Bonney Forge was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876[1] by Charles S. Bonney. Originally Bonney Forge crafted forged and finished hardware for horse-drawn wagons, later it became a manufacturer of automotive hand tools, and now it is a manufacturer of fittings and unions, branch connections, steel valves and specialty products.[2]
| Industry | Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1876 [1] as Bonney Vise & Tool Works; name changed to Bonney Forge & Tool Works in 1921. |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] and Allentown, Pennsylvania (former); Mount Union, Pennsylvania (current) |
Key people | Charles S. Bonney (founder); John A. Leone (current CEO) |
| Products | Hand tools (formerly); fittings and valve markets (currently) |
| Website | www.bonneyforge.com |
In 1953, Bonney Forge was taken over by the Miller Manufacturing Company of Detroit, Michigan.[3] In 1964, the firm sold its tool division to Kelsey-Hayes Corp. of Romulus, Michigan.[4] The firm was later acquired by Gulf and Western Industries. Gulf and Western sold the firm to its president John Leone in 1984.
The company was for many years based in Allentown, Pennsylvania,[1] where it had some of its manufacturing operations.[1] Bonney Forge also had manufacturing operations in Alliance, Ohio,[4] Orangeburg, South Carolina[4][5] and near Milan, Italy.[1][6]
Plant closures
editIn March 1964, Bonney Forge[4] closed its manufacturing plant in Allentown after it moved manufacturing operations from there to the Mount Union, Pennsylvania.[4] In August 2001, Bonney Forge closed its manufacturing plant in Allentown because the plant building could not be modernized to handle a new press.[1]
Distribution
editBonney Forge valves are broadly distributed internationally, prominently through HSP Valves in the UK, The Alloy Valve Stockist in Spain, and AIV in the US.
See also
edit- Taylor Forge (Another former subsidiary of Gulf and Western Industries)
- List of defunct consumer brands
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Shope, Dan (Aug 30, 2001), Bonney Forge closes plant; Allentown building can't handle a new press; 20 jobs are lost., Allentown, Pennsylvania: The Morning Call, p. A. 18
- ^ "Bonney Forge®". Bonneyforge.com. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
- ^ "BONNEY DEAL ARRANGED; Negotiations for Stock Transfer to Miller Co. Completed.", The New York Times, New York, New York, Mar 24, 1953
- ^ a b c d e 200 Jobs lost at Alliance, Youngstown, Ohio: Youngstown Vindicator, Mar 24, 1964
- ^ Bonney's 1967 Tool Catalog on the Internet Archive
- ^ IN THE REGION, Allentown, Pennsylvania: The Morning Call, May 3, 1985, p. B. 10