Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on October 22, 1955.
Die Making Is Thorgren’s Specialty
Nylon Molds Also Used By 20 Employees
By ROLLIE BERNHART
One of Valparaiso’s “smaller industries,” the Thorgren Tool and Molding company, contributes a remarkable amount of its products toward the comfort and convenience of humanity.
The firm located on Evans avenue near Roosevelt road, is operated by the father, Charles, company president, and his two sons, Robert and Ernest, all of Valparaiso.
The art of tool and die making was not new to the Thorgrens when they opened their first shop in a double garage behind the home of Robert, at 900 Oak street, in 1945.
The father, Charles began his career as a tool and die maker for the McGill Manufacturing company here, in 1919, accruing 27 years service at the local bearing and electrical firm. Today the confidence of a good craftsman is placed in the elder Thorgren and his ability by McGills, who order the ball bearing retainers from their employees.
Robert, 38, had 20 years service with McGill’s before the venture had its infancy in the garage behind his home. Ernest, 36, also received his tool and die training at McGill’s before World War II interrupted.
As the father stated it, “That’s why we went into business for ourselves in one tool room.”
Originally starting in the field of metal tool and die making, the firm gradually expanded to another double garage at the Oak street site, with the three men doing work in turning out the increasing orders.
In 1953, Thorgren and his sons built the modern 110 by 40 foot building they now occupy on Evans avenue, west of Roosevelt road, containing 4,400 square feet of space.
20 on Payroll
Today, from a beginning in 1945 with only spare time help, the firm provides a living for 20 employees, all experts in the art of nylon injection molding.
Specializing in die making and injection molding of nylon material, the Thorgren firm produces a variety of nylon parts which eventually find their way into the ingenious devices used daily by the people of the world.
Turn on your radio and television sets and nylon part manufactured by the Thorgren company aids its operation; a housewife snaps on the switch setting a certain make washing machine in motion, and a Thorgren made coilform aids the hot and cold water controls; pull out the gliding shelves in your refrigerator, and the units roll on noiseless roller manufactured by thus Valparaiso industry.
For the pleasure of the movie camera enthusiasts, the Thorgren firm manufactures nylon parts for the Revere Camera company, one of their biggest customers. Parts are made for the cameras, movie projectors, slide projectors and tape recorders.
Other Roles Noted
On a wet and rainy day, the motor vehicle driver can thank the Thorgren company for the nylon valves which comprise the motor parts of some of the windshield wipers.
For our nation’s U.S. Air Force planes, parts are manufactured for installation in pilots headphone sets; electrical coilforms for solenoids on radio speakers; and a vital part used on the jet plane de-icer.
In addition, the coilform in a fuel pump manufactured by the Bendix Aviation company, is produced from the Thorgren injection nylon process; valve seats for the valves in many plumbing installations, and many other parts, probably hidden away from the naked eye, but providing invaluable assistance toward making our daily life run smoothly and efficiently.
Currently, the firm is beginning the manufacture of nylon cams for a sewing machine, a part which simplifies the process of zig-zag stitching, button-holes and other intricate patterns by controlling the stitch.
In the experimental stage, is a nylon double-sided plate, to be used by Proctor and Gamble for the stamping of trade names on its soap products.
Five Ton Die
The largest die ever made by the Thorgren firm was a “five ton three-section” die made to produce the parts for a plastic fishing tackle box. It was built in the Oak street factory and cost $22,000 to produce.
The smallest part molded from the economical nylon molded material today, is a cam follower used in the parts of a movie projector. “A total of 5,000 of these tiny cams weigh one ounce.”
The elder Thorgren reminisced that in an inventive mood one day, he conceived the idea of a plastic windshield frost scraper, but he did not succeed in patenting the idea when it was revealed that it somewhat infringed on a previous patent for a floor scraper.
The firm employs no salesmen for its products. Since all of the nylon material used in the injection molding process is purchased from the DuPont company, Thorgren stated that the chemical firm was his best salesman, with their representatives recommending them for many of their eventual orders.
For as Thorgren so proudly put it, “If you get a reputation for doing good work, it gets around.”
THIS MODERN, 110x40 foot cement block building was built by the Thorgren Tool and Molding company in 1952 moving from a double garage structure located in the rear of Robert Thorgren’s home at 900 Oak street.
THE THREE THORGRENS, father and two sons, Robert, left; Charles, the father, center, and Ernest, right, are shown in the moisture and dustproof die vault in the Thorgren Tool and Molding company, at Evans avenue near Roosevelt road.
THE INJECTION molding process, a specialty of the Thorgren firm with DuPont nylon material, is shown being used by two employes of the local “small industry,” George Singleton, and Gil Hammersbach.