Finding Your Roots... In Manufacturing

 

Have you ever wondered where your drive to become “a maker” stems from?

I have always been interested in genealogy, and one of my favorite programs is one that appears on public television, called Finding Your Roots. I watched an episode tonight and it got me thinking about my family’s heritage and how I am descended from at least two generations of manufacturers. I wondered, where did it all start?

So many people that I’ve met in my lifetime, particularly those that work in the moldmaking industry, are at least the second generation—if not the third or even fourth generation—of their kind. Just as I am very proud of my roots in manufacturing, I know they, too, are honored to be cut from that cloth. It’s in our blood, as they say. We come by it honestly.

Has anyone ever traced their manufacturing roots to see where it all began? I am fairly familiar with my American ancestry in plastics and moldmaking, thanks to my father who has shared some history with me. Quite a bit of it is centered in Chicago, Illinois, where I was born. But I’m now interested in finding out if that heritage might have even deeper roots in Italy, or perhaps in Germany. Others might find deep roots in the UK or in Eastern European manufacturing history.

It would be fascinating to uncover the lineage that brings us all together here, in the American manufacturing fold. I’d be interested in hearing from anyone willing to share a few family anecdotes or just some history that pertains to their manufacturing roots. Please reply to this blog or send me an email!