| Buffalo Forge Company | |
| Fate: | Acquired |
| Successor: | Howden Group |
| Foundation: | 1878 (incorporated: 1900) |
| Defunct: | 1993 |
| Location City: | Buffalo, New York |
| Location Country: | United States |
| Industry: | Blacksmithing |
| Products: | Forges, Drills, Fans, Machinery |
| Owner: | William F. Wendt |
The Buffalo Forge Company was formed in 1878 to manufacture blacksmith’s forges. Their product offerings were expanded to include drilling machines in 1883, and steam engines and pumps in 1889.
In 1902, Willis Carrier, an engineer at Buffalo Forge, submitted drawings for what became recognized as the world's first modern air conditioning system. In 1915, he left the company to form Carrier Engineering Corporation.[1]
Heating equipment, dust collectors, and a range of metal cutting and forming equipment were also manufactured by the company. In addition to being one of the largest employers in the city of Buffalo (during its heyday), Buffalo Forge operated several other plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Wendt family retained ownership of the company until 1941, when the ownership was broadened by a public stock offering.[2] Buffalo Forge was one of the "big three" that made blacksmith equipment in the United States. Champion and Canedy-Otto companies were the other domestic competition.
| 1900 | Buffalo Forge was incorporated with a capitalization of $500,000.[3] |
| 1902 | Geo. L. Squier Manufacturing Company of Buffalo was purchased, opening the company up to a South and Central America market. |
| 1941 | It was decided that the company would be best served if the stock was offered on the New York Stock Exchange. A reorganization was made at that time so that The Squier Corporation, Buffalo Pumps, Inc., and the Canadian Companies became wholly owned subsidiaries of Buffalo Forge Company. |
| 1993 | Buffalo Forge was acquired by the Howden Group. |
| 1997 | Buffalo Machine Tools of Lockport, New York was created from the machine tool division of Buffalo Forge. |
| 1999 | The Howden subsidiary containing the remainder of Buffalo Forge was renamed Howden Buffalo. |
| 2006 | The company's 14-acre original manufacturing plant located at 490 Broadway St. in Buffalo was razed. This included the six story "Building 3" at 470-474 Broadway St. which was the final building to be destroyed.[4] |
| 2010 | The Howden subsidiary containing the remainder of Buffalo Forge was renamed Howden North America Inc.. |
| 2010 | The Buffalo Machine Tools subsidiary containing the machine tool division of Buffalo Forge was renamed to Buffalo Machines, Inc of Lockport, New York |