Ford B. Cauffiel
“Master Entrepreneur of Ohio”
Inventor, Engineer, Business, Education
Over 50 years of experience and over 20 U.S. patents in developing, designing,
and manufacturing highly-efficient aluminum and steel processing plants.
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EDUCATION
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1944 to 1948
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Libbey High School
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1948 to 1952
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University of Detroit (College of Mechanical Engineering)
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EXPERIENCE
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1944 to 1949
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From 14 to 19 years old, with my brother Lowell Cauffiel, designed, built and sold the “Cauffiel Engine”. Later sold the engineering rights to Clinton Machine Corporation, which became the largest small engine company in the United States.
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1948 to 1952
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University of Detroit, College of Mechanical Engineering
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E1 | 1952 to 1954
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Staff Production Engineer at Ford Motor Company, Engine & Foundry Division. (Large company, not enough feeling of accomplishment.)
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E1 | 1954 to 1955
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Sales Engineer at Motch & Merryweather Machine Company, Detroit, Michigan. Sold large machinery and automation to the automotive industry.
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E1, B | 1955
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Founded Cauffiel Machine Company as an engineering company, later became Cauffiel Machinery Corporation and Cauffiel Industries Corporation.
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B | 1957
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Purchased management contract for Studebaker-Pontiac dealership.
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E1, B | 1962
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Purchased 100,000 square foot crane building from National Supply, Toledo, Ohio, to manufacture steel processing machinery and develop industrial manufacturing complex.
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E1, B | 1962
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Purchased 200,000 square foot crane building (E. W. Bliss Building), Toledo, Ohio, to form Toledo Industrial Center to develop industrial real estate, expand machinery manufacturing facility and further develop manufacturing companies.
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E1, B | 1963
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Purchased 150,000 square foot railroad locomotive crane building from New York Railroad, known as the Campbell Street Works, Toledo, Ohio, to further expand heavy industry. (Still used for manufacturing heavy-duty, high-tech steel processing machinery and lithium products.)
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I, E1 | 1965
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Built first and largest steel processing system for St. Louis Ship Company to precision cut steel plate from coil up to 3/4" thick x 84” wide using a cold process for producing barges on the Mississippi River making it possible for St. Louis Ship to sell for $280 million, which revolutionized the steel industry.
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I, E1 | 1968
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Built and patented first steel tapered pole process for high tension tapered poles and street light tapered poles for Valmont Industries and other steel tapered pole manufacturers.
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B | 1974
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Received the President’s “E” Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Expanding Exports”, which is the highest award given to a business by the U.S. Government. Mostly sold cut-to-length lines, slitting lines, press feed lines, and allied equipment.
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I, B | 1981
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Developed highly-efficient, evacuated, concentrated solar collector used in Africa for producing, hot water (160oF) for the canning industry and tourism (hotels, etc.)
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I, E1, B | 1981
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Founded Alabama Pickling and Warehousing - Developed highly-efficient chemical process using very little energy of agitating hot hydrochloric acid in a sealed, non-polluting system for removing scale from hot rolled steel coils used in automotive and air conditioning/refrigeration manufacturing.
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E1, B | 1982
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Sold 200,000 square foot crane building (E.W. Bliss Building) with tenants to Champion Spark Plug (known as Baron Drawn Steel Corporation) to create jobs and expand industry in the inner city of Toledo, Ohio.
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I, B | 1983
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Developed a co-generation system using natural gas and oil for producing heat and electricity using an induction generator for the textile and canning industries.
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I, B | 1984
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Built, own and operate a 72” wide x 60,000# coil capacity push/pull pickle line and steel plant in Illinois, Granite City Pickling & Warehouse, Inc., located on U.S. Steel Corporation’s property (formerly National Steel Corporation) to process high quality steel coils for the automotive, truck and agricultural industries.
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E | 1985
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Built classic car museum for my great American, true classic cars, which includes: Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Packard, Stutz, Mercer, and race cars. Museum is used for parties to raise funds for the Toledo Opera, Toledo Symphony, Young Presidents’ Association, Rotary Clubs, and many other Toledo organizations, including Students For Other Students (SOS).
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E1, B | 1986
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Founded American Steel Products Company, Toledo, Ohio, which revolutionized steel building frames (instead of wood). Now used in all commercial buildings known as steel stud construction.
