In 1915 Carl Palmgren was working for Steel Art Tool Co. (SATCO). In 1919 he established Chicago Tool & Engineering Co. to make vises and rotary tables. By 1970 they were doing business as Palmgren Steel Products for their vises and Palmgren Precision Products for their air and hydraulic power units. At some point—in or before 1998—they officially changed their name to Palmgren Steel Products, Inc.

In 2013 C.H. Hanson acquired Palmgren Steel Products, Inc.

Information Sources

• There was more than usual difficulty dealing with information related to Carl A. Palmgren. It turns out that there are two men named Carl A. Palmgren, both active in the first half of the 20th century both living in Illinois (one in Chicago, one in Rockford), both machinists who worked for a steel company early in his career. And there are mentions of a Charles A. Palmgren who turns out to be the same person as the Carl A. Palmgren of interest to us here. Charles A. Palmgren was granted a patent for a cutting and boring tool, and which was assigned to the Steel Art Tool Co. of Chicago.
• March 1917 South Works Review, a magazine for employees of the Illinois Steel Co.'s South Works.

  One of the last to leave was Mr. Charles A. Palmgren, Assistant Foreman of the Mechanical Department, who resigned to accept the position of Manager of the Steel Art Tool Company, March 1st., with offices in Chicago.

  Mr. Palmgren started in at "South" in January 1900, as a Tool Maker in the Mechanical Department, with one assistant, and by an inborn genius for mechanics, built up an Experimental Department second to none in the country, and at the time of leaving had between sixty and seventy men under him.

  Several years ago Mr. Palmgren invented and perfected an electric clock, which automatically blew the plant whistle at stated times, and this installation is still in service here. He also built up and perfected the time-clock system in vogue at South Works, and has many other valuable inventions covering Safety Lathe Tools, Automatic Drill Chucks, Air Hammers, Improvements to other tools, etc. to his credit.

  The tool making business in the United States will undoubtedly be greatly enriched by his future inventions as Manager of the Steel Art Tool Company.

  On the last day of his service at "South" the employees of his Department, headed by Messrs. Flaer and Smock, presented him with two very handsome presents, and the members of the South Works Organization gave him a very find Gold Watch, while "The Faculty" honored him with the plant Efficiency Diploma.

  Mr. Flaer, who has been Mr. Palmgren's assistant for a number of years, succeeded him.

• November 1930 Railway Journal, page 45.

  C. A. Palmgren

  C. A. Palmgren, the founder and president of the Chicago Tool and Engineering Co., Chicago, is a native of Sweden where his father before him was an inventive genius of considerable note. In fact he had been notably honored by the Kind of Sweden for his mechanical achievements for which he was given a gold medal by the king.

  When only fifteen years of age C. A. Palmgren came to this country to learn something about mechanical engineering and allied branches of the metal industry. His intention was to remain for only three years, but seeing such wonderful opportunities for expert metal workers in America, Mr. Palmgren decided to remain. After being here three years he took service in the mechanical department of the Illinois Central Railway where he remained for twelve years, during which time he learned the needs of railway shops for all kinds of improved tools and devices. With this knowledge at hand and his natural inventive genius, Mr. Palmgren soon began to devise and invent practical tools for all kinds of shop work. However, after a time he took service with the Illinois Steel Company. After seventeen years with the latter company, serving in various executive capacities, Mr. Palmgren became identified with the Standard Steel Car Co., and later with the Pittsburgh Foundry Model Engineering Co., with which firm he remained until 1919, when he established the Chicago Tool & Engineering Company of which he is the president.

  Mr. Palmgren's practical experience in the railway and industrial plants has given him a thorough knowledge of the needs for improved tools in making and maintaining equipment of all kinds for the railways. A casual survey of the output of his present factory bears out that fact, for their aim is to provide for the trade tools that the most exactly railway and industrial shops require for the efficiency and economy of their work. Mr. Palmgren believes that there is nothing too good for the railway shops, not only in advanced ideas, but also in the material and construction of same. He believes that the modern shop today demands the best of workmanship and highest grade of material as essentials in efficiency and economy of operation of shops of all kinds. He has in mind the development of new tools for the shopmen, and with that thought before him, he is constantly designing something better. He is an inventive genius of the aggressive school, and manages his factory along that line. Those who had the pleasure of inspecting some of their tools at the recent convention of the American Railway Tool Foremen's Association, can readily endorse these assertions.

• 1959 catalog from Chicago Tool & Engineering Co., 8383 South Chicago Ave., Chicago 17, IL,
• 1998-06-30 Official Gazette of the United States Patent and Trademark Office lists "Palmgren Steel Products, Inc., Chicago, IL, Chicago Tool & Engineering Co., Chicago, IL". View Trademark Reg. #1,083,198, to Palmgren Steel Products, Inc.
• The company website has some history information on it.