hpt 2022 #4

news & facts
Four generations and 100 years in metal cutting
Preben’s grandfather,
Louis Eckart Hansen
In a world where
machine shops are
struggling to stay
open and maintain
their business
and “going into
dad’s business” is
not what it once was,
Platinum Tooling
is an exception to
the rule. Located in
Prospect Heights,
Illinois, the company
is set to reach an important
milestone. In
2022, company president
Preben Hansen
and his family will
celebrate 100 years
working in metal cutting
and four generations
of Hansen men
in the industry. How
cool is that?
The story began with Preben’s grandfather, Louis Eckart Hansen,
who learned his trade in Copenhagen, Denmark in the
early 1900’s. Louis worked as a machinist in the Danish Navy’s
repair facility. Preben’s father, Svend Eckart Hansen,
honed his skills under the guidance of Louis. 1958 Svend emi -
grated to the U.S.A., with his family including young Preben.
Despite not knowing English, he found employment within
days of arriving in Chicago, because of his skill as a tool
maker. Svend began his career as a machinist and ended it
in the 1990’s as a master tool maker at Ramcel Precision
Stamping and Manufacturing LLC in Northbrook, Illinois.
With manufacturing and tooling in his DNA, Preben
worked in the machine shop of the former Fulton Machine
Company in downtown Chicago, while attending the University
of Illinois/Chicago and pursuing a degree in engineering.
After college he worked in the shop at Oakley Industries
building custom machinery. After several years there Preben
moved to the front office and to an inside sales position.
Preben with his dad, Svend Eckart Hansen
Later, at Jemco Tool & Die, he learned programming and setup
on their CNC lathes and machining centers which was his
introduction to machine tools and their accessories. His next
job was at HPI, now known as Pioneer Heartech Precision
Inc., a distributor of tool holders and related products, in
Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Preben started as an outside sales
repre sentative of tool holders and rotary tables, then became
the company’s sales manager. This was followed by
Lyndex-Nikken, another machine tool accessory supplier in
Mundelein, Illinois. Preben was introduced to live tools and
once again worked as sales manager. In 2010, Preben started
a joint venture with heimatec GmbH, becoming the president
of Heimatec, Inc., a company specializing in live tools,
angle heads and multispindle drill heads. 2018 Heimatec, Inc.
was purchased by Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. with
headquarters located in Prospect Heights, Illinois. Preben
Hansen is the COO and president at Platinum Tooling.
Preben has over 30 years of experience in the machine tool
accessory market and over 40 years in the manufacturing industry.
Given his credentials, it’s no surprise that Preben has
established himself as a leading authority on these topics in
the North American machine tool accessory market. He often
hosts knowledge bars at trade shows to SRO crowds.
Preben Eckart Hansen and his son Luke James Hansen
In keeping the family tradition, Preben’s son, Luke Hansen,
joined his dad’s company in 2018 as a technical sales specialist
for several of the product lines sold by Platinum Tooling,
including Tecnicrafts collets and guide bushings for Swiss
machines. After graduating from high school Luke joined the
army and received great training there. Upon his discharge,
he used the motivational and goal orientation skills he had
learned in the army. In his current position at Platinum
Tooling Luke continues to expand his knowledge of the
machine tool accessory market as well as builds valuable
relationships with the North American sales and distribution
network of the company.
Reflecting on 100 years as a family in the manufacturing
industry, Preben Hansen says, “The machine tool industry
has been and continues to be an extremely vital part of our
country’s continued success. My son Luke and I are proud
to be 3 rd and 4 th generation professionals involved in this
exciting industry.”
further information: www.platinumtooling.com
no. 4, November 2022
31