Forest City Gear Celebrates 70 Years in Business

Roscoe, IL (April 30, 2025) – Forest City Gear proudly marks its 70^th anniversary in 2025. Founded in 1955 by Stetler and Evelyn Young, with one machine and a $7,000 loan from friends and family, Forest City Gear has grown from a small shop out of their garage into a globally respected manufacturer, serving a wide range of industries including aerospace, outer space, automotive & motorsports, robotics, medical instrument, and food & beverage machinery manufacturing. As we’ve expanded and flourished, Forest City Gear has stayed true to our roots as a family-owned company. 

What began as a modest operation with just a handful of employees has evolved into a state-of-the-art facility producing high-performance gears for clients internationally. The second generation of Young leadership at Forest City Gear saw extraordinary growth into out-of-this-world markets. With Stetler and Evelyn’s son, Fred Young, and his wife, Wendy Nutter Young, at the helm, Forest City Gear manufactured parts for racecars for Formula 1 and American Le Mans, as well as the International Space Station and four of NASA’s Mars rovers. 

In 2022, Kika Young, middle daughter of Fred and Wendy, was named President of Forest City Gear. With sisters Appy Mikel and Mindy Young sharing ownership, this third generation has seen continued advancement, most notably in aerospace and outer space exploration. 

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate 70 years in business,” said Young. “This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, the loyalty of our customers, and the vision of my grandparents, founders Stetler and Evelyn. While we celebrate our past, we are even more excited about the future.”

Throughout our history, Forest City Gear has continually invested in advanced technology, machinery, and sustainable practices to stay at the forefront of the industry. We exercise strict adherence to quality standards (ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485), maintain Nadcap accreditation and ITAR certification, and hold memberships to the American Gear Manufacturing Association and National Tooling & Machining Association. All the while, we have approached business with the same values that we started with: family first and excellence without exception, always.  

“As Forest City Gear looks ahead, we remain committed to precision, quality, and delivering unmatched excellence to our customers,” added Young. “The next 70 years start now. Cheers to gears for 70 years!”