The early years

Elias Heller started manufacturing files and rasps by all hand work in Newark in 1836. At that time, his trading was confined locally due to the slow and limited horse and wagon transportation. In 1866, Elias George Heller, oldest son of Elias Heller, together with his younger brother Paul Elias Heller joined the business and moved to a new larger factory.
Through their combined efforts, the business began to expand and thrive with the expansion of railroad transportation. At first, these file pioneers met with considerable opposition from both distributor and consumer. Both were prejudiced against American-made  files and rasps, claiming that home production could not equal imported goods which at that time monipolized the markets of the United States.