A Chicago family dynasty ended July 8, 2020, with the passing of Tom Breitenstein, who, like his father, enjoyed a long and fruitful career in the machine tool industry.
Tom's father, Charles "Bud" Breitenstein, left school in the seventh grade to work at Bally Slot Machine Co. so that he could help support his family during the Great Depression. Bud, who became Bally's chief mechanical engineer, was quickly recognized as a leader in the field of mechanical engineering. He held many patents on inventions he developed while at Bally and, for a time, the Canteen Corp.
In 1946, Bud founded the Spiral Step Tool Co. in order to manufacture the necessary parts needed to produce the inventions he developed at Bally. Based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, Spiral Step Tool flourished.
Bud's son, Tom, worked at Spiral Step Tool during summers while the younger Breitenstein attended Purdue University, where he majored in mechanical engineering. In 1976, three years after Spiral Step Tool was sold to Katy Industries, Tom founded Taurus Tool and Engineering.
Bud would visit Tom's factory in Schaumburg throughout his later years to observe and confer with the engineering staff and toolmakers. Under Tom's steady leadership, Taurus Tool and Engineering became an industry leader, specializing in custom precision cutting tools primarily for the aeronautic and automotive industries.
In 1981, Tom was able to purchase Spiral Step Tool, bringing it back into the family and placing it under the banner of Taurus Tool and Engineering. The purchase, which brought father and son even closer, was a fitting tribute to Bud, who passed away in January 2003.
Though a devastating fire destroyed the 17,500 sq. ft. Schaumburg facility in June 2014, the company rose from the ashes and successfully relocated to Batavia, Illinois, thanks to the hard work and dedication displayed by its employees.
In 2015, Tom sold Taurus Tool and Engineering to his three dedicated and talented employees, Jim Kantak, Roger Wise and Rich Thiele, who between them have more than 60 years of manufacturing experience. The 25,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Batavia features state-of-the-art CNC equipment and continues to thrive today.
Bud and Tom Breitenstein were men of great integrity who left a fine and enduring legacy for those who follow in their footsteps.
Related Glossary Terms
- computer numerical control ( CNC)
computer numerical control ( CNC)
Microprocessor-based controller dedicated to a machine tool that permits the creation or modification of parts. Programmed numerical control activates the machine’s servos and spindle drives and controls the various machining operations. See DNC, direct numerical control; NC, numerical control.
