November 2021 Volume 3

INDUSTRY NEWS

Remembering Peter Ian Georgeson

into staying, offering him to purchase Atlas Forgings and become President. Years later, as Pete planned his transition to retirement, he wanted to find a way to reward those who helped him grow the business during his time from a small hammer shop to what it has become today. With that goal in mind and given his strong belief that the strength of the company was its people, he sold Atlas Forgings to the employees, making the company employee-owned. To honor Pete’s Scottish heritage, the employee-owners then changed the name from Atlas Forgings to Scot Forge. Pete and Helen moved to Elmhurst, Illinois in 1956 and split their time between there and Naples, Florida in their later years. His first wife Helen passed away in 2001. A few years later Peter met his second wife, Frances Clements, at theWilderness Country Club. Pete and Frances were married in Naples the following year and remained truly in love until Fran’s passing in December of last year. Pete was preceded in death by his son Lee (Leroy) in 1997, then his wife Helen 2001, followed by Frances in 2020. Pete is survived by his son Grant (Shirley) and his grandson, Ian. Along with many friends and employees of Scot Forge that he always considered to be his family. ■ Somers Steel Announces Closure After 36 years in business, Somers Steel has announced that they will be closing their doors. According to an announcement sent out to customers, the UK parent company, Somers Forge Ltd. has, in recent times, gained substantial successes in the Global Defense Market. This has resulted in capacity restraints and a difficulty to fully satisfy the needs of their stock and holding facility here in North America. Somers Steel will be issuing a stock list detailing the available die bars that they have and will welcome the opportunity to quote for any of the material that customers may have interest in. The UK parent company will continue to quote for any bespoke die requirements, including hammer tups, sow blocks and piston rods. Inquiries can be sent to sales@somersforge.com. For questions, please contact Cheryl Frey at 734-729-3700 or sales@ somerssteel.com. You can also view their available stock list posted on the FIAWebsite at www.forging.org/member-services/surplus-forging-stock

Forging industry champion, advocate and leader, Peter Ian Georgeson passed away on August 26th, only a few days short of his 96th birthday, after a brief stay at the Francis Georgeson Hospice Home in Naples, Florida. Pete was born on August 30th, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. Both of Pete’s parents passed away when he was a young boy. He had three uncles, John, George and Peter A. Georgeson, who took over the care of raising him into his adulthood. Pete joined the Navy and was the Quartermaster on a Light Supply Mover during WW2. After an Honorable Discharge at the end of the war, he attended Purdue University and then went on to Northwestern University where he attended night school to get his business degree. While at Northwestern he met his wife Helen McNair, they lived at the same boarding house in Oak Park, Illinois. Pete and Helen were married on October 23rd, 1948. Pete and Helen moved to southern Illinois where he was employed by Ryerson Steel at their Stainless Steel division - The House of Stainless, as it was referred to. They moved back to the Chicago area after a call from his uncle’s accountant asking him for help to save his uncle’s struggling business, Atlas Forgings Company in Cicero, Illinois. Pete worked as a salesman and soon the company was doing well again. As the company stabilized Pete expressed his desire to return to Ryerson Steel. Both his uncle and accountant talked him

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2021 60