Frantz® Manufacturing Company, located in Sterling, Illinois, is a manufacturer and marketer of conveyor system components and steel ball products used in a variety of applications.

The Frantz® Manufacturing Company was chartered as “A general manufacturing business for the purpose of manufacturing and selling various kinds of inventions and specialties constructed of metal, wood or other materials.” Throughout its history, Frantz has been an innovator in the various product categories in which it has chosen to compete.

Founded in 1909 in Sterling, Illinois (nicknamed “The Hardware Capital of the World”) Frantz Manufacturing Company was one of several major hardware manufacturers in town producing a variety of hardware products ranging from hinges to barn door track and hangers. It distributed its products widely throughout the country using a captive sales force. In the 1920’s, Frantz went on to meet the needs of customers building garages for their new automobiles with a line of swinging and folding garage door hardware. Garage door track and trolley wheels were later developed for “around the corner” doors. This led Frantz to develop and patent a new design of “Over the Top” garage door hardware. Eventually Frantz entered the business of making the actual garage door panels themselves and the automatic openers as well.

Frantz® also produced a line of wooden toys that were sold in major department stores throughout the country. Included was a line of roller skates branded “Hustler Speed King”. The wheels for these roller skates were the springboard for the production of conveyor wheels (referred to today as skate wheels). Conveyor wheels were first mass produced for the war effort and then for use in the material handling industry.

Growth in the conveyor wheel business spawned the production of bearings for conveyor rollers and Frantz became a major industry player of conveyor components for the material handling industry. In 1947, Sterling® Steel Ball division was established to manufacture and supply steel balls for bearing and wheel production. Sterling Steel Ball has since become a supplier of balls to the automotive, toy, cosmetic and paint industries. It is an ISO/TS 16949 certified supplier for drilled balls and compressor balls used in the automobile industry.

Today, Frantz® sets the standard of excellence in the conveyor component and steel ball market segments where it competes. Consultative working relationships with its customers, engineer to engineer, enables Frantz to innovate solutions that solve customer problems and deliver value, rather than just sell product. Domestic manufacturing and testing facilities provide the quality assurance that gives its customers peace of mind regarding the products delivered. Lean production methods provide an enviable track record of on time delivery in less than container lot sizes that improve its customer’s return on investment and conform to their lean production needs.

Frantz® Manufacturing Company…..Over 100 years of investment in our Customer’s success.

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