Illinois has at least 70 Century Club Companies, 11 of which are public. 84% of the state's companies over 100 years old are privately owned and of those, 47 are generational family firms. Here is the list - please leave a comment if you see an error or if you know of a company in continuous, independent operation for over 100 years that should be added to this list.
1834: Galena Gazette Publications, Galena
1837: Deere & Company, Moline public
1838: Comstock-Castle Stove, Quincy 6th generation
1845: Brunswick, Mettawa public
1848: Knapheide Manufacturing, Quincy, 6th generation
1848: Maze Lumber, Peru, 6th generation
1854: Hoskins Building Center, Elizabeth
1855: Baird & Warner, Chicago 5th generation (real estate services)
1857: Iwan Ries & Co., Chicago 5th generation (tool manufacturing)
1857: Klein Tools, Lincolnshire, 5th generation
1857: Zengeler Cleaners, Northbrook, 5th generation
1864: R.R. Donnelley & Sons, Chicago public (printing & publishing)
1865: American Hotel Register, Vernon Hills, 3rd & 4th generations (manufacture hospitality products)
1865: Law Jones Funeral Home, Savanna 2nd generation
1870: The Tablet & Ticket Company, West Chicago 5th & 6th generations (display & signage products)
1873: Follett, Westchester 5th generation (publisher educational products)
1873: George J Rothan, Peoria 5th generation (custom millwork)
1875: Anderson's Bookshops, Naperville 5th generation
1875: Oswald's Pharmacy, Naperville 6th generation
1880: Citizens State Bank, Lena public
1882: Siemer Milling, Teutopolis 4th generation + ESOP
1885: Cretors, Wood Dale 5th generation (manufacture popcorn machines)
1886: Gonella Baking, Schaumburg 4th generation
1887: John Boos & Co., Effingham 3rd generation? (manufacture butcher block)
1888: Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park public
1888: Louis Glunz Beer, Lincolnwood 3rd, 4th & 5th generations
1888: Matot, Bellwood 4th generation (manufacture dumbwaiters)
1889: Northern Trust, Chicago public
1890: A.M. Castle & Co., Oak Brook public (metals distribution)
1890: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, Oak Brook public
1891: Alexander Lumber, Aurora 4th generation
1891: Bulley & Andrews, Chicago 4th generation (construction)
1892: Lambrecht's Jewelers, Wilmette 4th generation
1893: Moline Wheel, Moline 3rd generation
1893: Vienna Beef, Chicago
1894: Miner Enterprises, Geneva (manufacture rail car components)
1895: Stanford Grain, Stanford (agricultural co-op)
1896: Ed Miniat, South Holland, 4th generation (meat wholesaler)
1896: Tootsie Roll Industries, Chicago public + 2nd generation
1897: Glik's, Granite City 4th generation (retail apparel)
1898: American Nickeloid, Peru (manufacture metal products)
1898: Vita Food Products, Chicago
1899: Galloy & Van Etten, Chicago (stone cutting) 4th generation
1903: Morton Buildings, Morton employee-owned
1905: Earlville Farmers' Coop Elevator, Earlville
1905: Horween Leather, Chicago 4th & 5th generations
1906: Kirchner Building Centers, Kansas 4th generation
1906: Sloan Valve, Franklin Park 4th generation (manufacture plumbing systems)
1908: C.C. Wagner, Summit 5th generation (lumber & building products)
1911: Milledgeville Home Center, Milledgeville
1912: Illinois Tool Works, Glenview public
1912: Lemfco, Galena 5th generation (manufacture iron castings)
1913: ILMO Products, Jacksonville 4th generation (wholesale industrial gases)
1914: DaValle Jewelers, Harwood Heights 3rd generation
1914: IRMCO, Evanston 4th generation (industrial lubricants)
1914: Mechanical Devices, Bloomington 3rd generation
1914: P.J. Hoerr, Peoria 3rd generation (construction)
1914: Vogue Tyre & Rubber, Mount Prospect
1914: Waukegan Roofing, Wheeling
1916: Boeing, Chicago public (HQ moved from Seattle 2001)
1916: Ideal Industries, Sycamore 4th generation (manufacture tools)
1917: Chicago Clock, Clarendon Hills 4th generation (retail clocks)
1917: Fellowes Brands, Itasca 4th generation (manufacture office products)
1917: Radio Flyer, Chicago 3rd generation
1918: Pearl City Elevator, Pearl City agricultural co-op
1919: ConAgra, Chicago public
1919: Crescent Electric Supply Company, East Dubuque 3rd generation? (wholesale electrical products)
1919: Elgin Industries, Elgin 3rd generation (manufacture vehicle components)
1919: Griffith Foods, Alsip 4th generation (food products)
1919: Michuda Construction, Tinley Park, 5th generation
1919: Wahl Clipper, Sterling 3rd & 4th generations (manufacture personal grooming products)
1920: Darvin Furniture, Orland Park 3rd generation (retail mattresses)
For more information about how these and other Century Club Companies have survived over the decades, see my book: Lessons from Century Club Companies: Managing for Long-Term Success available in paperback or as an ebook from Amazon or Barnes & Noble
The Tablet and Ticket Company founded in Toronto, Ontario in 1867 moved to Chicago in 1870 and incorporated on May 4, 1867. Currently the 5th and 6th generation are actively running the business today. Charter Members of the Illinois Manufacturers Association.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this information! I will add Tablet & Ticket to my Century Club list
DeleteRand McNally 1856
ReplyDeleteRand McNally was removed from the Century Club list when it was acquired by TELEO Capital - we only include companies with continuous independent operation
ReplyDeleteWe are the Geo. J Rothan company in Peoria IL. We began business in 1873. Same location, Same Family. I am trying to research Millwork companies to see if we are the oldest in IL and where we fall in the USA
ReplyDeleteMy great grandfather started our company in 1899 We have been in continuous operation since 1899 Galloy and Van Etten Inc. Fabricate Limestone same location in Chicago since 1899
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info on Galloy & VanEtten - I have added them to my database
ReplyDeleteHello. Kennicott Brothers was established in 1881, although activities of the family's nursery in Glenview (The Grove) dates back to 1836. Kennicott has been 100% employee-owned for the past 24 years. We import and distribute fresh flowers and floral supplies.
ReplyDelete