Davies Molding
Davies Molding LLC is an American plastics manufacturing company based in Carol Stream, Illinois. Founded in 1933 in downtown Chicago as the Harry Davies Molding Company, the firm is historically associated with early phenolic plastic manufacturing and the production of Daka ware molded products, including industrial components and early beer tap markers.[1][2]
History
Early history
The company was founded in 1933 by Harry Davies during the Great Depression. Operating from a small one-room factory in downtown Chicago, the business initially produced molded phenolic plastic parts such as knobs, handles, cases, and ashtrays.[1]
During World War II, the company supplied molded plastic components for the United States war effort. In the 1940s, it also produced household and barware items made from urea and phenolic plastics, including shot glasses and liquor jiggers.[1]
Daka ware and beer tap markers
The Harry Davies Company manufactured a line of phenolic molded products under the trade name Daka ware. These products were used in industrial, electrical, and commercial applications due to their durability and resistance to heat.[3]
Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, breweries were required to mark beer taps by brand. The company was contracted by numerous breweries across the United States to produce Daka ware bakelite ball tap knobs and tap markers. These items are regarded by collectors and historians as among the earliest standardized beer tap handles in American brewing history.[2]
Later developments
In 1954, Harry Davies retired and sold his ownership stake to a group of investors that included his nephew, Ted Davies. A second manufacturing plant was opened in 1966. After a fire destroyed the original facility in 1967, production continued at the secondary plant until the company relocated later that year to a new facility on Chicago’s west side, where it remained for approximately 25 years.[1]
In 1987, Davies Molding was acquired by The Heico Companies, a privately held industrial holding company based in Chicago. Following the acquisition, Davies Molding continued operations as a subsidiary within Heico’s Industrial Technologies Group.[4][5]
In 1991, the company relocated to Carol Stream, Illinois, into a 99,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.[1]
Acquisition of EA Plastics
In 2022, Davies Molding LLC acquired EA Plastics, a high-precision injection molding company headquartered in Flora, Mississippi. The acquisition expanded Davies Molding’s injection molding and tooling capabilities and added a second manufacturing location.[6]
Legacy
Davies Molding traces its continuous operation to its origins as the Harry Davies Molding Company. Products manufactured under the Daka ware name, particularly early beer tap markers and phenolic knobs, are now collected as examples of early American plastics manufacturing.[2][3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Harry Davies Molding Co". Syracuse University Digital Collections. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Harry Davies Company". Brewery Advertising Foundation. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Daka-Ware, Anyway?". Effectrode. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ "About Davies Molding". Davies Molding. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ "Industrial Technologies Group". Heico Companies. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ↑ "Davies Molding Acquires EA Plastics". Rubber World. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
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