{"events":[{"id":1,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"3","month":"3","year":"1947"},"text":{"text":"Wells Manufacturing Company's 42,000-square foot plant opens on March 3, 1947 in Skokie, Illinois, manufacturing gray iron castings and valve tappets and specializing in castings for agricultural equipment, pumps and heating systems.","headline":"Wells Manufacturing Company opens in Skokie, IL"}},{"id":2,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"1957"},"text":{"text":"Wells Manufacturing Company continues to grow. In 1957, they jump to the forefront of iron manufacturing when they are granted a license by International Nickel Company to produce a new type of metal: ductile iron.","headline":"The Ductile Iron Opportunity"}},{"id":3,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"1961"},"text":{"text":"Wells Manufacturing Company produces its first continuous cast iron bar in the Skokie facility and calls the product Dura-Bar. Because the distance from the end of the barline to the wall is a little over six feet, the standard length becomes six feet.","headline":"The Continuous Cast Opportunity"}},{"id":4,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"1966"},"text":{"text":"In 1966, Peterson Steel is selected as the first regional distributor. In the following years more distributors are added, including Federal Bronze Products; Industrial Tube Sales; Peerless Steel; Lokey Iron and Alloys & Southern Alloy of America Inc.","headline":"The First Distributor"}},{"id":5,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"9","year":"1973"},"text":{"text":"In September 1973, Wells Manufacturing Company purchases 38 acres in a new industrial park in Woodstock, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. One year later ground is broken for a state-of-the-art 130,000-square foot Dura-Bar bar mill.","headline":"Growth of Dura-Bar"}},{"id":6,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"15","month":"3","year":"1976"},"text":{"text":"The Dura-Bar Division pulls its first bar from the new Woodstock facility on March 15, 1976. The Skokie plant is now referred to as the Castwell Products Division and remains Wells Manufacturing Company's corporate home until 1996.","headline":"Operations Begin"}},{"id":7,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"1988"},"text":{"text":"Wells Manufacturing Company improves distribution of Dura-Bar and machined parts by forming a distributor, Midwest Alloys, in 1982 and purchasing Duro-Life Corporation in 1988. The acquisition allowed Dura-Bar to be tested for consistency and machinability.","headline":"Acquisitions"}},{"id":8,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"5","year":"1998"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar Research and Development moves into its new 40,900-square foot wing in May 1998. This allows for more extensive on-site testing for process improvement and tests to compare Dura-Bar to alternate materials.","headline":"Dura-Bar Grows Up"}},{"id":9,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"2002"},"text":{"text":"In 2002, Dura-Bar introduces an improved engineered iron that machines better than carbon and alloy steels and competitive grades of continuous cast iron. It is the only product in the industry backed by a Zero Defect Guarantee.","headline":"Raising the Bar"}},{"id":10,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"2002"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar Metal Services was born in 2002 with the purchase of two former independent distributors' locations in New Jersey and North Carolina. These locations were merged with Midwest Alloys, Inc. in Woodstock, Illinois, to form Dura-Bar Metal Services.","headline":"Dura-Bar Metal Services"}},{"id":11,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"20","month":"3","year":"2006"},"text":{"text":"In March 2006, the Dura-Bar Division of Wells Manufacturing Company commemorates its 30th anniversary in Woodstock. The company caps the celebration by shipping its 2 billionth pound of product on March 20.","headline":"Dura-Bar Anniversary Celebration"}},{"id":12,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"17","month":"6","year":"2006"},"text":{"text":"Wells Manufacturing Company celebrates its 60th anniversary on June 17, 2006.","headline":"Wells Manufacturing Company Anniversary"}},{"id":13,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"11","month":"12","year":"2007"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar's new 60,000 square foot warehouse expansion opened, and one week later a single year shipment record was set.","headline":"Dura-Bar Warehouse Expansion"}},{"id":14,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"2008"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar introduces Dura-Bar XL, expanding our rounds sizes to include 21"-26" diameters. The permanent mold ingots are made from the same quality material as Dura-Bar and are proof turned to provide an excellent machining surface.","headline":"Dura-Bar XL Large Rounds"}},{"id":15,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"1","month":"6","year":"2011"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar's new warehouse in Changzhou opened June 1, 2011. Dura-Bar products are now readily available to manufacturers in China, and this has also offered a great opportunity for U.S. OEMs and enterprises that are exploring overseas sourcing.","headline":"Dura-Bar China Warehouse"}},{"id":16,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"12","month":"12","year":"2012"},"text":{"text":"Charter Manufacturing Company, Inc. purchases Wells Manufacturing Company, Dura-Bar and Dura-Bar Metal Services. Charter is a family-owned steel and iron production and manufacturing company that was founded in the 1930s.","headline":"Dura-Bar acquired by Charter Manufacturing"}},{"id":17,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"2013"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar is recognized by the American Bureau of Shipping with a Certificate of Casting Facility and Process Approval: Iron Castings for Marine Applications","headline":"ABS Certification"}},{"id":18,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"","year":"2016"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar partners with CMP (Consistency Machinability Productivity) as an exclusive distributor in China, to provide Dura-Bar products to the market.","headline":"Dura-Bar and CMP in China"}},{"id":19,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"4","year":"2017"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar offers X products with an expanded size range in gray and ductile iron continuous cast grades, and a larger size static cast ingot. Rounds are available as large as 29.50" dia. and rectangles/squares up to 28" (on the longest dimension).","headline":"Dura-Bar X Product"}},{"id":20,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"5","year":"2017"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar is pleased to announce the addition of a new stock grade, G2S, is now the strongest Dura-Bar gray iron grade, optimal for induction or flame hardening and has good creep resistance. This grade boasts machinability and vibration damping properties.","headline":"Dura-Bar G2S Release"}},{"id":21,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"11","month":"9","year":"2017"},"text":{"text":"Charter Dura‐Bar today announced that it has acquired the iron distribution business of Lokey Metals of Fort Worth, TX and will make it the fourth branch of Dura‐Bar Metal Services.","headline":"Charter Dura-Bar Acquires Lokey Metals"}},{"id":22,"media":{"caption":"","thumbnail":"","url":""},"start_date":{"day":"","month":"6","year":"2018"},"text":{"text":"Dura-Bar announces the availability of a new ductile iron grade—Solution Strengthened Ductile Iron or SSDI. With improved strength and ductility, SSDI is an excellent alternative to 1045 steel used in a wide variety of oil and gas and fluid power applications. One of the key features of SSDI is the enhanced machinability due to the addition of silicon. Machining trials yielded approximately 30 percent greater productivity with no negative impact in tool wear.","headline":"Dura-Bar Releases SSDI"}}]}

History