(Sunnen: St. Louis) -- In 1924, Joseph Sunnen, a young auto mechanic, saw the need for a tool to help repair cylinder heads without injuring his fingers. His spirit of innovation drove him to develop a valve-compressing tool that made the job quick and safe.

Soon after, he started a mobile business, selling his new tools out of the back of a converted 1916 Hupmobile, where he and his wife also camped. Early success led Sunnen to develop and patent a manual cylinder hone for auto garages. Decades later, this basic honing device has evolved into a highly capable CNC machining process by the company he founded.

Today, Sunnen Products Co. is the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of precision honing systems, operating sales, service, and manufacturing facilities in 14 countries worldwide.

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