This 4th of July, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate Carstens’ history of supplying healthcare facilities with high-quality, American-made products. As a Chicago native and certified women-owned business, we know the importance of both sustaining the economy locally in Chicago and across the rest of the nation. Here’s a little slice of our history and some of the positive impacts that come from buying American-made products! 

Carstens and Our History as a Leading Women-Owned Chicago Business

Founded in 1886 as The Henry Carstens Metal Novelty Co., Carstens Inc. is a leading provider of patient charting systems in North America. In the early 1900s, Carstens began manufacturing surgical tools and veterinary instruments before evolving into patient charting manufacturing in the mid-1900s. 


Throughout the mid and late 1900s, Carstens started to become a household name in Chicago and nationwide for healthcare industry professionals. In the 90s, we released our WALLAroo wall-mounted workstations, improving patient charting efficiency for healthcare facilities across the nation, and more recently, our CarePod line of workstations that are improving nurse efficiency in Chicago and all over the US.


We proudly carry over 2,000 American-made products and supply them to over 30,000 healthcare facilities across the US and Canada. As a family-owned company that has been manufacturing and supplying high-quality products for over 130 years, we take pride in the role we play for local hospitals and clinics.


In 2016, Carstens was recognized by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBENC) for meeting all of its requirements as a Women’s Business Enterprise. The WBENC is the largest certifier of businesses that are owned, operated, and controlled by women in the US and an advocate for women-owned businesses in both corporate and government supply chains.

The Positive Impacts of Buying American-Made Products

Fireworks and the US flag


At Carstens, we believe in manufacturing and supplying American-made products to healthcare facilities across the nation. Buying American-made products has more positive impacts than its effects on the economy, including:


  • A lower carbon footprint—Most products made overseas come with a higher carbon footprint than American-made goods. Products from India, China, etc., have to get shipped far and wide before they reach US stores, spewing out greenhouse gases and burning fossil fuel.

  • Less pollution—One reason that goods from developing countries often come with cheaper costs is because they have few or no regulations in place to protect the health of the water and air. Many overseas factories that provide exported goods for the US produce large amounts of chemicals, polluting the air, water, and soil.

  • Protecting human rights—Like the lack of health regulations, many countries that produce goods to be sold in the US often don’t have laws that protect the rights of their workers. 

  • Health and safety—Not only does the lack of health and safety regulations of overseas factories put foreign workers at risk, but it can also pose a threat to the health of American consumers. From choking hazards and the use of unsafe chemicals, millions of overseas products often get recalled in the US for not meeting health and safety standards.

  • Creating and sustaining jobs—One of the most common reasons that people prefer to buy American-made products is that it helps save and create jobs in the US. Trade imbalances with foreign nations often lead to a loss of US jobs, particularly manufacturing ones.

  • An overall stronger economy—Buying American-made products supports more than just the workers who create the goods; its benefits affect the entire economy. For example, when US manufacturers prosper, they hire US construction companies for expansions, US accounting firms to handle their finances, and US energy suppliers to provide the power they need.

    • Carstens’ Continued Mission to Improving the Quality of Care for US Healthcare Workers and Patients

    Heart made out of healthcare essentials


    From 1886 to 2021 and beyond, we’re dedicated to improving the quality of care across the healthcare industry all over Chicago, the US, and all of North America. We continually work to create product solutions to streamline processes for healthcare professionals and enable seamless workflows. Carstens empowers caregivers across the nation to do their jobs efficiently and effectively so that they can connect with those in their care.

    Learn more about Carstens and check out our custom patient charting supplies!