American Type Founders Company was founded in 1892 as the merger of 23 independent type foundries. In 1903 a headquarters was established in Jersey City, New Jersey with a foundry later established in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

The original group of foundries consolidated in 1892 includes MacKeller, Smiths, & Jordan, Co., Collins & M’Leester, James Conner’s Sons, P. A. Heinrich, A. W. Lindsay, Charles J. Carey & Co., The John Ryan Co., J. G. Mengel & Co., Hooper, Wilson & Co., Lyman & Son, Cincinnati Type Foundry, Cleveland Type Foundry, Marder, Luse, & Co., Union Type Foundry, Benton, Waldo & Co., Kansas City Type Foundry, Palmer & Rey, Binny & Ronaldson, and Dickinson Type Foundry.

Later additions include Farmer, Little, & Co., Central Type Foundry, Boston Type Foundry, Bruce Type Foundry, H. L. Pelouze & Son Type Founders, Barnhart Brothers & Spindler, Inland Type Foundry, Golding & Company, Keystone Type Foundry, H.C. Hanson Type Foundry, Webendorfer-Wills Company, Dystrom Corporation, Davidson Corporation, and Lanston Monotype Machine Company.

American Type Founders Company was one of the foremost companies in its industry but was hit hard by the Great Depression and filed for bankruptcy in 1933. While it tried to rebuild the company never reached its former status and finally closed in the 1990s.