Hoskins Manufacturing (Detroit, Michigan)

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In 1905, Albert Leroy Marsh and William Hoskins of Chicago invented Chromel. Made of four parts nickel and one part chromium, it was the first metallic combination to serve as a heating element. For this, Marsh was acclaimed as "father of the electrical heating industry." The patent was acquired February 1906. Shortly thereafter, in 1908, Hoskins Manufacturing was formed and moved to Detroit.

The new alloy was 300 times stronger than other types at that time. Toasters, dental furnaces and Chromel wire for appliance manufacturers were the first focus of Hoskins. The first two were unprofitable and were later dropped. The company concentrated on manufacturing the Chromel wire. Albert Marsh served as general manager of the company until his death in 1944.