All in the family.... Second Generation of Machinists

            Back in our July 2001 edition of Fronhofer Tool Quarterly I mentioned that I’d write about the three generations of Fronhofers in the machining trade. This edition I will highlight three of my brothers as well as myself.

My second-oldest brother (Van) started in the trade when he was still in high school. Our neighbor owned and operated a small but successful machine shop that catered to the automatic screw machine industry. After working several years for the Coldwell Carbide Co., in 1976 he bought the business and in 1990 changed the name to Val Industries. Although the business produced high quality bushings and collets for that industry, business took a down turn due in most part to LED’s and sophisticated electronics. Swiss automatic screw machines went silent all over the world when (for example) small watch parts like pins and gears were no longer needed.

After a short realization period, Van changed the direction of machining to conventional job shop work. This was very successful for him and in no time he took the next step to CNC machining. He now owns three machining centers and gears most of his work toward the automated industry. He has added on to his business in square footage as well as additional employees. After family, Van’s interests lie in bike riding, both mountain and road. Although he suffered from a head on collision with a car while riding his bike, which almost took his life, he has worked his way back to being an excellent bike rider.  His pride and joy are his children and grandchildren.

Van’s son in-law Aaron Trybendis is working for Van, learning the business, so I’m sure we can look forward to another generation there. 

Carl, being the forth-oldest brother started in the business as a welder. He learned the machining trade shortly after and went on to be proficient in all aspects of the business.  Quiet, serious and hardworking are probably the three ways anyone that knows Carl would describe him. He also started working for a company that he ended up buying. In 1976 he went to work for Battenkill Machine, which eventually became BDP. In 1987 he purchased the company. The company has grown in strength and has diversified with new product lines. Most of his products are related to anything that requires dewatering. He has installations on almost every continent with technical support available to all his customers.

Carl has his son Adam working with him in the electrical department so who knows, maybe another generation there as well.

Carl’s interests are family, flying his plane, scuba diving, snowmobiling, volleyball and mountain bike riding.

 I am the sixth son and unlike my older brothers I started my own company. Starting in my cellar, adding an addition, buying an old barn and renovating it, and now machining in a new facility designed just for future growth and efficiency. I started the business in 1980 at the age of 23. The past twenty-three years have been constant growth with only two slow periods, which I feel very lucky about. At present I have twenty six thousand square feet of workspace with nine pieces of CNC equipment and a wide range of conventional equipment. The work we do ranges from very small parts that you could hold in your hand to equipment that we have to hire cranes to remove once we’re done building.  

Like my older brothers my interests also lie primarily with my family. I do enjoy volleyball, scuba diving, bike riding (both road and mountain), softball, camping etc. My pride and joy is Fronhofer Tool and the fact that some of my children are very interested in continuing it for another generation. 

My youngest brother Socrates who is the seventh son works for Carl at BDP as operations manager. He has worked there since 1986 starting as a laborer. Like Carl, he managed to learn almost every aspect of running the company spending most of his time machining. He was instrumental in bringing the company through its learning curve when they decided to get involved in CNC machining. Although he has earned his position of operations manager through hard work, he still programs for the CNC’s.  And like his brother Carl, Socrates remains hands on with the day-to-day operations of the business. 

Socrates has just earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University at Albany.

Socrates’ interests lie first with his young family. He also enjoys volleyball and arm wrestling along with almost every other outdoor activity available. The highlight for Socrates was in 1994 when arm-wrestled at the world competition in Sweden.  After beating national champs from Canada, Germany, Japan, etc.. he won a silver medal, placing second in the world.

         The family has remained extremely close and any one brother is always willing to help the other. We visit often, play sports together and even vacation together. Holidays are always a highlight as we look forward to sharing our stories and interest with not only our siblings but with their spouses and children as well. I’m sure there will be another generation of Fronhofers in the machining and or manufacturing business. With the support we get from each other, it’s hard to fail.  

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Last modified: July 19, 2010