History of Rockford Toolcraft Incorporated

1976 – Rockford Toolcraft opens on March 12 at 2323 23rd Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. Design and build Tool & Die job shop, 500 sq. ft. (2 employees)

1978 – Moved to a larger facility at 2101 23rd Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. 4000 sq. ft. (8 employees)

1979 – Bought first CNC Wire EDM in a Rockford Tool & Die shop. (12 employees)

1981 – Added second CNC Wire EDM. (15 employees)

1982 – Added large bed 250-ton tryout press (20 employees)

1983 – Begin planning construction of new plant and Stamping Division. (22 employees)

1984 – Broke ground on new plant. (23 employees)

1985 – Built and moved to a new 21,000 sq. ft., air conditioned plant. Started Stamping Division with three presses. (25 employees)

1986 – First plant addition; added large bed 600-ton press. (30 employees)

1988 – Second plant addition; added large bed 500-ton press. (35 employees)

1989 – Installed CAD Design System and added large CNC Machining Center. (38 employees)

1990 – Third plant addition. Added third C.N.C. Wire E.D.M. (40 employees)

1991 – Fourth plant addition; added 400-ton press. (44 employees)

1992 – Fifth plant addition; added 300-ton press line. (50 employees)

1993 – Sixth plant addition; added second CNC Machining Center. (60 employees)

1994 – Seventh plant addition; added new 150-ton press line. (65 employees)

1995 – Added fourth CNC Wire EDM. (75 employees)

1996 – Eighth plant addition; added new 1000-ton press line. (88 employees)

1997 – Ninth plant addition; added 300-ton and 600-ton press lines. (100 employees)

1998 – Tenth plant addition; added four new CNC Machining Centers. (115 employees)

1999 – Added 1500-ton press line. (120 employees)

2000 – Eleventh plant addition, 126,000 sq. ft. total; added two new press lines (150 and 300-ton). Leased 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse nearby and purchased 50,000 sq. ft. adjacent plant, on three acres of land, for future expansion. (130 employees)

2001 – Built 40,000 sq. ft. “Plant 2” on 13 acres. Added new 1000-ton press line @ plant 1 and a Robotic Weld cell @ plant 2. (135 employees)

2002 – Added five new large stamping press lines, new laser machine, and press brake and shear. (145 employees)

2003 – Built 40,000 sq. ft. addition to Plant 2. Added three 800 ton presses, a tool room and moved all secondary operations to plant 2. (165 employees)

2004 – Started a second 40,000 sq. ft addition at Plant 2. Ordered new 1000 ton Minster “HeviBlanker” press line. Added fifth CNC Wire EDM to plant 1. (190 employees)

2005 – Completed 40,000 sq. ft. addition at plant 2 (120,000 sq. ft. total) and added four press lines to Plant 2. Added massive coil line to 1500-ton press at Plant 1 with .500” x 36” @120,000ksi straightening capabilities. (205 employees)

2006 – Completed 30,000 sq. ft. addition at Plant 2 (150,000 sq. ft. total). Added 4400 ton transfer press line and a “Super-massive” coil line at Plant 2. Added Heat Flattening Department at Plant 2. (215 employees)

2007 – Added 3000 sq. ft. office expansion with large training facility at Plant 1. Added a Fanuc Robot to load large stampings in and out of 800 ton press at Plant 2. (225 employees)

2008 – Added a second robotic welding cell, a complete parts washing system and a new 6kw LASER system. (240 Employees)

2009 – Added new “Arku Flatmaster” precision parts leveler. Maintained employment of 240 people in a difficult business year. (240 Employees)

2010 – Added (3) 600 ton presses, new robotic welder, new wire E.D.M. and a new CNC Machining Center. (250 employees)

2011 – Added 41,000 sq.ft. addition to plant 2, a 4kw Amada Laser with full automation, an Amada Fabvision scanner, an 800 ton Minster press, a Genesis dual head robotic welder and 2 Romer portable 3D scanners. (300 employees)

2012 – Added Amada “Theta” 5 Axis Laser, (3) 500 ton “Verson” presses, (1) Extra Heavy Duty “Minster” Straightener, Installed (24 total) “Big Ass” Fans in both plants. (350 Employees)

2013 – Expanded into 48,000 sq ft building connected to plant 1, moved 8 presses into it from plant 2. Added (2) 1500 Danly presses (132” x 84”) with .500 x 60” “FeedLease” feed lines at plant 2. New “Cut 400” Charmilles Wire EDM, new Hurco VMX-50 machining center, added an Ingersoll Rand Material lift system to plant two. Bought new 2014 Freightliner “Cascadia” class 8 truck. (360 employees)

2014 – Added new 20 ton crane, Hurco “VMX 40” Machining Center, (3) Feed lease Feed lines, “Cut 300″ Charmilles Wire EDM, Okamoto Grinders (2) 6″x18″ & (1) 20″x48”, Amada 4000 Watt Fiber Laser w/6 Pallet Automation. (370 employees)

2015 – Added 2nd Amada “Theta” 5 Axis Laser and a Gigabot 3.0 3D Printer (23″x30″x23″). (350 employees)

2016 – Added 5 Bridgeport Milling Machines, 3 Drill Presses & updated Dust Collection System. (325 employees)

2017 – Added Automotive Welding Cell, Press Monitoring Technology, Oil Recycling System and a 25/35 Versa Lift (375 employees)

2018 – Added 5th Robotic Welder, Alliance 4 Stage Parts Washer, “Cut 350” Charmilles Wire EDM & Kalmar Ottawa “Yard Truck”. (410 employees)

2019 – Added new Oil Recycling equipment, rebuilt both clutches on 4400 ton “Brutus” press, added new ERP system Plex: going live February 2020  (380 employees)

2020 – Implemented “Plex” ERP system, continued steady operations during COVID-19 pandemic without laying off any employees. We SURVIVED!! Looking forward to 2021!! (350 Employees)

2021 – Added Trumpf “8030” 5 axis Fiber Laser, 2021 Freightliner “Cascadia” Class 8 truck, (3) Okamoto 12”x24” Surface Grinders (380 employees)

2022 – Added new Genesis Robotic Weld Cell, “Cut P 550” Charmilles Wire EDM, 2022 Freightliner M2 Box Truck (400 Employees)

To be continued…