Fox Valley Forge: Applying technology and engineering to the art of forging for over 100 years

Fox Valley Forge’s parent company, Cleveland Hardware & Forging Co., is comprised of three business units: Green Bay Drop Forge in Green Bay, WI, Cleveland Hardware in Cleveland, OH, and Fox Valley Forge 45 minutes west of Chicago in Aurora, IL.

Our three companies share resources and manufacturing economies, which enable Fox Valley Forge to bring to its customers some of the most competitive and advanced forging products available.

Our Facility

• 110,000 square feet
• Ten Horizontal Upset Forging Machines
• Two Vertical Automated Press Forging Cells
• Quality Certification - IATF 16949 / ISO 9001 / PED
• In-House Engineering – CREO - DeForm -  AUTOCAD
• In-House Tooling Design & Fabrication
• Union Affiliation – None
• Electronic Data Interchange

History

1855 - The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad extends it’s line 45 miles west of Chicago and begins construction of what would become the Midwest’s largest railroad shop facility including a forge and foundry on 60 acres of land along the East side of the Fox River in Aurora.

1940 - Diesels are replacing the high-maintenance steam locomotives and the CB&Q’s shops are being downsized. A group of local businessmen purchase the forge, adopt the name “River Valley Forge” and obtain government contracts for war-related materials.

1948 - Five forgers from AMFORGE, a division of American Brake Shoe, purchase River Valley Forge, change the name to Fox Valley Forge and begin to successfully pursue commercial markets such as automotive, truck, agricultural and energy.

1968 - The Cornell Group purchases Cleveland Hardware

1973 - Cleveland Hardware acquires Fox Valley Forge

1978 - Cleveland Hardware acquires Green Bay Drop Forge

1985 - William Hoban and a partner acquire the three business units that now comprise Cleveland Hardware & Forging Company : Cleveland Hardware, Green Bay Drop Forge and Fox Valley Forge.

1993 - A facility expansion and the installation of four large upset forging machines more than doubles the capacity of the upset shop.

1994 - William Hoban becomes sole owner.

2001 - Fox Valley Forge opens a press shop adjacent to the upsetter facility to provide warm and hot forged, near-net gear blanks.

2009 - Press capacity is doubled with the installation another robotic forging cell

2012 - Installation of an integrated production cell for swaged and upset forged tube and pipe to meet the growing demands of the domestic energy market

Today

We have come a long way from the “Smithies” that kept the old steam locomotives running. Our plant facilities have been upgraded substantially and Fox Valley Forge has invested heavily in state-of-art hot and warm forging technologies to produce components for a variety of end-use markets. Our expertise in forging processes such as upsetting, extrusion and swaging allow us to provide gear blanks, gear and axle shafts, wheel hubs and spindles, forged coupling pup joints and horizontal drill pipe and many custom shapes in production quantities both large and small. Our consistency and repeatability of processes and procedures is borne out by our certification to TS16949, ISO9001 and our Pressure Equipment Directive certification of product control.

Values, Vision & Strategic Objectives

Our Values

• Connecting with People
• Looking for Opportunities
• Plan / Vision & Direction
• Responsibility & Ownership
• Supporting Each Other

Our Vision Statement

To provide superior manufactured solutions that deliver outstanding value to our stakeholders.

Our Strategic Objectives

• We will provide world class manufacturing solutions that deliver outstanding value to our customers.
• We will improve the future of our employees.
• We will positively impact our communities.
• We will provide high performance results for our shareholders.
• We will form strategic relationships with our suppliers.