About American Aluminum Company

Amalco was established in 1910 and is a 4^th generation family owned business. Henry Brucker, born in 1874 in Newark New Jersey, was the oldest of nine children and at the age of ten assumed the responsibility of family provider due to the death of his father. In his early work years Henry started his first job at a hat factory as a mail runner and later as a hat former and blocker. Later at the age of 13 he worked for U.S. Electric (now Westinghouse) and later a foreman over five boys operating nail machines on a production line. Henry’s infatuation with aluminum started when he was attracted to an article written in Scientific America on a new discovery of light metal aluminum and its possible uses. Later an ad attracted him regarding a 3” scale made of aluminum and as light as a feather. “Looks like silver and strong as steel. Send10¢ for sample.” That was the beginning of his career in aluminum.

Early Years of American Aluminum

American Aluminum Employees 1940's

This fascination with aluminum continued with jobs working for metal fabricating companies doing brazing, operating foot and power presses, as well as all other secondary operations associated with metal forming. At age 22 he was experienced in a number of types of manufacturing processes, including aluminum. He was a good problem solver and liked to read all current articles on production. His early experience in working with aluminum and his supervisory abilities led him to the New Jersey Aluminum Company where he spent the next 14 years of his life during a period of the rapid expansion in the uses for aluminum.

Henry Brucker - Founder (right)

American Aluminum Early Products

In 1910 the New Jersey Aluminum Co was purchased by the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company and all operations were then moved to the Midwest. This provided the impetus for Henry Brucker to go ahead with his plans for a business of his own. In October 1910 he rented a few hundred square feet in a loft building in Newark New Jersey and purchased a spinning lathe. He was in business!! His first products were popular aluminum specialties of that era, tea balls and drinking cups.

Those special skills, talents, knowledge and enthusiasm for the metal forming business have been passed down through 4 generations of the Brucker family. Starting first with aluminum cups and novelty items in 1910, over the course of the years our products have covered a wide range of consumer, industrial and defense-related products. From its small beginnings in Newark New Jersey, Amalco is now located in a 60,000 square foot facility in Mountainside, New Jersey. Amalco is a vertically integrated metal forming company specializing in custom and standard enclosures made by either deep drawing or hydroforming technologies. As a means of adding further value to our services secondary operations are available consisting of spinning, dip brazing, spot welding, heliarc welding, CNC machining, painting, anodizing and light assembly. These services offer customers contract metal forming capabilities designed to minimize lead times and reduce costs. All manufacturing process, as well as tool/die design, engineering, design services and prototyping are performed at this location in Mountainside NJ. (No offshore outsourcing).

Amalco works with all metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, hastelloy, brass, copper, steel and a variety of specialty materials. Also, our facility meets the exacting Mil specs and standards required for Government, Aerospace and Military products. The markets now served are primarily the defense/aerospace, security, medical, communications, HVAC, electronics, aviation, marine, pharmaceutical and general industrial.

Conforms to MIL-I-45208: With our MIL-Grade quality system, our commercial customers enjoy the same critical quality control standards that have allowed us to deliver Defense Department contracted product for many years. Amalco employs the latest technologies in its QC inspection processes, and maintains its own QC Manual focused on a goal of "Zero Defects on All Products Produced".

Amalco meets United States government regulations for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). As a producer of deep drawn and hydroformed specialty materials for Government, Aerospace and Military products, American Aluminum Company continues to satisfy all of the documentation and training requirements to maintain this important Federal Government requirement for defense related materials and services. Reg. M20157 Exp. 10/31/2011