2021 marks the 75th Anniversary since Saporito Finishing Company was formed. Over the years, the business has evolved to meet the needs of each era, while facing challenges that have shaped its growth from one decade to the next.
In the early 1940’s, while World War II was well underway, a young man in Chicago by the name of Charles J. Saporito started his own company, Sun-Glo in the basement of a store focused on military work for the war effort. At that time, it was not unusual to find Charlie Saporito and his wife wiring parts in their kitchen to prepare for the next day’s plating work. In 1946, following the war, the business was renamed C.J. Saporito Plating Company.
As the nation eased its way out of a tumultuous era and into the more peaceful and prosperous 1950’s, Charles looked to expand the scope of the company. This led to the purchase of Accurate Anodizing in 1956. Three years later, they left the roar of the elevated trains and relocated to the west Chicago suburb of Cicero, Illinois. It was here they setup shop, under the roof of a 25,000 square foot plant.
The new location inspired innovation and growth within the business. In 1964, Saporito Plating went on to add a new Magnesium Anodizing Division. Unfortunately, disaster hit in 1971, when the entire Accurate Anodizing plant nearly burned to the ground, rendering all of the finishing equipment unusable. Within one year, the company was housed at Saporito’s present address in Cicero, Illinois. Since then, the facilities have expanded to include more than 125,000 square feet.
The next 20 years brought steady growth and refinement as the company matured, leading the way as a modern manufacturing operation. In 1997, Saporito achieved ISO 9001 accreditation and has maintained this certification in good standing since then.
In October 2001, the name of the company was officially changed from C.J. Saporito Plating Company to Saporito Finishing Company to reflect the company’s evolution of capabilities, which now included Zinc plating, Sulfuric and Hardcoat Anodizing, Zinc Nickel Plating, Electroless Nickel, Chemical film Conversion Coating, and many other finishes.
In 2004 Saporito achieved Nadcap accreditation in Chemical Processing, while setting a record for the least non-conformances in an initial accreditation audit. Saporito has maintained this certification in high standing ever since, including their current status of merit.
Saporito is also a leader in environmentally responsible finishing. Charles J. Saporito set a standard in pollution compliance that has been passed down over the years. Realizing that one day his grandchildren would be drinking the same water he left behind, Saporito became the first metal finisher to voluntarily request a permit from the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago to treat his company’s wastes. Since then, Saporito Finishing has strived to maintain high standards in areas of environmental regulation. Saporito Finishing was the recipient of the Governors Award for its environmental compliance activities in the state of Illinois and has been recognized for its outstanding record of compliance by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Saporito Finishing has been recognized as a Top Shop through Gardner Publications annual benchmarking survey of electroplaters and anodizers. After 2018’s survey, Saporito Finishing was awarded Top Shop Honors for excellence in HR and Training practices.
The team at Saporito Finishing Company is proud of the history and heritage accumulated over the last seven decades. We look forward to continued progress for years to come, as we carry on a tradition that has been steeped in commitment to quality and high standards for nearly a century.
