In October of 1953 Chicago Magnesium Casting Company was founded by Donald R. Burnett after finishing his service in the navy and graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in metallurgy. The business began in a small one room cinder block building on a plot of land just south of Chicago in suburban Blue Island.  By 1959 the company out grew that original dirt floor building and the current site was built. The company grew in the sixties and seventies fueled by such companies as Sundstrand, Westinghouse and General Electric.  Expansion occurred, adding additions and new buildings every year and has grown to nearly 150 employees and a customer base that includes Boeing, United Technologies, and Honeywell.

Since 1953 Chicago Magnesium has been at the forefront of magnesium and aluminum sand casting. Chicago Magnesium was the first foundry in the world to supply production castings in magnesium sand casting alloy WE43. Revolutionary at the time, this high strength corrosion resistant alloy developed by Magnesium Elektron offers excellent elevated temperature mechanical properties up to 480 degrees F. The alloy is targeted at applications such as helicopter and aero engine transmission cases.