773.921.3300
sales@cfisupplies.com
We take pride in our history and the family values that have guided us through the years, and we thank our loyal customers and partners for all of their support.
Our History
A Legacy of Fastener Expertise
The Lang family have been experts in the fastener industry for four generations. In the mid-1950s, Herbert William Lang (“Bill Lang Sr.”) was introduced to the industry by his father-in-law, Harold McNeely, a metallurgist for Schnitzer Alloy Products in Elizabeth, NJ.
From Door-to-Door Sales to a Thriving Career
Bill Sr. began his career walking door-to-door selling screws, nuts, bolts and other fasteners. He proved a natural salesman, and national hardware firm Albany Products soon took notice and offered him a job. Bill accepted the offer and moved his wife and four children to Chicago in January 1967. The family arrived a week before a record-setting blizzard buried the city in 23” of snow, with drifts up to 6 feet high – followed a few months later by one of the fiercest tornadoes in city history. Despite the weather and pressure from family members to move back to New Jersey, the Langs fell in love with the city and planted their roots for generations to come.
Bill Sr. and his wife Ellen on their wedding day.
The Lang family in front of their first house in Chicago.
A New Generation, A New Era
Bill Sr. passed away in 2009, handing the reins to his son. To better track the company’s growing inventory, Bill Jr. invested in warehouse scanners and barcoding software, which gave Certified the ability to track inventory, manage vendors, and serve customers. Bill also acquired some of the key accounts that we still service to this day. His efforts have proved crucial to the survival and long-term success of the company. As the company grew and expanded, its name and image did, too. Certified Products became Certified Fastener & Industrial Supply, to better reflect its broader array of offerings including tools, paints, adhesives, PPE, plumbing and electrical supplies, and more.
Bill Jr. and Sam after their move to Hammond
Bill Sr. and Sam at a White Sox game.
Harold and his wife, Claire
Harold holding a young Bill Lang, Jr.
The Birth of Certified Fasteners
After nearly 20 years of sales work for fastener companies in and around Chicago, Bill Sr. and his wife Ellen finally achieved their dream to start their own business: in 1986 they bought Certified Threaded Fasteners, then just a small storefront on the North Side. All they had were a few barrels of fasteners, a couple of old typewriters, a handful of customers, one full-time employee and the part-time help of their son, Bill Jr. This didn’t concern the Langs; Bill had earned a reputation for providing outstanding customer service and had built a long list of connections in the industry.
Growing the Business and Expanding Operations
It wasn’t long before the Langs had enough funds to expand operations. They changed the company’s name to Certified Products and moved to a small warehouse in the city’s Austin neighborhood in 1989. Bill Jr., then in his 20s, left his job to join the company full-time. He spent many weekends painstakingly sorting through inventory and updating index cards to build a detailed catalog of parts and a manual system to warehouse them all.
Bill Jr. soon after he started working for Certified.
Bill Jr. after he took over the business.
The Fourth Generation Joins the Team
In 2018, the fourth generation of Langs entered the family business. Bill Jr.’s son Sam had spent his teenage years working part-time in the warehouse and making deliveries to customers. Now, armed with a business degree from Loyola University Chicago, Sam began working full-time in the Purchasing department. He quickly learned the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the business – figuratively and, in this case, literally – and has since introduced new software and systems to manage the company’s operations and better serve customers.
Bigger, Better, Faster: Certified’s Move to Hammond
In July 2021 the company outgrew its warehouse in Chicago and moved to Hammond, IN. With three times the space, an optimized warehouse layout, streamlined processes and an exceptional team, Certified has dramatically improved order fulfillment rates and maintained its reputation for quality parts, fast delivery, and outstanding customer service. Now vice president, Sam continues to find ways to improve efficiency and value, while Bill helps ensure that Certified continues to provide the high level of friendly, expert service that his parents made famous.
Commitment to Excellence and Customer Service
Certified Fastener & Industrial Supply continues its tradition of high-quality products and exceptional service. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in every aspect of our operations—from sourcing top-tier domestic and imported fasteners to providing custom solutions tailored to our customers’ unique needs. With a fully stocked warehouse, cutting-edge inventory management, and a dedicated team, we ensure fast order processing, same or next-day shipping, and reliable delivery.
At Certified, customer satisfaction is at the core of everything we do. As we continue to grow, we remain focused on the values that built our reputation: integrity, quality, and a dedication to serving our customers with professionalism and care.