| Amerock is an American company that brought new | | | | expanded their manufacturing operations. The |
| and time-honored design to consumers and kitchen | | | | company changed its name to Amerock in 1940 and |
| and bath designers. They offer unique and cutting | | | | continued its profitable operations and even |
| edge designs that are manufactured with careful | | | | expanded throughout the war years. |
| attention to quality manufacturing. This approach to | | | | When the war was over, veterans benefitted from |
| quality design and manufacturing makes their | | | | Amerock's presence in Rockford. By the end of the |
| products consistent top performers. | | | | 1940s, many of the employees at the Amerock |
| How is a company like this born? In classic, American | | | | manufacturing site had fought in the war, and the |
| Dream style... | | | | company hired many disabled veterans. Amerock's |
| Two immigrant brothers from Sweden, Reuben and | | | | sales doubled during the 1940s, and the post-war |
| Gedor Aldeen, held responsible positions in engineering | | | | years gave this well-established company years of |
| and manufacturing in The National Lock Company in | | | | product growth and manufacturing expansion. The |
| Rockford, Illinois. In 1928, these men left National | | | | construction boom of the 1950s led the company to |
| Lock to start their own company that focused | | | | become a supplier in three main areas: appliance, |
| entirely on manufacturing cabinet hardware. Until then, | | | | cabinets, and windows. These products maintained |
| most cabinet hardware was functional and basic. The | | | | their consistent quality and remained a standard by |
| Aldeens believed that in the prosperous 1920s, a | | | | which other products were measured. In 1954, |
| market existed for stylish, coordinating hardware | | | | another brother, Norris Aldeen, rose to prominence in |
| products for home cabinetry. | | | | the company, and in 1965, became president of |
| The brothers set up a manufacturing operation in one | | | | Amerock. |
| of the first skyscrapers in the city of Rockford. | | | | In the 1960s and 70s, Amerock products maintained |
| Shortly after the factory opened, the prosperity of | | | | their exceptional quality and strongly penetrated the |
| the 1920s gave way to the Great Depression of the | | | | market. The company continued to grow its |
| 1930s. Despite the conditions throughout the country | | | | manufacturing operations, expanded manufacturing |
| and in the city of Rockford feeling the effects of the | | | | into the Canadian market, and merged with |
| downtown in the economy, the Aldeens' company | | | | toolmaker Stanley Works. The economic recession in |
| maintained the success it had from the start. The | | | | 1980s forced Amerock to reconsider business as it |
| American Cabinet Hardware Company bypassed the | | | | had been handled in its earlier, more prosperous |
| struggles that so many companies, manufacturers, | | | | decades. The weak housing market forced the |
| and workers faced at that time. Despite the fact | | | | company to consider streamlining its operations and |
| that new housing starts were barely existed in at | | | | putting cost-saving measures into place. The market |
| that time, the American Cabinet Hardware Company | | | | for their products became more competitive. |
| rolled out new lines of stylish, matched ensembles of | | | | But in the decades that followed, the company rose |
| cabinet hardware, hinges, pulls and catches that were | | | | to the challenges of the marketplace. It continued to |
| well received by wholesale cabinet manufacturers. | | | | develop innovative products and regularly improved |
| The popular designs in cabinet hardware provided | | | | its manufacturing procedures. Strategic alliances |
| were soon sought after by retailers who wanted to | | | | enabled the company to remain a leader in the |
| offer them for sale directly to consumers. A second | | | | market for cabinet hardware. Amerock cabinet |
| market niche developed, and the American Cabinet | | | | hardware remains a primary supplier of kitchen and |
| Hardware Company supplied their designs to both | | | | bath hardware to cabinet manufacturers and to |
| manufacturers and consumers. With this success | | | | consumers in home improvement centers throughout |
| came growth. The Aldeen brothers remained at the | | | | the country. |
| helm, and the American Cabinet Hardware Company | | | | |