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E2 | 1989
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Founded Students For Other Students (SOS), a non-profit organization that pays students up to $8/hour to tutor other students, which is in 21 school districts throughout Northwest Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and New York. SOS expanded in Ohio through a partnership with Rotary International. Personally funded over $2,000,000 since 1989. Over 20,000 children have experienced the benefits of peer tutoring due to the SOS program.
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B | 1990
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Purchased office building, 3171 N. Republic Blvd., Toledo, “Cauffiel Building” to develop many companies.
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I | 1992
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Invented the “EZ-Table” to replace TV-tables for recliner chairs - sold to Am Fab, Inc., A Bissell Healthcare Company, on a guaranteed royalty basis of $13,000/month.
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E1 | 1994
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Sold and built equipment for Chinese company for making advance aluminum tin alloy for bearing material as used in internal combustion and diesel engines, the largest automobile bearing producing plant in the world with a 25% ownership.
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B | 1996
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Purchased 80 acres of industrial property near I-75, the Ohio Turnpike and Rt. 795 known as the “Golden Triangle” and developed and sold to many small companies, including Walgreen’s Drug Company. Donated remaining land to Nature’s Nursery for bird migration observation.
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B | 1997
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Sold industrial buildings to Banner Mattress, Toledo, Ohio, to expand their mattress manufacturing facilities.
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E2 | 1998
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With a $750,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation, helped start an Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) program at the University of Toledo. The EMBA program brought in over $10 million to the University of Toledo. Also served as Director of the Advisory Board for the EMBA program.
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E1, B | 1998
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Sold First Solar, Toledo, Ohio, their first sputtering machine for applying cadmium telluride to glass, later became a billion dollar company.
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E1, I, B | 2000
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Founded Lithium Innovations, Company, LLC, to make battery material and other lithium products. Perform extrusion and pressing of lithium sheets in a state-of-the-art dry room inside of the largest U.S. glovebox. Supply lithium sputter targets to the dynamic glass (electrochromics) industry and isotopically enriched lithium sheets to universities designing neutron detectors.
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E2 | 2001
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With all expenses paid, made two day study with over 50 people from Toledo, including Toledo
Public Schools’ (Superintendent Eugene Sanders and Staff), teachers’ union, University of Toledo
(President Daniel Johnson and College of Education), on how 88% of Houston’s fourth grade students
were reading proficiently when only 25% of Toledo’s fourth grade students were reading proficiently.
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E1, B | 2004
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Built successful aluminum rolling mill plant in Nigeria for producing rust-free, colored roofing panels
for commercial buildings, financed by the U.S. Government EXIM Bank.
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E2 | 2006
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Peer-tutoring program started in Cleveland Public Schools with a $3.5 million grant - over 10,000
students involved (designed after Toledo Public Schools’ SOS program).
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I | 2007
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Received $600,000 contract through a partnership with the treasurer of Goldman Sachs for a
developed process for converting cellulose (wood chips, corn stover, algae) into ethanol and butanol.
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E1, I | 2007
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Built rolling mill for the U.S. Army for converting titanium powder into light-gauge sheet for products
such as vests to protect our armed forces.
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E2 | 2007-2008
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President, Rotary Club of Reynolds Corners - The Rotary furnished funds for Students For Other
Students (SOS) pilot programs throughout Ohio to incorporate into 32,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide.
Rotary International has 32,000 clubs worldwide known for 100% prevention of polio in children.
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B, I | 2009
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Further developed Lithium Innovations Company to produce long-lasting lithium material to make 10
year lasting batteries for the pharmaceutical industry.
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B, I | 2009
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Further developed Lithium Innovations Company to make devices (targets) for applying Lithium to
glass for the plate glass industry to control and adjust infrared sunlight saving up to 25% in electrical
energy in commercial buildings.
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B, I | 2010
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Started research and development of neutron detector similar to Boston University.
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E | 2011
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Sold engineering and built the largest steel plate leveler in the world for LeTourneau that produces
up to 6” thick x 168” wide steel.
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B | 2012
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Purchased American Metal Processing Co., LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, out of bankruptcy, a dedicated toll
processor of slitting and cut-to-length from coil for steel mills and steel trading companies.
Company consists of 75,000 square feet under bridge cranes with many older steel processing lines,
which were modified to improve capacity and production.
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B | 2012
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Purchased condemned 160,000 square foot plant for $1.00 and sold to industrial truck and trailer
rebuilding and parts company for $600,000.
