(…) By the 1980s, Rockford was known as the “screw capital of the world” because it was home to such fastener companies as National Lock, Rockford Products and Elco Industries.
Today, the fastener industry is kept alive by a handful of smaller companies, as the area increasingly has transformed itself into an aerospace hub. (…)
via Rock River Valley’s history rich in transformation – Special – Rockford Register Star – Rockford, IL.