Black & Decker

The Black & Decker Corporation is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker and is headquartered in Towson, Maryland in the United States. The company was founded back in 1910 as a small machine shop by S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker. The company became more famous in 1917 when they invented the portable electric drill, as well as a patent for a new type of hand-held drill that included both a trigger switch and a pistol grip. Their logo is designed to represent a hexagonal nut and has been in use in some incarnation since 1912.

In 1928, the company acquired Van Dorn Electrical Tool Company, the first of many acquisitions, and it began trading on the NYSE in 1936. They received four citations during WWII for their innovations and production and were given their first US trademark in 1945. In 1984, the company acquired General Electric’s small appliance business, and in 2010 they merged with Stanley works to become Stanley Black & Decker. Brands owned by the company include DeWalt, Porter-Cable, Vector, DustBuster, Oldham Blades, and many more. The company has also been inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for their contributions to the Gemini and Apollo space programs from NASA.

Black & Decker makes products for the construction and DIY industries, as well as industrial equipment and security equipment, though it is the former that they are most famous for. They produce a wide selection of hand tools, power tools, and power tool accessories. Products include hammers, tape measures, wrenches, knives, and many other handheld tools, as well as pneumatic tools. They offer the DustBuster, which is a lightweight portable vacuum, as well as accessories such as screwdriver and hammer bits, drilling accessories, and more. They also offer hundreds of other products through their many subsidiary companies.