Anchor Harvey celebrates 100 years in business

Anchor Harvey is celebrating its 100th year in business in 2023, joining an elite number of Illinois organizations that have continuously operated in the state for over a century. The company has evolved from a brass and bronze forging shop to a data-driven aluminum forging company. It modernized the age-old aluminum forging process by introducing sophisticated technology to monitor and control every process step, ensuring consistency from 10 to 1,000,000+ parts. Nearly every industry creates products from Anchor Harvey's forged components, from lifestyle brands to life-saving devices.

"Anchor Harvey has thrived for 100 years through agility and innovation," says Tom Lefaivre, president of Anchor Harvey. "We’ve adapted to ever-changing market conditions brought on by seismic events like the Great Depression, World War II, and, most recently, the coronavirus pandemic. Our drive to answer market demand has allowed us to continually meet the needs of our customers and employees."

During the coronavirus pandemic, Anchor Harvey responded to market instability by quickly identifying new opportunities for growth in the medical, aerospace, and automotive industries. The pivot increased Anchor Harvey's productivity and created jobs. In 2020, it met the urgent needs of medical manufacturers by modifying existing designs and components. It also obtained AS9100 certification to expand its forging capabilities for the commercial, military, and general aviation markets. In 2021, Anchor Harvey launched the Electric Vehicle (EV) Workgroup to provide high-strength, lightweight forged components for electric transport. Last year, it developed an aluminum harness buckle for astronauts during spacewalks.

"I’m proud of what our forged components have made possible over the past century. I’m just as proud of how we’ve shared our company growth by giving back to employees and the Freeport community, Anchor Harvey's home for nearly half a century," Lefaivre says.

Anchor Harvey moved to Freeport, Ill., in 1978. Since then, it has become one of the city's largest employers. As of February 2023, the company employs over 165 team members. Throughout its history, Anchor Harvey has maintained a highly engaged company culture by taking care of employees. Today, Anchor Harvey offers comprehensive employee benefits and distinct perks, including recognizing perfect attendance, matching employee donations to local nonprofits, and providing turkeys and hams around the holidays. During the height of COVID-19, Anchor Harvey purchased food and gift cards for employees, supporting locally owned restaurants. Anchor Harvey also hosts regular social events, like the annual company picnic for employees and their families.

Recently, Anchor Harvey launched an initiative to address the area's skilled labor shortage in manufacturing while also developing employees. The Forge Your Future Educational Outreach Program covers 100 percent of tuition costs for employees pursuing ongoing education in manufacturing while continuing to pay hourly wages.

Anchor Harvey is commemorating its 100th anniversary at anchorharvey.com/100th-anniversary. The website explains the origins of Anchor Harvey, the highlights of its innovations, employee memories, and plans for the future, including production automation through robotics.