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Steve and Mike Bales fulfilled their dream of founding Bales Mold Service in 1978. Working out of a small residential garage, they didn’t set out to be the biggest or the fanciest. They simply wanted to solve their customers’ problems and take care of their dedicated employees.
Steve and Mike built a stellar reputation in the finishing industry through customer satisfaction, integrity, and innovation. Bales is still committed to these values more than 40 years later.
Since 2009, Stacey Bales and Sara Mortensen—Steve’s daughters—have carried forward the Bales legacy. Together with a team of surface experts, they bring you the very best metal surface solutions.
THE HISTORY OF BALES
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Founding of Bales Mold Service
Steve and Mike Bales founded Bales Mold Service in a 1,000 square-foot space in Lombard, IL. We initially offered diamond polishing services.
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Relocation to Downers Grove
Bales built and moved to a 15,000 square-foot facility in Downers Grove, IL. The relocation allowed us to add electroless nickel and chrome plating services.
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NICKLON™ Coating Debut
Bales recognized the need for new coatings to improve mold release and lubricity, and introduced a nickel Teflon coating called NICKLON™.
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ISO Certification
Bales obtained ISO 9001 certification for quality management, demonstrating our commitment to a strong customer focus and continual improvement.
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Diamond Chrome Debut
Bales introduced a proprietary Diamond Chrome coating for applications requiring extreme hardness.
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NIBORE™ Coating Debut
Bales developed NIBORE™, which combines electroless nickel and boron nitride particles for superior lubricity and hardness.
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Launch of Stainless Steel Passivation
Bales added stainless steel passivation to our service offerings.
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Second-Generation Leadership
Following the retirement of Mike Bales and the sudden passing of Steve Bales in November 2009, a new generation of the Bales family assumed leadership of the company. Stacey Bales became president, while Sara Mortensen became vice president.
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Moldmaker of the Year Award
Steve Bales was honored posthumously with the Moldmaker of the Year award, presented by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).
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Woman-Owned Certification
Bales achieved recognition as a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, the gold standard for women-owned business certification.
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Sustainability Award
The Village of Downers Grove presented Bales with the inaugural Green Business Award. The award recognizes local businesses that have made substantial efforts to become environmentally sustainable.
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New Company Brand Launch
Reflecting a bold vision for the future, Bales launched a rebranding effort. We simplified our company name to Bales and unveiled a new logo and website. The new brand received an Award of Distinction for Corporate Identity at the 2015 Communicator Awards.
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First "Best Place to Work" Award
Bales earned the Best Place to Work award presented by Plastics News. Our highly skilled team is the backbone of our business, and we believe in treating our team right.
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DIAMOND E.N.™ DEBUT
The nano-sized diamond particles in Diamond E.N.™ offer extreme abrasion resistance—and give Chrome some tough competition.
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Industry Young Leader Award
Bales' President Stacey Bales won the inaugural Young Leader Award presented by the Technology and Manufacturing Association. The award recognizes outstanding young leaders in the industry.
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Retirement of Harry Raimondi
Harry retired as Bales’ Technical Services Manager after over two decades. He worked in the industry for 50 years and is still recognized as a pillar of the moldmaking community, not just in Chicagoland but around the country. In 2015, he earned the Moldmaker of the Year award from the Society of Plastic Engineers.
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Stacey Bales honored with the NASF Award of Merit
This prestigious award acknowledges the leadership of peers who have dedicated a great deal of their time to ensure a strong association and vibrant industry. The Award of Merit honors members who show exemplary service and achievement on both the local and national levels.
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Second "Best Place to Work" Award
Bales became a second-time recipient of the Best Place to Work award presented by Plastics News. Bales is a family-owned business dedicated to caring for its employees — many have been with us for over a decade.