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B | 2014
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Started Ford Recycled Plastics, LLC, funded and developed plastic process for producing
polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene recycled plastic material from carpet material and
automotive plastics.
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B, I | 2015
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Lithium Innovations Company received a large contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security for a rugged, solid-state neutron detector for detecting possible atomic weapons/bombs
that could be in ocean/air shipping containers without opening the containers. Can also be
used at atomic plants, oil/gas wells and hospitals.
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WORLD TRADE
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Designed, built, and installed many steel processing systems/plants all over the world,
including England, Ireland, The Netherlands, France, Israel, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia,
Venezuela, New Zealand, Korea, China, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Nigeria,
Jordan, Honduras, and Romania.
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INTERESTS
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Past sponsor of “Miss Cauffiel of Toledo”, an Unlimited Hydroplane that reaches speeds
over 200 MPH. Brought unlimited hydroplane races to the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio.
Classic Cars including Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Packard, Cadillac, Stutz, Milburn, and
other US historical cars from 1917 to 1938 housed in private museum.
Investments in industrial real estate and stocks and bonds in over 20 small and medium
size companies throughout the United States.
Golf/Tennis
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AWARDS
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Many patents in steel processing machinery and consumer products.
Presidential "E" Award from the U.S. Government for "Outstanding Contribution to Export Expansion", 1974
Received the "Celebrate Literacy" award from the International Reading Association for the
promotion of literacy for developing and proving a system by paying students to tutor
other students and starting a foundation called Students For Other Students (SOS)
Winner of the “Master Entrepreneur Of The Year Award”, 1994, sponsored by Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch, and Inc. Magazine
Honored at The Entrepreneur Of The Year Institute’s International Conference in Palm Springs, California, 1994
Received honor into Libbey High School’s Hall of Fame, 1994
Honored as one of “The Fifty Most Influential Business People in Northwest Ohio” by Business Venture Magazine, 1996
Received the “Horace Mann Award”, 1999 from the American Humanist Association, in recognition of philanthropic work funding student tutors in several public schools. (Other
recipients of the award: Ted Turner, Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, Jonas E. Salk, and Erich Fromm.)
Charter Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA), a credited (MBA)
program at the University of Toledo, past chairman of the Advisory Committee from 1996 to 1999.
Developed Lithium products to revolutionize U.S. glass plate industry by applying lithium
to glass for electrochromics and new manufacturing devices for the glass industry.
Received Distinguished Service Award from the University of Toledo
Received the “Patriot Award” from the U.S. Armed Air Forces for hiring Iraq and Vietnam
war veterans and helped a Vietnam veteran buy a steel processing business, 2007
Received 2008 Ohio Governor’s Outstanding Exporting Award for Medium Size Manufacturing
Business
Received Jefferson Awards’ Certificate of Excellence 2013 for Outstanding Community Service
Developed by Jacqueline Kennedy and Senator Robert Taft, Sr. and Sponsored by the U.S.
Government and promoted by The Toledo Blade newspaper
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MEMBERSHIPS
* Past
✓ Present
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* American Management Association
* American Society of Mechanical Engineers
* International Toastmasters Association
✓ Classic Car Club of America
* Boys Club of America
✓ Association of Steel Distributors
✓ American Iron and Steel Institute
✓ National Association of Manufacturers
✓ Toledo Art Museum, President's Council
✓ CHILD, Inc. (Children's Healthcare Is A Legal Duty)
* Arts Commission of Greater Toledo
* United States Industrial Council Education Foundation
* Junior Achievement of Northwest Ohio
* Inventor’s Council of Toledo
✓ Toledo Astronomy Association
✓ Rotary Club of Reynolds Corners
✓ Stone Oak Country Club
✓ Shadow Valley Tennis Club
✓ Maumee Valley Thunderbird Club
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SUBSIDIARIES
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Cauffiel Industries, Inc.
Lithium Innovations Company, LLC
American Steel Products Company
American Metal Processing Company, LLC
Granite City Pickling & Warehouse, Inc.
Toledo Industrial Center Company
Republic Property Company
Ford Recycled Plastics, LLC
Students For Other Students (SOS)
Cara Metals Illinois, LLC
Toledo Investment Opportunities, LLC
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© Copyright 1999 by S.O.S., Inc., this page and all subsidiary pages.
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