Irwin Industrial Tools
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Irwin Industrial Tools is an American manufacturer and distributor of hand tools and power tool accessories. It is owned by Stanley Black & Decker. It is best known for producing Vise-Grip locking pliers. Additionally, it produces clamps, drill bits, taps and dies, screw extractors, bolt extractors, saw blades, pipe wrenches, screwdrivers, snips, and other construction tools.[1]
History
Irwin was founded in 1885 in Martinsville, Ohio as the Irwin Auger Bit Company by Charles Irwin, a pharmacist. Irwin had bought the rights to a solid-center auger bit from a local blacksmith.[2]
In 1924, another blacksmith, Danish immigrant William Petersen of DeWitt, Nebraska, invented the first locking pliers[3] and named them Vise-Grips.[4] In 1934, Petersen formed the Petersen Manufacturing Company to produce them.[5] In 1957, Petersen added an easy-release trigger to the design, creating the modern locking pliers design.[6]
In 1985, American Tool Companies bought out Petersen Manufacturing.Template:Clarify In 1993, American acquired The Irwin Tool Company, and in 2002, Newell Rubbermaid acquired American. In 2003, American officially changed its name to Irwin Industrial Tool Company.[7]
In 2008, Irwin announced the closing of its DeWitt, Nebraska plant, ending 80 years of American production for Vise-Grips, citing a necessity to move production to China "to keep the Vise-Grip name competitive."[8]
In 2010, Irwin closed the customer service office in Wilmington, OH and moved the customer service department to Huntersville, NC.
In October 2016 Stanley Black & Decker Inc agreed to buy Newell Brands Inc.’s tools business for $1.95 billion. The acquisition was completed in March 2017.[9][10]
Gallery
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A pair of Vise-Grip locking pliers.
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Vise-Grip curved-jaw locking pliers.
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Vise-Grip long-nose locking pliers.
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Quick-Grip bar clamp.
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A spade bit.
See also
- Irwin Tools Night Race—A NASCAR race formerly sponsored by the company.
References
External links
Template:Tool manufacturers Template:Stanley Black & Decker Template:Authority control
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- Tool manufacturing companies of the United States
- Manufacturing companies based in North Carolina
- Newell Brands
- American companies established in 1885
- Manufacturing companies established in 1885
- 1885 establishments in Ohio
- 1985 mergers and acquisitions
- 1993 mergers and acquisitions
- 2002 mergers and acquisitions
- 2017 mergers and acquisitions
- Pages with reference errors