In 1942 Nathan H. and Esther Usiskin established Enco Mfg. Co. of Chicago to manufacture tailstock turrets for metal lathes. This manufacture continued until at least the 1960s. The business continued on for decades after that as a seller of tools and supplies. Besides the tailstock turrets, the company also manufactured other items such as magnetic bases and accessories. All the patents related to these products were granted to Enco's head of manufacturing and later vice-president, Gordon J. Benes.

We have also seen the name Enco Magnetic Tool Co., which was used simultaneously with Enco Mfg. Co. Perhaps this was a name used on their magnetic-base products that were also sold through other retailers.

An unrelated company put the Enco name on metalworking machines made in Taiwan and China. Asian-made machines are not eligible for listing on this website.

Information Sources

• From a 1943 trademark registration for "Enco" in association with tailstock turrets for lathes.

  Enco Mfg. Co., a firm domiciled in Chicago, Illinois, doing business at 3321 Montrose Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, and composed of the following members, Esther Usiskin and Nathan H. Usiskin...

• 1944 Machine and Tool Blue Book (Volume 40). Page 360.

  Enco 6-inch Square Turret—Enco Mfg. Co., Dept 53, 3321 Montrose Ave., Chicago (18) announced a new 6-inch Square Turret Tool Post for use on lathes with 16-inch swing, and larger lathes. The center post, almost 5 " in diameter, gives extreme rigidity under heavy cuts for the larger tools at high speed. The turret block is designed to mount up to 1/4-inch tool bits or No. 2 Tool Holders for 3½-inch square bits where additional flexibility in operation is required. The indexing mechanism, being self-contained, eliminates chip interference and assures maintenance of an accurate setting in production. Mac-it Tool Post Screws are standard on this model. Using hardened steel construction thru-out, only week is required for turrets made to specifications. Model 6-S is also available from stock with lower portion of base left machinable for quick adaptation to the lathe.

  Page 356:
  "CR" Turret Tool Post—Enco Mfg. Co., 4522-24 Fullerton Ave., Chicago (39) announce a compound replacement Turret Tool Post - Model CR. This model is claimed to offer the utmost in tool rigidity under high speed production removes a possible source of chatter and inaccuracy in the compound. It is designed especially for engine and bench lathes with low center heights—(height from top of compound rest to center line of spindle). Range of lathe swings covered is from 9" to 36". The turret block has 12 indexing positions spaced 30° apart, enabling each of the four tools mounted in the block to perform more than one operation. A facing tool, for example, may be used for turning by indexing the same tool to next position. This flexibility in use means that standard ground tools, including angular tools , may be used without special re-grinding . All CR Models are made to specifications. Only five days are required for delivery. Turrets are shipped complete and ready for use and no further machining is necessary.

• 1946 American Society of Tool Engineers Directory 1946-47 page 89: "BENES, Gordon J., Ch. 5, 482 Addison Rd., Riverside, Ill. Res. Ph. Riv. 6694, Off. Capitol 6200. Factory Mgr., Enco Mfg. Co., Chicago 39, Ill."
• 1950 issue of Manufacturing Engineering and Management (Volumes 24-25 page 62), in a listing of conference exhibitors: "Enco Manufacturing Company / 4522-24 W. Fullerton Ave. / Chicago 39, Ill. / In attendance—Nathan Usiskin, Gordon J. Benes, John Barnes, E. H. Appleyard, Milton Corn. / Dial indicators, lathes, flash lights with magnetic base".
• 1967 Chicago, Cook County & Illinois Industrial Directory, page 4. "ENCO MFG CO / 4520 W Fullerton Av Chi 39 / CA 7-6200 / Pres & Treas: Nathan Usiskin / V Pres & Pur Agt: Gordon J Benes / Sec: Mrs E Usiskin / Mfg lathe turrets & magnetic base tools, adjustable centers / Rtg over $ 100,000, Emp 25".
• A correspondent writes:

  In the late 1970's I began getting tools and supplies from ENCO Mfg. They had a catalog and sales and good prices, but above and beyond that a nice old guy would answer the phone and help with questions if you asked nicely. He said that he had started the company many years before when he had designed and made a tail-stock turret that sold well. I talked to him numerous times over the years until a new voice answered and said that he had retired. It made me kind of sad when he left. It had been nice being able to talk directly with the guy that started it all, when I wanted to.

• Findagrave.com entries for Nathan Usiskin (1904-2002) and Esther Chukerman Usiskin (1904-1970). There is no findagrave listing for Gordon J. Benes. Another genealogy site has this: "BENES, GORDON J was born 21 June 1904, was assigned Social Security number 340-05-8501 (indicating Illinois), and died 22 March 1997, while residing in Zip Code 60510-2122. The Social Security field office at WAUKEGAN IL received the claim 5 March 1969."
• Clamp Mfg. Co. v. Enco Mfg. Co. refers to a series of legal proceedings between 1979 and 1989, at first through the FTC and then through the courts, regarding Enco's selling of Korean-made "no-twist" clamps in competition to Clamp's "Kant-Twist" clamps, whose patent had expired but whose "Kant-Twist" name was trademarked. The district court ruled that Enco's use of the term "no-twist" on clamps virtually identical to the Kant-Twist clamps caused confusion and constituted trademark infringement. Enco had to pay nearly $1 million in damages plus interest. Enco appealed, and in a rather lukewarm affirmation the superior court found that on every key point the district court was "not clearly erroneous". Enco was one of nine companies found to have infringed the Kant-Twist trademark in this series of actions.
  
  Another tidbit from the above-linked appeals court decision: "Enco, an Illinois corporation principally located in Chicago, manufactures and distributes machine tools, parts, and accessories. Colex, Inc., the additional defendant-appellant, was a California corporation principally located in Los Angeles and the wholly-owned West Coast subsidiary of Enco. Colex was merged into Enco following trial."