About Us
Through more than 50 years of business, Keats Manufacturing Company has been providing customers with the highest quality of custom small metal stampings, wire forms and assemblies.
Keats Manufacturing Company was founded on October 1, 1958, by Bert and Glenn Keats, on Cicero Avenue on the northwest side of Chicago. Keats Manufacturing started out as a small storefront shop with just three employees and two machines; however, our company has significantly grown throughout the years to meet the demand and our variety of customers. These changes have included:
• 1989: Moved to our current location, 350 Holbrook Drive in Wheeling, Illinois
• 1994: Keats Southwest in El Paso, Texas opened to allow Keats to serve the maquiladora assembly market and the southwestern United States
• 2016: Established Keats de México S. de R.L. de C.V. to serve our customers in Querétaro and the surrounding area
Capabilities
The three Keats’ locations house more than 142 metal stamping and wire forming machines using four slide/multi slide and stamping press technologies, which operate 5 days a week, 24 hours a day. This means that we provide prototyping services to facilitate high volume orders of up to 50 million parts.
Customers served include automotive, appliance, medical, aerospace, communications, electronics, military, construction, and furniture, among many others looking for high-quality metal parts at a fair and economical price. We are dedicated to the highest quality and responsive customer service.
Keats Manufacturing Company engineers all its own dies and tools from inception to first piece sampling, ensuring that the most exacting tolerances are maintained from the very first to very last production run. We combine innovative technological processes including CAD/CAM, five EDM and CNC machines, operated by 25 of the industry’s most experienced die makers, in order to create tools of uncompromising quality.
Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Quality control and quality enhancement are important to Keats Manufacturing Company. A 12-person team reports directly to CEO, Wade Keats. Both of our locations are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and TS 16949 compliant. It is this strict adherence to the most demanding quality control system that results in customer satisfaction and confidence.
Testimonials
“My business relationship and dealings with Keats Manufacturing is a great experience. They are very responsive, pay attention to detail and are very conscious on building a long-term relationship. You will find them cost competitive and the quality to be at a high level. If an issue does arise they are quick to get it resolved and in a very timely manner. They will also work with you on expedites and do everything possible to take care of your needs. I encourage you to visit their facility in Wheeling as I know you will be impressed with the operation and the people you meet.”
-Buyer, Grote Industries
“Keats Manufacturing and Keats Southwest are trusted vendors to Delphi. Their responsiveness, attention to detail, and technical abilities make them my preferred “go to” metal stamper, and they have been an integral part to many key platform launches. They are a vendor I can count on and trust them to get the job done on time.”
– Product Engineering Supervisor, Delphi
corporate timeline
1958
Estabishment of Keats Mfg. Co.
Bert & Glenn Keats, founded G.A. Keats Mfg Co. with a pair of "Four-slide # 1" Baird machines which were set up in a small location on Ave. Cicero, north of Chicago.
1971
First automotive client
Keats' high quality standards were a perfect fit for the automotive industry. In 1971, Keats started with the manufacture of spring clips / clips and terminals for applications in the automotive industry; and by 2016, Keats parts are found in almost every car manufactured in North America. Keats keeps up with the latest quality certifications . Keats maintains ISO:9001, ISO/TS:16949 & ISO:14001 in its USA plants. Mexico operates a TS compliant quality system. These high standards of quality are realized in each of the 3 localities of Keats.
1984
Wire edm technology
Keats was one of the first stamping companies to adopt wire EDM technology. At the moment Keats has 3 EDM machines which, in a matter of hours, allow us to create spare parts for our tooling and dies.
1987
Wünsch system
Keats invested in state-of-the-art vertical slide forming technology. With 5 Wunsch machines, Keats is the only company in North America that operates this specialized equipment. Keats continues to constantly invest in state-of-the-art precision metal forming technology.
1989
Keats hq moved to Wheeling, IL
Keats moved from its original location in Chicago to its current corporate headquarters and technical center in Wheeling, IL. This facility employs more than 125 people and has nearly 70,000 square feet of manufacturing, design, tool development and office space.
1994
Establishment of Keats Southwest
Keats responded to customer requirements by expanding near the Mexican border in El Paso, TX. Since 1994 Keats Southwest "KSW" has grown to more than 60 employees and 30,000 square feet.
1997
QS:9000 & ISO/TS:16949
Keats implemented quality standards to conform to QS-9000 which would later become ISO / TS 16949. To date, Keats remains at the forefront of quality and efficiency. Keats' facilities operate under stringent quality standards with the goal of Zero Defects.
2013
ISO:14001
Continuing to be at the forefront of our industry, Keats achieved the highest level of environmental policy certification. At Keats we strive to reduce our ecological impact by reducing the consumption of raw material and maintenance, repair and (MRO) products.
2016
establishment of Keats de México
Keats' newest facility is located in Querétaro, Mexico. This manufacturing plant was established to meet the growing customer demand for Mexican content in its finished product. The plant is approximately 15,000 square feet.