GLENDALE HEIGHTS, IL - LaVezzi Precision, a manufacturer of high-precision, multi-faceted medical components and other parts, is now celebrating its 100th anniversary. During the past 100 years, LaVezzi has kept 85% of the world’s theater industry up and running, helped the military B1B Bomber take flight, supplied countless critical medical components and saved thousands of lives through ventricular assistance devices that develop cardiac strength and reverse the need for heart transplants.

Founded in 1908, LaVezzi has continued to emphasize quality control from concept through production of each component. The company began with engineer and inventor Edward LaVezzi walking door to door, selling a cigar box full of sprockets for the motion picture industry, all made from a garage shop. The premium quality of the parts quickly attracted clients such as MGM, Paramount, FOX and RKO. Currently, LaVezzi is an award-winning establishment housed in a 50,000-square-foot facility with over 75 employees and a roster of acclaimed national as well as international clientele. They attribute their century of success to the steadfast commitment to the company mission - never compromise on quality, and place the importance of quality above all else.

Company owners Al LaVezzi and Douglas Kremer also credit their success to hard work, long hours, keeping a finger on the industry pulse and an unrelenting drive towards success. “As third generation owners we strive to maintain the vision and concept that defined the business over 100 years ago - the unparalleled service and premium quality manufacturing of precision parts for the medical and motion picture industries,” explains Kremer.

LaVezzi manufactures the most critical titanium components for heart pumps commonly known as LVADs. An LVAD is implanted under or on the heart in order to maintain blood flow through the body. There are nearly 2,000 heart transplants each year, but nearly 200,000 awaiting help – the LVAD reverses the need of a heart transplant for some by rebuilding cardiac strength to a normal capacity. Additional LaVezzi-manufactured medical components include bone screws; special tools and orthopedic screwdrivers; orthopedic and dental implants; cardiovascular components; surgical cutting instruments, orthopedic burs and reamers, dental burs and drills; ultrasonic/aspiration devices; orthopedic screws and anchors; microsurgical system components and endoscopic instruments and components.

As a consumer, if you have ever visited a movie theater, you have likely experienced the quality of LaVezzi parts in the motion picture projectors running your cinematic favorites. A staggering 85% of the world’s theater equipment manufacturers rely on LaVezzi to manufacture their most critical parts, each requiring precision and exceptional accuracy to run properly and hold a steady screen.

LaVezzi was also the recipient of two technical achievement awards in 1979 and 1983 from the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for innovative design and manufacture of components critical to film projection. Numerous awards have been given for supplier of the year as well.

Located west of Chicago, LaVezzi utilizes a variety of specialty CNC Swiss lathes, multi-axis lathes, 5-axis milling centers, grinding machines and other equipment in a spotless, FDA-approved work environment. Highly skilled manufacturing technicians produce complex, burr-free, machined medical device components within tolerances of ± 0.00004 inches. LaVezzi also manufactures its own line of TRU-POS™ Locator gages for determining the true position of tapped holes.