davies-molding

In 1933, Davies Molding as we know it today had its beginnings with only seven molding presses and three punch presses. Located in downtown Chicago, Davies Molding was then known as, and is still regarded today by some, as “The Harry Davies Molding Company” after owner Harry Davies. The small, single-room company was started during a time when the economy was depressed and work was scarce. Yet with hard work and determination, Davies Molding soon established strong roots as a quality plastics molder. Known as a phenolic molder, Davies manufactured numerous parts including knobs, handles, cases, daka-ware ashtrays, as well as custom molded products. During the 1940’s as WWII escalated, Davies Molding became a supplier of plastic components for the war effort. In 1954, Harry Davies retired and, in turn, sold his interest in the company to a handful of people including his nephew, Ted Davies. A second, smaller plant was established in 1966 to accommodate the demand for plastic component parts. One year later, the original plant was destroyed by a fire which forced the smaller plant to operate 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. To off-load the burden of this small plant, Davies moved to a facility on the west side of Chicago later that year. For 25 years this location served Davies well; however, as the economy flourished and as Davies acquired new injection molding presses, Davies needed to expand once again. In the fall of 1991, Davies Molding moved to a suburb of Chicago, Carol Stream, Illinois where it is located today in an 99,000 square foot facility. The facility houses forty-five (45) thermoset compression molding machines, five (5) thermoset injection molding machines and twenty-four (24) thermoplastic injection molding machines, all ranging in tonnage from 20 to 500 tons. We specialize in insert compression molding and insert injection molding. Also on premises are secondary or finishing machines, which are capable of drilling, tapping, set screw assembly, pad printing, hot stamping, branding, engraving, bagging, and sand blasting. The once small plastic molding company that stood in downtown Chicago is now the largest manufacturer of plastic knobs and handles in the world today. A Davies’ knob or handle can be found on countless products including industrial machinery, lighting equipment, lawn & garden equipment, power tools, cookware, barbecue grills, food processing equipment, medical & lab equipment, electronic equipment, fitness & recreational equipment, and more. Although Davies Molding is well known for its standard knobs, handles and cases, did you know we also have extensive custom molding capabilities? We mold butterfly seat valves and frac balls for the oil and gas industry, as well as automotive, food service equipment, HVAC, lighting, and electrical custom plastic parts. Got to our custom molding section, or contact us for more information.