SK Hand Tools
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| Type | Subsidiary of Ideal Industries |
|---|---|
| Founded | Chicago, IL (1921) |
| Headquarters | Sycamore, IL |
| Key people |
Doug Spitler industry = Manufacturing |
| Website | www.skhandtool.com |
S-K Hand Tools is a tool company located in Sycamore, Illinois. Major products include sockets and drive tools, wrenches, air tools, and other mechanics' tools; SK has a tool line of over 3500 pieces including wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers, tool boxes and air tools. SK has manufacturing facilities in Sycamore, Illinois [1] Outlets for their products include independent tool-truck dealers, auto parts stores, and major internet vendors such as Sears and amazon.com.
[edit] History
SK was founded as the Sherman-Klove Company, specializing in screw-machine products, by Mason H. Sherman and Roger Klove. The company was founded in the early 1900s to supply munitions in WWI, and made mortar housings in a screw machine plant on Harrison Street in Chicago.[2] During the 1920s SK operated primarily as a contract company, making tools for other companies including Craftsman (tools).[3] Business thrived, they made specialty screw machine products that did well until the depression. William S. Sherman (W.S.), Mason's son, came to SK after graduating college in 1927 and was eventually a major owner of the company. One of the products the company made was socket wrenches for Hinsdale Socket and Wrench Company. The Hinsdale Company went out of business during the great depression leaving Sherman-Klove with a large inventory of this product, they then redesigned the product and changed the company name to S-K Tools.[2]
Theodore Rueb, an engineer for the Sherman-Klove Company, went on to developed a new mechanism for a very successful line of ratchets, scaled from 1/4-drive up to 3/4-drive. The "round-head" ratchet has remained one of the most popular ratchet styles in the seven decades since S-K's first development, and many modern ratchets are little changed from the earliest design. SK invented and received a patent for the round head ratchet wrench,[4] which remains a mainstay of their, and every major competitor's product line today.
In 1962, SK, along with manufacturing partner Lectrolite Corp., of Defiance, OH was bought out by Symington-Wayne. That company was later bought out by Dresser Industries. In 1985 SK became part of Facom Tools.[5] Following a takeover by Stanley Tools in 2005 of their former parent company, French based Facom Tools, they became independent through a management buyout.[3][6] In June, 2010, the company declared bankruptcy. * On August 23, 2010, it was announced that two days later, on August 25, 2010, Ideal Industries would acquire SK.[7][8]
[edit] Manufacturing Locations
SK maintains a Manufacturing plant in Sycamore, Illinois. SK will be manufactured in Sycamore, Illinois, in a brand new Manufacturing Plant. Manufacturing will begin in January 2011 with new products being manufactured. Warranty claims can be submitted beginning March 1, 2011.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.skhandtool.com/Default.aspx?fusemode=15
- ^ a b http://www.berlands.com/static.asp?path=80
- ^ a b Sherman-Klove and S-K Tools
- ^ Patent US1981526 - RATCHET WRENCH - Google Patents
- ^ S-K Knurled-Base Sockets
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/product-management/7830433-1.html
- ^ Yue, Lorene (2010-08-23). "SK Hand Tool assets sold to Ideal Industries". Chicago Business. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20100823/NEWS05/100829965/sk-hand-tool-assets-sold-to-ideal-industries. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
- ^ "IDEAL Acquires Premier Tool Manufacturer SK Hand Tools" (Press release). Ideal Industries. 2010-08-23. http://www.idealindustries.com/whatsnew/press_releases/view.jsp?news=2010-08-23_sktool. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
