Bokers Inc. Marking 90th Anniversary During 2009
Bokers Inc. Marking 90th Anniversary During 2009
John Wolz
Washer and spacer manufacturer Boker’s Inc. is marking its 90th anniversary during 2009.
Boker’s attributes its short run stamping methods to invention in late 1920s and early 1930s in Minnesota. Vitus Boker used similar tooling in Denmark in the 1860s before emigrating to the U.S. in 1901. After rising to shop superintendent he founded V.A. Boker”s & Sons Inc. in 1919 with his son John Boker in the basement of their Minneapolis home.
Boker used his tooling knowledge to manufacture prototypes and custom parts for automated machinery and became one of the pioneers for short-run stampings. The business outgrew Boker’s basement and two subsequent manufacturing spaces until settling on Snelling Avenue in Minneapolis in 1939. The Snelling Avenue facility has been expanded six times to reach 90,000 sq ft in 2008.
In 1968 Boker’s Inc. entered its modern era when it was purchased by four employees: William Tedlund, Joseph Basara, Chester Engquist and Joseph Kantorowicz. In 1986 Tedlund became the sole owner.
Today Boker’s sells to over 44 different countries and has provided precision parts to a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical and consumer products.
Boker’s published its 2009 Washer Catalog of 23,000 non-standard washer and spacer sizes and more than 2,000 material options, including steel, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel, silver and non-metallic materials such as Teflon and nylon. Outside sizes range from 0.08″ to 5.140″ with numerous inside diameters and thicknesses.
Boker’s is located at 3104 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55406-1937. Tel: 612 729-9365 or 800 927-4377 Web: bokers.com �2009 FastenerNews.com
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