Made in Chicagoland: Hu-Friedy

CHICAGO (WLS) -- In a manufacturing facility in the Lakeview neighborhood, more than 10,000 types of dental instruments are created, then shipped all over the world.

This is the global headquarters of Hu-Friedy.

"We do manufacture the highest quality in premium dental instruments and associated products in the world - no questions asked," said Ron Saslow, CEO.

Hu-Friedy is named after Hugo Friedman, who founded the company here in 1908.

Fifty years later, Friedman sold the company to Ron Saslow's father. Today, Ron is the CEO.

"He and I have grown the company from a six-person boutique organization to a global empire, if you will," Saslow said.

Twelve hours a day, robots whiz, hum and clamor.

"It's actually taking that soft piece of steel putting into a punch press, orienting it and putting in the bend," said Claude Brown, senior vice president of global operations. "So this will turn into a Hu-Friedy scaler once we heat treat it and finish it."

Some of the work is automated with robotics, but most of it is still done by hand. And the company says it's the handmade instruments - that give the Hu-Friedy product its distinction.

These artisans have mastered it, meticulously molding, treating, and sharpening instruments to perfection.

They're using calibers, they're creating the shape, they're creating the sharp edge and they're making sure they perfectly match our requirements," Brown said. "We're talking a couple thousandths of an inch - it's about the thickness of a hair."

To achieve this level of precision and expertise takes decades, experience the company says can only be found here in Chicago.