American Trim

The American Trim Story
In 1948 the Hawk family started what is today known as American Trim with only four employees - Henry Hawk and his three sons, Henry, Leo, and William. They began in a small 40 x 60 building in Lima, Ohio that the family constructed to use as a work area for their tool and die shop.

They called their small establishment Lima Tool and Die. Henry's dream was to use the talents he had gained as an engineer to grow a business that he could be proud of and pass on to his family. The goal of the new business was to develop products with an added value component like plating on steel while providing superior pricing to his clients.

The first application of this strategy was appliance handles for ranges. Henry knew that the handle would be an important part of the customer's decision to buy one brand or model versus another based on this important "touch point."

Henry also knew the piece price for the typical handle and was confident he could use his talents to produce them at a reduced cost with an improved design.

The Formation of American Trim
In January 1996, Superior Metal Products started a joint venture with Alcoa. This facility was then known as Stolle Products Plant #2 located in Sidney, Ohio which was making consoles for all Whirlpool washers and dryers. With this venture, the company became American Trim.

American Trim Today
American Trim has grown and expanded into a major supplier for the appliance industry as well as the heavy truck industry. The early heritage in decorated metal continues as American Trim designs, develops and forms innovative and high quality components for our many clients.

An Advancing View
American Trim is continually looking ahead at the issues that will change U. S. manufacturing for the company and their customers. In our Lima, Ohio location, you will find a research and development facility and lab that will rival and surpass companies many times our size.

We have received over $10 million in grant funding from the Third Frontier Wright Projects to develop agile manufacturing in the areas of Electomagnetic Forming, Physical Vapor Deposition, Digital Printing and advanced surface modification. Our partners in these grants include education (Ohio State University, Ohio Northern University, Rhodes State College) and industry (General Motors and Edison Materials Technology Center).

The Journey
This journey, started through a vision of the Hawk family, demonstrates a drive, persistence, and a belief that if a customer has a need we can find a way to meet it has continued as an underlying belief making us a lastingly, innovative company.

Each transition along the way creates different market opportunities and trusted solutions for our customers. Today, American Trim continues to transition and evolve as a trusted expert to our clients by providing innovative solutions that will improve the forming, finishing and coating for metal and composite substrates.