1928 Jack Schaffner I working for H&H Macnine Co.
When Jack Schaffner Sr. began working at age 14 as a Latheman in the machining trade he had no idea that 4 generations later, his name would come to represent one of the Midwest’s most respected and innovative machining companies.
As he approached age 40, Jack Sr. had over 25 years in the machining trade as Master Latheman working for H & H Machine Company in St. Louis, MO. During the Great Depression he also made auto parts repair on the side. He determined that he would like to pursue the American dream by starting a business of his own. Schaffner Machine Works was opened in 1940.
1945 Jack Schaffner I, Bob Schaffner,
Eleanor Schaffner, and Jack Schaffner jr.
During World War II the business (now incorporated as Schaffner Machine Company) flourished. After the war, Schaffner Machine Company expanded by purchasing surplus of machine equipment available and hiring some of the young men returning home. In fact, Jack Sr.’s son, Jack Jr., returned from service in the US Army Air Corps in Europe eager to work and assume more responsibility at his father’s company.
Jack Sr.’s younger son Bob Schaffner joined the family business upon returning from the Korean Conflict. His specialty was improving machine floor operations. Later he started his own successful machine company in the 1980’s.
The company expanded its service to clients in many industries, including the aerospace, automotive, medical, and banking. As a well respected and mature business, Schaffner Machine Company employed a thirst for quality products and traditional service to meet the needs of its clients, but it had not yet implemented the use of CNC technology.
In 1995 Jack Jr.’s son, Jack III, left the oil industry where he had been working as a General Field Engineer, Sales Engineer, and Geophysicist, and joined the company as President.
Jack III led the company into CNC Swiss machining, expanding the product line, modernizing quality control procedures, and instituting industry standard shop management software. This currently includes 6-8 axis Swiss machining centers, computerized optical measurement, adopting Lean Manufacturing systems, and CAD/CAM software.
Over 8 decades later, Schaffner Machine Company honors the tradition of quality service started by Jack Schaffner Sr. in 1940 in its dedication to creative solutions, improved efficiency, and increasing precision to meet the needs of its clients in a global economy.
