History
Tringali Iron Works, LLC.

In the mid-1920’s Liborio Tringali (Bud Knudsen’s grandfather) emigrated from Italy.  He was an experienced blacksmith with a family background in the iron works business.  He leased and operated an iron works shop in lower Manhattan in an area called “Tribecca” (Triangle below Canal).  In those days this was the center of the wholesale grocery trade with its numerous warehouses, delivery trucks, horse and wagons, and overhead elevated trains.

Blacksmithing was commonly associated with horse shoeing.  With the location of an iron works shop central to the warehouse district, a large part of work shifted to installation of protective steel plates over wooden warehouse floors in order to facilitate storage and movement of merchandise in the warehouse.

Throughout the 1930’s the scope of the work continued to expand, and included fabrication and installation of custom ornamental iron works, steel stairways, light structural, specialty tools, equipment repair, and mechanical contracting.  During this period, the leased building at 401 Greenwich Street was acquired and Tringali Iron Works finally had its own home. 

When the war broke out in 1941, the business was called upon as a sub-contractor to provide specialty steel items for government contracts.  To meet production schedules, Jean Tringali (Bud Knudsen’s Mother), a top-notch secretary, pitched in after hours and on weekends as a punch press operator.  She remembers her experiences to this day as her contribution to the war effort and the thousands of steel holes she punched in steel plates and parts. 

In the 1950’s the wholesale grocers gradually located to College Point and as premises were vacated, the lofts were bought and renovated into posh and trendy residences.  Since the warehouses are subject to control by the Landmark Commission, very little exterior alteration has been allowed to this day.

In recent years, Tribecca has been considered to be one of the most desirable areas in New York City and has become the home of many notables.  After nearly 75 years, the building from which Tringali Iron Works had operated as a family business through three generations was sold. 

In April 2000 the business was relocated to historic Boonton Township, New Jersey and continues the family tradition with a greater emphasis on specialty and custom iron works designs under the sole direction of Bernard “Bud” Knudsen as part of that third generation.