Every manufactured product has a story. It begins as an idea, takes shape through skilled hands and becomes a finished product. Before it leaves the hands of its maker, it gets a permanent mark that identifies the product and the people behind it.

For 160 years, C.H. Hanson has been trusted by manufacturers to create those permanent marks through its proprietary steel stamps, stencils, identification products and traceability solutions.

“Every mark our customers leave represents their reputation, and we’re proud to help them build products and legacies that stand the test of time,” says Phil Hanson, President of C.H. Hanson.

C.H. Hanson began in 1866 as a stencil-making business, focused on helping manufacturers mark and identify their products. After rebuilding following the Great Chicago Fire, the company continued to develop around the needs of manufacturers and skilled trades professionals, listening to the people who used its tools. Over time, C.H. Hanson expanded beyond its roots to support a broader range of applications.

Meeting the Need for Product Identification

A fifth-generation, family-owned business, C.H. Hanson supports manufacturers and skilled trades professionals across industries such as manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, oil and gas, agriculture, metalworking, fabrication and knifemaking.

For customers in these industries, a mark can serve different purposes depending on the application. A serial number may need to remain visible as a product moves through its lifecycle. A welder may need an identification number to establish who completed a particular job. A manufacturer may want a logo that connects a product directly to its business. For a craftsperson, the mark can provide a consistent way to identify finished work.

For C.H. Hanson, the key to getting it right every time is listening, since every application has different requirements. That customer base extends across the teams responsible for building, fabricating, inspecting and maintaining products. C.H. Hanson works with OEMs, assembly plants, machine shops, fabricators and welders, as well as quality control, inspection and maintenance departments.

Our tools remain trusted because we listen to the people who use them.


Feedback from customers plays an important role in how the company improves existing solutions and develops new ones, allowing the needs of professionals to influence product design. “Our tools remain trusted because we listen to the people who use them,” says Andrew Hanson, Vice President of C.H. Hanson.

Custom Solutions that Reflect Every Business

Standard steel stamps continue to meet many day-to-day marking requirements, while customization has created new opportunities for manufacturers to add unique identifiers that reflect their businesses. Customers request stamps featuring company logos, personalized initials, serial numbers or other identifying information specific to their operations. C.H. Hanson works from those requirements to produce tools suited to the application.

For straightforward needs, customers can use standard combinations of letters and numbers. When the requirement is more specific, the company can develop a stamp around a customer’s logo, serial number or other identifying detail. This gives professionals a choice between an established marking format and a tool created for their particular application.

  • Every mark our customers leave represents their reputation, and we’re proud to help them build products and legacies that stand the test of time.


Creating a custom marking tool involves understanding how and where the mark will be applied. Factors such as the customer’s requirements, the material being marked and the intended application help determine the right solution. This allows the final solution to support both the customer’s identification needs and the practical requirements of their work.

One customer approached C.H. Hanson with a request that reflected the importance of permanent identification. A custom knifemaker wanted every finished blade to carry the company’s logo, creating a permanent signature that represented years of dedication to the craft.

Working from the customer’s design, C.H. Hanson produced a custom steel stamp that could be used with a pneumatic stamping hammer. The finished stamp allowed the logo to be permanently embedded into the steel of every blade leaving the shop. That permanent mark reflects the customer’s craftsmanship, protects their reputation and tells the story behind every knife they make.

The company is also broadening its reach through a family of acquired brands, including Palmgren, Superior Tool, EasyCAM and Brodbeck Ironworks. These additions expand C.H. Hanson’s capabilities across manufacturing, metalworking and other skilled trades while supporting its continued focus on helping professionals identify and stand behind their work. The company is also expanding its e-commerce presence, giving professionals another route to access its products while supporting its broader reach across the industries and trades it serves.

The company’s growth builds on a long history while creating new opportunities to support the professionals who use its tools. By combining generations of experience and a continued focus on customer input, C.H. Hanson develops standard and custom steel stamps that help manufacturers and skilled trades professionals create lasting marks. These marks identify their work, represent their reputation and stand the test of time.