Channellock

Channellock

Type	Privately owned
Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	1886 in Evansburg, Pennsylvania
Founder(s)	George B. DeArment
Headquarters	Meadville, Pennsylvania
Key people	George B. DeArment, Howard Manning
Products	Hand tools
Website	www.channellock.com

Channellock is an American company that produces hand tools. It is best known for its pliers—the company manufactures more than 120 types of pliers^[1]—particularly its eponymous style of tongue-and-groove, slip-joint pliers.^[2] Its pliers have distinctive blue grips; the company has been using the same trademarked shade of blue since 1956.^[3]

It also produces cutting pliers, linemen's pliers, long nose pliers, adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers, nutdrivers and special purpose pliers, as well as multi-function tools for the fire service and other first responders. All of its pliers are manufactured at one of its two facilities in Meadville, Pennsylvania.^[4]

History

The company's history was founded in 1886 when George B. DeArment, a blacksmith from Evansburg, Pennsylvania, began hand-forging farrier's tools and selling them from town to town out of the back of a wagon. The business eventually became known as the Champion Bolt and Clipper Company.

In 1904, the company moved to a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m²) facility in Meadville, Pennsylvania and added nippers, pinchers and open-end wrenches to its product line. George B. DeArment’s two sons, Almon W. and J. Howard DeArment, became partners in the company in 1911 and expanded the product line again to include hammers. In 1923, the company moved again to a 33,000-square-foot (3,100 m²) facility at its current location in Meadville. Four years later, the name of the company was changed to the Champion–DeArment Tool Company.^[1]

In 1933, Chief Engineer Howard Manning developed the tongue-and-groove, slip-joint pliers for which the company is known. In 1934, a patent for this design^[5] was granted, and in 1949, a trademark for the name "Channellock" was granted, with a first-use date of May 1, 1932.^[6]

From this point to the 1960s, the company began to focus more on the fast-growing pliers side of its business, developing improvements to the original design.^[7][8][9] The word “Channellock” eventually became so synonymous with their product that the company changed its name to Channellock, Inc. in 1963 to capitalize on the popularity of its product.

Today

Channellock, Inc. is now run by the fifth generation of the DeArment family with William S. DeArment serving as president and CEO. The company is based out of two facilities, equaling a total of 230,000 square feet (21,000 m²), in Meadville. With nearly 400 full-time associates, Channellock, Inc. is among the largest employers in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The company has more than 4,000 U.S. wholesale and retail customers and ships to customers in 45 countries.^[1]

Gallery

• 

  A pair of Channellock tongue-and-groove pliers, from which the company takes its name.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Channellock, Inc.. "Company history". http://www.channellock.com/company/history.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-19. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Champion DeArment Tool Company". Alloy Artifacts. 2009-09-09. http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/champion-dearment-tool.html#intro. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
3. ^ Ward, Logan (2009-05). "Top 50 Important Tools". Popular Mechanics. http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/tools/4314786.html?page=5. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 
4. ^ Channellock, Inc. (2009-07-15). "Channellock dedicates new products to quality, made in America mission". http://www.channellockpressroom.com/uploads/pressreleasedocuments/107_ChannellockMade_Quality(final).DOC. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
5. ^ US 1950362 
6. ^ Boliven. "Channellock trademark details". http://www.boliven.com/trademark/71537006. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
7. ^ US 2592927 
8. ^ US 2640381 
9. ^ US 3192805 

External links

• Channellock web site
• Alloy Artifacts: "Champion DeArment Tool Company"