What Illinois Tool Works makes

Illinois Tool Works is a Fortune 300 diversified industrial manufacturer that runs seven segments: Automotive OEM, Food Equipment, Test & Measurement and Electronics, Welding, Polymers & Fluids, Construction Products, and Specialty Products. For automotive buyers the relevant business is the Automotive OEM segment, which supplies metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies for cars and light trucks. Products include cold-formed and specialty fasteners, tooth washers, plastic clips and fastening systems, and engineered polymer components for interior and dashboard controls.

The automotive work runs under long-established brands, including Deltar (advanced plastics and fasteners), Shakeproof (washers and metal fasteners), Fastex, Drawform, and Ateco for European operations. These are engineered-fastening and component products sold to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, the parts that hold a vehicle together and the polymer assemblies behind its controls rather than large structural systems. The Automotive OEM segment generated about $3.19 billion in sales in fiscal 2024, roughly 20% of ITW's total, making it a mid-sized slice of a much larger industrial company.

ITW runs its operations through the ITW Business Model, an 80/20 front-to-back process paired with a decentralized structure of roughly 84 operating divisions that manage their own product lines and customer relationships. That structure means an automotive buyer typically deals with a specific division and brand, not a single corporate sales desk.

Financial performance

ITW reported revenue of $16.0 billion in fiscal 2025, up 0.9% year over year, at a 26.3% operating margin, one of the highest margins in diversified industrials. GAAP earnings were $10.49 per share and net income was roughly $3.07 billion. The prior year, fiscal 2024, produced $15.9 billion in revenue and a record 26.8% operating margin, with operating income of about $4.3 billion.

Within automotive, the Automotive OEM segment posted $845 million in second-quarter 2025 revenue, up 4%, at a 21.3% operating margin, which the company described as its highest segment margin since early 2021. Regional demand was uneven that quarter: North America declined 7%, Europe grew 1%, and China grew 22%. ITW is a consistent capital returner, having raised its dividend for a 63rd consecutive year heading into 2026 and authorizing a $6 billion share repurchase. These are published figures from ITW's investor materials.

Ownership and history

Illinois Tool Works was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith in Chicago and today is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ITW and is a component of the S&P 500. The company employs roughly 44,000 people across 51 countries, per its 2024 disclosures, and describes itself as a global multi-industrial manufacturer.

Leadership sits at a small corporate center by design. Christopher A. O'Herlihy has been President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2024, having joined ITW in 1989 and run several of its segments. Michael M. Larsen is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, a role he has held since joining in 2013, and E. Scott Santi serves as Chairman. Consistent with the decentralized model, only a handful of executives report directly to the CEO, and the operating divisions carry their own P&L responsibility.

Certifications and quality

ITW's automotive brands hold IATF 16949, the automotive-sector quality management standard, at the site level. Certificates are posted by individual businesses such as Deltar Fasteners and Shakeproof's Machesney Park operation, which is the normal pattern for a decentralized multi-plant supplier where each division certifies its own facilities. Buyers evaluating a specific part should confirm the certificate for the exact plant and division that would produce it, since certification is held per site rather than at the corporate level. APQP and PPAP are standard practice for automotive fastener and component programs of this type.

Known customers

ITW does not publish an automotive customer list. Its automotive site states that it serves all major automakers and Tier 1 suppliers, which is credible for a fastener and component supplier of this scale but is a general statement rather than a documented program. No specific OEM program with a public fact source was found, so no customer is claimed here beyond that sector-standard framing. Buyers should request program references directly from the relevant division.

Sourcing evidence

US customs records list about 3,914 ocean import shipments tied to Illinois Tool Works, with the most recent on record dated September 20, 2026. Because ITW is a seven-segment enterprise, this count spans the whole company rather than automotive alone, and several ITW entities appear separately in the data, including ITW Texwipe and ITW Dynatec. The named foreign suppliers reflect that breadth: Paslode Fasteners Shanghai and ITW Fastener Products on the fastener side, Xiamen Autotop Technology on automotive components, and Zhongce Rubber Thailand on the tire and rubber side.

The pattern is consistent with an industrial manufacturer that imports components and tooling into US operations across multiple product lines. For an automotive buyer, the relevant read is that ITW maintains active, current inbound trade as of late 2026 and operates its own overseas manufacturing affiliates, several of which ship into the US directly. This inbound footprint matters for buyers weighing nearshoring options and tariff exposure on imported fasteners and components.

Coverage caveats: these are US ocean-freight records only. Air, truck, and rail movements do not appear; some records name freight intermediaries rather than manufacturers; and product categories come from declared manifest codes, which are noisy. The shipment count reflects the diversified enterprise, not the Automotive OEM segment in isolation. Absence of a record is not evidence of absence.

Frequently asked questions

What does Illinois Tool Works make?

Illinois Tool Works is a diversified industrial manufacturer with seven segments. Its Automotive OEM segment supplies metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies for cars and light trucks under brands including Deltar, Shakeproof, Fastex, and Drawform. The broader company also makes food equipment, welding products, test and measurement instruments, polymers and fluids, construction products, and specialty products.

Who owns Illinois Tool Works?

Illinois Tool Works is a publicly listed company that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ITW and is a component of the S&P 500. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois. It has no single controlling owner.

What is Illinois Tool Works' revenue?

Illinois Tool Works reported revenue of $16.0 billion in fiscal 2025, up 0.9% year over year, at a 26.3% operating margin. Its Automotive OEM segment accounted for roughly $3.19 billion of fiscal 2024 sales, about 20% of the company's total.

Where is Illinois Tool Works headquartered?

Illinois Tool Works is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. The company operates across 51 countries and employs roughly 44,000 people as of its 2024 disclosures.

Who are Illinois Tool Works' automotive customers?

ITW does not publish an automotive customer list. Its automotive business states that it serves all major automakers and Tier 1 suppliers, which is consistent with a fastener and component supplier of its scale, but no specific OEM program is publicly documented. Buyers should request program references directly from the relevant ITW division.

What certifications does Illinois Tool Works hold?

ITW's automotive brands hold IATF 16949, the automotive quality management standard, at the site level. Certificates are posted by individual businesses such as Deltar Fasteners and Shakeproof's Machesney Park plant. Because ITW is decentralized, certification is held per facility, so buyers should confirm the certificate for the specific plant and division producing their part.

Last verified September 27, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.