Finkl Steel was founded in 1879 when German immigrant Anton Finkl developed a new kind of chisel to clean bricks from buildings destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. In 1902, the company moved to Chicago's Near North Side. Today, Finkl Steel resides in a state of the art facility on 93rd street in Chicago which produced its first heat of steel in 2011.From its simple beginnings, Finkl is now the world's leading supplier of forging die steels, plastic mold steels, die casting tool steels and custom open-die forgings, processing 100,000 tons of steel each year. Since the 1800s, Finkl has maintained a commitment to manufacture 100 percent of its products in Chicago. These products are distributed domestically and to more than 18 countries worldwide. Most people, however, will never come face-to-face with a Finkl product. Why? Because for the most part, we sell our products to other manufacturers -- plastic processors, die casting companies and closed-die forging plants -- who use Finkl steel in their manufacturing operations. Only when the ultimate in strength and durability is required, such as in large mining equipment, does Finkl steel become part of a finished product. With more than 100 patents to its credit, Finkl's steel formulations and steelmaking technologies set worldwide standards. Finkl's facilities are on the leading edge of technology, using the most automated processes in the world. In recognition of Finkl's product quality, Finkl was the first integrated steel manufacturer in America to receive ISO 9000 certification.