspects of the business. His affable demeanor and knowledge of the industry earned him the respect of customers, vendors, employees and peers. In 2004, after twenty six years of full time employment, he became the sole shareholder and President of the company.

In recent years.

Through the help and hard work of his entire staff, the company surged, and in 2006 the company earned ISO 9001:2008 certification and 2008 was a record sales year after 35 years in business.

Jim also works closely with the Tooling and Manufacturing Association, a twelve hundred member plus trade association based out of greater Chicagoland, to maintain and improve his business acumen.