Aftermarket Insider - April/May 2009 - (Page 22)

C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E elgin industries world-class with a family Touch ELGIN INDUSTRIES CEO: Bill Skok LOCATION : Elgin, Ill. BUSINESS: Manufacturer, engine and chassis components NUMBER OF EMPLOyEES: 200 OBjECTIVES: Quality, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service. The Early years When asked what makes Elgin Industries different from other OE and aftermarket manufacturers, Bill Skok, president, said, “We’re one of the few longtime suppliers that is still privately owned and operated by the same family. We strive to be a worldclass company with a family touch.” Now celebrating its 90th anniversary, the Elgin, Ill.-based company is operated by the third generation of the Skok family. Martin Skok, Sr. founded the company after learning the manufacturing business as a drill press operator and the automotive business as a fledgling mechanic. Skok, Sr.’s first foray in the automotive parts industry came in 1917 when he and a prospective partner developed the “Chicago starter,” an early version of an automotive starter motor. A Tradition of Entrepreneurship In 1918, while working in the service department of a local dealership, Skok, Sr. discovered that there was a huge underserved market for replacement piston pins. Soon enough, he was experimenting with advanced hardening processes for piston pins in a rented space of a local factory. His success led to the founding of Elgin Machine Works in 1919. His entrepreneurial energy unleashed, Skok, Sr. quickly expanded into additional product categories, from oil pumps to push rods. As the company grew, it established a loyal base of aftermarket and OE customers. And as its product lines multiplied, Elgin Machine Works became Elgin Industries. The founder’s son, Martin Skok, Jr., led the company through several decades of continued growth and diversification, including the establishment of Elgin World Trade, which markets automotive and heavy duty components worldwide. Today Elgin serves five broad product categories: engine, chemicals, chassis, 22 | AFTERMARKET INSIDER | APRIL • MAY 2009 http://www.elginind.com/ http://www.elginind.com/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider - April/May 2009

Aftermarket Insider - April/May 2009
Contents
President's Message
Association News
Declaration of Independents
Government Affairs
Member Profile
Toolbox
It’s Easy Being Green
Inside Technology
Company Profile
Market Research

Aftermarket Insider - April/May 2009